NFLL: Hiking

Hiking the Great Outdoors

New Frontiers has two hiking groups: The Trailers and Trailblazers. The Trailers hikes are less challenging while the Trailblazers hikes are a little more aggressive. Members take turn leading the various hikes.

Each group usually meets early in the morning at a central location to carpool to the hike's starting location. The return time to the carpool location is dependent upon round trip travel time plus the length of the hike. Sometimes the group likes to stop for a refreshment following the hike, but this is optional.

Risk Form #1 must be completed to hike in either group.

Walkers Explore Parks Group
Trailers Hiking Group
Trailblazers Hiking Group
Google Mapped Carpool Locations
Hiking Resources for Future Hikes

Walkers Explore Parks

Join us for fresh air, a bit of leisure exercise and good company! Restrooms in all but Desert Arroyo Park. Each park has benches, Ramadas and nice scenery. Please bring water and a hat. Details and directions to follow.

Spring 2020 - Walkers Explore Parks Schedule

Feb 5 –Riverview Park, Mesa
Feb 12 –Riparian Preserve, Gilbert
Feb 19 –Freestone Park, Gilbert
Feb 26 –Veteran’s Oasis Park, Chandler
Mar 4 -Desert Arroyo Park, Mesa
Mar 11 –Kiwanis Park, Tempe
Mar 18–Desert
Breeze Possibly continue...

Possibly continue

The Trailers Hiking Group

Members take turns leading the hiking group taking advantage of our wonderful parks and natural forests. They stop frequently to enjoy the scenery along the way.

These hikes are less challenging of 3-5 miles but the trail can still be steep and rocky at times. Hikers should be in reasonably good health and come prepared with proper hiking shoes, walking sticks/poles, water, hat, and snacks.

A list of hikes and a brief description are available at the open house or on request from the facilitator.

Trailers Hike Dates: Trailer hikes start on the 2^nd Tuesday after the Open House and go through the end of the school semester. Additional hikes could be added, including special hikes at non-standard times.

Trailers Hiking Schedule Spring 2020: Rev Jan 15, 2020

Spring 2020 - Trailers Hiking Schedule

Schedule will be availble before Spring Open House

Feb 4        Bulldog, Tonto National Forest: Leader: Marie-France

Feb 11      Slate Trail, Cave Creek Regional Park: Leader: Janice

Feb 18      Pima/Dynamite Loop, Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve: Leader: Bill

Feb 25      Wagoner Loop, McDowell Mountain Regional Park: Leader: Marie-France

Mar 3       Seven Springs, Tonto National Forest: Leader: Marlin

Mar 10     Papago Park Double Buttes, Papago Park: Leader: Bill

Mar 17     Needle Vista, Superstition Wilderness: Leader: Con

Mar 24     Blevins Loop with Cat Peak, Usery Mountain Regional Park: Leader: Sandy

Mar 31     Brown’s Ranch, Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve: Leader: Ron

Apr 7        Camp Creek Falls, Tonto National Forest: Leader: Marie-France

Apr 14      Arizona Trail at Picket Post, Tonto National Forest: Leader: Greg

Apr 21      Wildhorse, Tonto National Forest: Leader: Con

For additional information contact the facilitator, Greg Master, at gamst51@gmail.com

Trailblazers Hiking Group

The Trailblazers offer a challenge in hikes of 5-7 miles with an elevation change of 300-1,000 feet. The trails are more difficult and challenging for this group and can be steep and rocky at times. Hikers should come prepared with proper hiking shoes, walking sticks/poles, water, hat and snacks and be in good reasonably good health.

Trailblazers Hike Dates: Trailblazers hikes start on the 2^nd Friday after Open House and go through the end of the school semester. Additional hikes may be added, including special hikes at non-scheduled times.

Trailblazers exclusion hike dates: New Member's Coffee and the General Meeting.

Trailblazers Hiking Schedule Spring 2020: Rev Jan 15, 2020

Spring 2020 - Trailblazers Hiking Schedule

Schedule will be availble before Spring Open House

Feb 7               Tom Thumb Loop, Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve: Leader: Greg (new member coffee)

Feb 14             Massacre Grounds, Superstition Wilderness: Leader: Nancy

Feb 21             Hawk’s Nest / Dixie Mountain, Phoenix Sonoran Desert Preserve: Leader: Marie-France

Feb 28             National Trail / Mormon Loop, Phoenix South Mountain Park: Leader: Sandy

Mar 6              Sidewinder Trail, Phoenix Sonoran Desert Preserve: Leader: Allan

Mar 13            Adero Canyon, Fountain Hills: Leader: Sandy

Mar 20            Pass Mountain to the View, Usery Mountain Regional Park: Leader: Nancy

Mar 27            Spring General Member Meeting: No hike planned.

Apr 3               Barnhardt Trail, Mazatzal Wilderness: Leader: Anna

Apr 10             Sedona Red Rock, Sedona: Leader: Allan

Apr 17             Picket Post, Tonto National Forest: Leader: Ron

Apr 24             End of Season Surprise: Leader: Ron

For additional information contact the facilitator, Greg Master, at gamst51@gmail.com

Carpool Meeting Locations

Due to limited parking spaces at many of the hiking trailheads, carpooling is preferred. Donations to help pay for gas are recommended and greatly appreciated by our drivers. The map links for the carpool meeting locations are for Google maps, providing the driver the option to map the drive.

Country Club and Brown — 1025 N Country Club map: The Mesa Schools Student Services Center is located on the east side of Country Club south of Brown Road. Meet at the south end of the parking lot at the corner of 9^th Place and Country Club.
Dobson and Southern Campus — Main MCC Campus map: The southwest corner of the southwest parking lot at Dobson and US-60.
Superstitions Springs Mall — Power Road and US-60 map: Meet in the southwest corner of the Superstitions Spring Mall parking lot inside the outer circumference drive across from the former Toys-R-Us.
Red Mountain Campus — Power and McKellips Roads map: Meet in parking lot #3, west side and southwest of the Saguaro building.
Gilbert and McKellips — Southeast corner map: Park in the lot on the southeast corner of Gilbert and McKellips Roads, just east of the Starbucks.

Hiking Resouces for Future Hikes

If you are interested in leading a hike or just looking for one to explore on your own, check out the various sources.

Websites

Books

Carlson, Jack and Stewart, Elizabeth. Superstitions Wilderness Trails East: Hikes, Horse Rides, and History. Tempe: Clear Creek Publishing, 2013
Carlson, Jack and Stewart, Elizabeth. Superstitions Wilderness Trails West: Hikes, Horse Rides, and History. Tempe: Clear Creek Publishing, 2013

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