On Tuesday, Dec 19, I hiked a fifteen mile loop known as the Seven Springs Inner Loop.
Starting at the Cave Creek Trailhead, I went south on Cave Creek #4, south on Cottonwood #247, south and then west on Skunk Tank #246, south on Quien Sabe #250, east and then south on Skull Mesa #248, east and then north on Cottonwood #247, and, finally, north on Cave Creek #4. It took about 9 hours to complete. There were a few route finding challenges along the way, mostly on the Skull Mesa Trail, but also near the end when I got off track on the Cottonwood Trail. These diversions added about a mile to what should have been only a fourteen mile loop.
Here’s a photo of the sign at the trailhead. Some of the distances on the map are incorrect.
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An early morning photo from Cave Creek #4:
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Horses and cows can’t go over, but hikers can…
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Starting on Cottonwood Trail #247…
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That stretch of #247 wasn’t very long; I soon arrived at the intersection with Skunk Tank #246:
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It was a cold morning. There was frost both on the ground and in some of the plants too…
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I was surprised to see this overturned stock tank. It looks new; I’d guess that the rancher who brought it here will place it and turn it over at some point.
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While hiking Skunk Tank #246, I realized that I had seen parts of it before while hiking with Nick one time. This is the intersection with Quien Sabe #250:
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![](https://buettner.to/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171219-DSC07032-Pano-Edit-medium.jpg)
Quien Sabe #250 was fairly easy to follow. There was only one point later on when I got slightly off track and needed to refer to my GPS watch to figure out how to get back on track.
![](https://buettner.to/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171219-DSC07047-Edit-medium.jpg)
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This is the intersection with the Skull Mesa Trail. I didn’t go to the top of the mesa. I found the route finding on this trail to be the most challenging of the day. Shortly after leaving this intersection, I would follow what appeared to be a path only to find that I’d somehow gotten off route twenty yards or so later. I’d consult my watch, get back on track, and would often find a cairn. I’d then proceed to get off track again, etc.
![](https://buettner.to/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171219-DSC07140-Edit-medium.jpg)
At one point, I found myself on the side of a hill wondering whether the trail followed the contour that I was on or whether it went downhill. The going was tough in that spot, so I consulted the map on my phone to find that I should go downhill. I found a well trodden path at the bottom and wondered how I managed to miss it.
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There was white rock in this area. This is one spot where I was able to make a short cut. According to the track shown on my GPS watch, the route went around this fence or through a gate or something. I found that there was a section of downed fence, so I simply walked over it and continued on.
![](https://buettner.to/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171219-DSC07161-Edit-medium.jpg)
The Skull Mesa Trail started heading downhill. The trail was easier to see, but had become quite loose. I needed both of my poles through this stretch to make it down safely. I paused, looked up and found an utterly amazing view to my right…
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The views to the south were quite a lot different. Not as stunning, but certainly more colorful with red exposed soil…
![](https://buettner.to/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171219-DSC07194-Edit-medium.jpg)
I finally got to the end of the Skull Mesa Trail…
![](https://buettner.to/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171219-DSC07212-Edit-medium.jpg)
This section of the Cottonwood Trail is now part of the Maricopa Trail. As such, I thought that it would be easy sailing for a while…
![](https://buettner.to/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171219-DSC07224-Edit-medium.jpg)
…but it wasn’t, at least not on the trail. The trail frequently crossed Cottonwood Creek and would then proceed in a fairly direct fashion through islands of brush and trees. This foliage clearly had no respect for those of us who want to use the trail, so there was a fair amount of bushwhacking required. Also, another clue was the pink ribbons attached to the trees and brush that needed pruning. I went bushwhacked through two of these islands of foliage when I came up with a better idea – I’d simply follow the creek/wash. That worked marvelously well. It added a bit of distance because it wasn’t as direct, but it was certainly a lot easier and quicker too.
![](https://buettner.to/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171219-DSC07239-Edit-medium.jpg)
The Cottonwood Trail eventually left Cottonwood creek, ascended to the top of a ridge and then made its way across Bronco Creek where I came across this intersection for the Bronco Creek Trail. I stayed on the Cottonwood Trail though…
![](https://buettner.to/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171219-DSC07254-Edit-medium.jpg)
The Cottonwood Trail mostly stayed high on the right (east) bank of Bronco Creek. It eventually dumped me into the creek, but when it did so, checking my watch, I found that I should have somehow been high on the left (west) bank of the creek at that point. It was very steep and vegetated at that point, so I walked northward in the creek bed.
![](https://buettner.to/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171219-DSC07266-Edit-medium.jpg)
But the nice thing was that I came across some fall colors along the way…
![](https://buettner.to/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171219-DSC07276-Edit-medium.jpg)
I stayed in the creek and eventually found a 247 marker on the bank. An indistinct trail led upwards. I followed it and eventually (with occasional bushwhacking) came to a much better trail which I assume is the rerouted trail #247. I took this photo, below, shortly after that. I didn’t take any other photos as it was getting dark and the light was not as good on the stretch that I had already traveled earlier in the day. I only had one other route finding hiccup on trail #4 on my return. The Cottonwood Trail #247 crosses Cave Creek just before intersecting Cave Creek Trail #4. I took a different path to get onto trail #4 than I had earlier in the day and subsequently went the wrong way for a short time.
![](https://buettner.to/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171219-DSC07285-Edit-medium.jpg)