Out & About: Colorful flowers highlight Sycamore Rim hike

A frog basks in the warm sun

A frog basks in the warm sun

SYCAMORE CANYON, Ariz. - Shout it from the Overland Trailhead of Sycamore Rim: "The lily flowers are out."

The lily ponds with lily pads and beautiful yellow lily flowers are the highlight of the Sycamore Rim hike, but there are a myriad of other colorful flowers out along the trail including red cactus flowers, wild irises and yellow daisies. Frogs and fish are also found in the lily ponds.

Russell Fosha from the Prescott Hiking Club led this 11.7 mile hike that began at the Overland Trailhead. A huge herd of sheep was off to the south enjoying the morning sunlight. By the time we would finish the hike in the mid-afternoon the sheep would be using the trees for shade.

Fosha chose to start the hike by going to the north. There are several trailheads for entering this loop, but the one at the Overland Trailhead begins at about 6,700 feet. The first mile is the most strenuous as it climbs about 500 feet. The total elevation gain of this loop is about 800 feet.

The stops along the way are KA Hill, Pomeroy Tank, Sycamore Falls and Dow Springs. The lily pads and flowers are most abundant at Dow Springs. Pomeroy Tank is about three miles in and Dow Springs is found at about the four mile mark. The Sycamore Falls are found at about the halfway point. The falls aren't running right now as it only runs right after a recent rainfall.

Don't expect to see many people on this trail. Aside from our eight person contingent, we only spotted two other hikers and a couple rock climbers. The Sycamore Trail has some spectacular cliffs that make it enticing to the rock climbers.

There are several small water pools during the loop that bring out the flowers.

Part of the terrain is in the sun, so bring plenty of water for this seven to eight hour hike.

Ponderosa pines are the dominant tree. Alligator junipers and Gambel oaks are also found along the trail. Agave plants are sporadic.

The hike finishes in a beautiful meadow where the sheep graze. This hike could be rated easy or moderate, but the mileage left several of the hikers with sore feet.

For first time hikers, a trail of this length isn't recommended to start. Those who have been dormant during the winter might want to start with the Kendrick Park Watchable Wildlife Trail. This has loops of 1.5 miles and a quarter mile. Much of the trail is paved for wheelchair accessibility.

This is a good place for an environmental education as interpretive signs dot the trail.

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