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EXPLORING TRAILS WITH ARIZONA STATE PARKS!

FEATURE TRAIL:

Little Elden Trail, Coconino National Forest, Peaks Ranger District, Flagstaff, Arizona

TRAIL DESCRIPTION:

This 4.7-mile long trail with an elevation change of approximately 600 feet. The trail is rated as easy by the Forest Service. Traveling south to north, Little Elden Trail winds along the north side of Little Elden Mountain through stands of Gambel oak and ponderosa pine, ending at Schultz Tank. From there, trail users can connect with the Dry Lake Hills/Mt. Elden trails to the south, or the Kachina Peaks Wilderness to the north. Little Elden Trailhead provides access to Little Elden Trail just south of its midpoint. A spur trail provides access to and from Little Elden Springs Horse Camp in the same area. The horse camp offers 15 campsites and easy access for trucks pulling horse trailers. This trail is part of the Arizona Trail. Trail users are asked to practice Leave No Trace techniques. Mountain bikers and hikers should be prepared to yield the trail to equestrians.

Click here for a printable version of the trails guide map.

There are over 500 trails listed in the Arizona State Trails Guide. For more information on the complete four-pack set of the Arizona State Trails Guide or to purchase a complete set of guide maps by region click here.

Directions to Little Elden Trail:

Drive 5 miles northeast of Flagstaff on US 89. Turn west (left) on FR 556 and drive 2 miles to Little Elden trailhead located on the north (right) side of the road. Equestrian can park at the Sunset Trailhead or the trailhead just west of the Little Elden Springs horse camp on FR 556.

The trail may also be accessed from Schultz Tank or via the Sandy Seep Trail.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT ARIZONA STATE PARKS

Arizona State Parks is celebrating its 50th anniversary!! 1957-2007 - See our calendar of events for special 50th anniversary celebrations.

Riordan Mansion State Historic Park

August 4 ~ Plein Air “Paint Out” ~ Arizona State Parks and Tucson Plein Air Painters Society, Inc. are sponsoring live outdoor painting competitions in celebration of Arizona State Parks' 50th Anniversary Celebration. The public is invited to watch the painters' process. For more information go to www.azstateparks.com or call 602.542.7119.

August 11 ~ National Old Trails Highway ~ Richard and Sherry Mangum, Flagstaff Historians, will give a slide presentation at 7pm. Before there was Route 66, there was the National Old Trails Road. It was conceived in the early days of automobile travel as the nation's first coast-to-coast highway, running from New York to Los Angeles. The talk is illustrated with old photos, maps and colorful graphics, showing the history of the National Old Trails Road in Arizona. Please RSVP. 928.779.4395

August 14 ~ The Reel West vs. the Real West: Hollywood vs. History ~ Christopher T. DeMille, Park Manager, McFarland State Historic Park will tell a short history of the soldier in Frontier Arizona during this Brown Bag Lunch Lecture. 12:15pm. 928.779.4395

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE TRAIL?