Kachina Trail - Flagstaff

Contrary to what several other websites say, Kachina Trail is NOT a loop.  NOT A LOOP.  One can take Kachina Trail to to Weatherford Trail to another trail for a hike of like 14 miles and 4,000' elevation change...but Kachina Trail, in-and-of itself is NOT A LOOP.  It's a five mail segment of trail in the Kachina Wilderness.

Now that we have the PSA out of the way, Kachina Trail is gorgeous, easy, and gorgeous.  It is about 5 miles point-to-point (that makes for a 10 mile round trip, for us math-challenged folks).  There's a nice meadow about 2.3 miles into the hike if you start at Snowbowl that makes a great turn-around point if you want a shorter trip.  It features gorgeous views of the flatlands around the mountain as well as panoramic views of northern Arizona and the boulders strewn across the clearing make for excellent vantage points.  Alternatively, because the trail ultimately ends at the Weatherford Trailhead you can drop a car at each parking lot and hike straight through.

Parking is easy, just head to the Arizona Snowbowl parking lot and drive to the far end of the parking lot on the right...there it starts!  Getting there is easy too, just follow the signs for Snowbowl!  When I went the temperature was ten degrees cooler at the trail than in town (65 at the trailhead), but I still sweated plenty on the hike.  Just plan for the possibility of being a little chilly, especially because the trail winds through the shade of aspen groves.

That's all I have to say about that.

More photos - https://plus.google.com/photos/107468284491474391354/albums/5919046352978033153