My initial introduction to the Highline Trail came during my spring 2022 thru-hike of the Arizona Trail. Somewhere past the AZT’s halfway point, I left the town of Pine and found myself hiking on a lovely trail heading eastbound below the Mogollon Rim.
Nearby trail markers and signs revealed that this stretch of my AZT thru-hike followed part of the Highline Trail, a National Recreation Trail with views of the craggy rock cliffs that dominated the landscape. The views were simply breathtaking and so unique to the Arizona terrain.
Less than 20 miles later I’d say goodbye to the Highline Trail as the two trails diverged again. My journey on the Arizona Trail was heading north toward the Utah border. Meanwhile, the Highline Trail continued east paralleling the Mogollon Rim for an undetermined distance. Where, I wondered, did this interesting trail end?
My chance to answer this lingering question came about in April 2023 when I returned to the desert southwest to retrace my initial steps and explore the Highline Trail from end to end. Sadly, there seemed to be relatively little information posted online to help me prepare for my journey, and much of it was either dated or incomplete.
This post is an attempt to remedy that void. Below is brief overview of the trail’s basics – its overall length, where it begins and ends, information about water sources, wildlife, logistics, and more. If you want to learn more about my adventure hiking the Highline Trail, I will be posting my day-by-day trail journal, Highline Trail packing list, and other related blog posts HERE.
An overview of the Highline Trail
What is the Highline Trail?
The Highline is a point-to-point National Recreation Trail (Highline Trail #31) located in central Arizona. The route came into regular use shortly after the U.S. Civil War, and was used by homesteaders to travel back and forth to below the Mogollon Rim. However, the Highline Trail wasn’t officially designated as a National Recreation Trail until 1979.
What is the Mogollon Rim?
The Mogollon (pronounced muggy-on or muggy-own) Rim is a 200-mile long escarpment that physically separates the northern half of Arizona from the southern half of the state. Above the rim sits the Colorado Plateau as it stretches north toward the Grand Canyon. Meanwhile, the landscape below the rim sits 1,000 to 1,500 feet lower and it stretches south toward the Sonoran Desert. The Highline Trail only follow about a quarter the Mogollon Rim’s distance.
Where does the Highline Trail begin/end?
The trail’s western terminus is the Pine Trailhead, located on the southern end of the town of Pine, Arizona, just off AZ-87. Meanwhile, the eastern terminus of the trail and is the 260 Trailhead, located approximately 26 miles east of downtown Payson, Arizona off AZ-260.
How long is the Highline Trail?
When the Highline Trail was first established as a national recreation trail in 1979, it was 54 miles long. However, trail improvements and re-routes from the 1990 Dude Fire, 2009 Rim Fire in 2009, 2017 Highline Fire have altered the route’s length. The trail is currently 58 miles from end-to-end (as of 2023). Hikers should beware that most maps (and trail signs along the route) still reflect the older, inaccurate distances.
Which direction should I hike the trail?
As a point-to-point trail, the Highline Trail can be hiked in eastbound (toward the 260 trailhead) or westbound (toward Pine). However, the vast majority of hikers seem to hike the trail westbound.
Hiking west allows for a net loss in elevation, thereby making the trail physically easier. Many hikers also find it logistically easier to get a shuttle to the 260 Trailhead then walk back to their car and/or end in the town of Pine. Hiking westbound also provides hikers with multiple easily accessible trailheads in the first 20 miles of their hike, just in case they have problems and need to bail out early.
Hiking east has some benefits too. After departing from Pine, the first 20 miles of the Highline Trail coincide with the Arizona Trail, which means a well-defined trail and the possibility of some fellow hikers (for those looking for a more social hike). Signage and trail markings also seem abundant for eastbound hikers. However, the trail is much more physically demanding when hiked in this direction.
How challenging is the Highline Trail?
In terms of physical and mental difficulty, I would rate this trail a 7 out of 10. But I also hiked the trail eastbound, which definitely contributed to my assessment of the trail’s overall difficulty.
Key challenges include: the trail’s higher altitude, navigating the less-defined section in the middle (especially near Hells Gate Canyon), some steep climbs, and lots of rocks waiting to stub your toes on or twist an ankle. Early season hikers may also have to contend with snow and need to ford swollen creeks, while late season hikers will have a drier trail (i.e. longer water carries) and more reptiles to watch out for like rattlesnakes.
Is it possible to section hike the Highline Trail?
Yes. There’s are a total of 6 established trailheads (TH) along the Highline Trail that hikers can reasonably use to access the trail. From east to west, these trailheads are located at:
- 260 TH (eastern terminus/mile 0)
- See Canyon TH (mile 7)
- Hatchery TH (mile 19)
- Washington Park TH (mile 38)
- Geronimo TH (mile 48)
- Pine TH (western terminus/mile 58)
Visitors with high clearance or 4WD can also potentially reach the Highline Trail from a handful of other forest service roads, depending on the time of year.
What elevation is the Highline Trail at?
The Highline’s average elevation is roughly 6,000 feet above sea level. The trail’s lowest point sits at 5,400 feet (near the Pine TH) while its highest point is just over 6,900 (near Horton Creek). Hikers coming from sea level may find the elevation reduces their hiking speed and/or perceived difficulty of the trail.
What time of year is best to hike the trail?
As with much of the Southwestern US, spring and autumn are the best seasons for a thru-hike. The chance of snow usually ends by early April, while water sources remain strong through the spring months and the wildflowers begin to bloom. In the autumn, cooler temperatures return and water sources are usually replenished by the summer monsoons.
The Highline Trail is less suitable for a winter thru-hike due to its high elevation, which brings freezing temperatures, snow, and the need to ford several fast-moving creeks.
A summer hike is equally challenging due to the arid, dry conditions in Arizona. The trail is very exposed, increasing the risks of sunburn, dehydration, and heat illness. Summer can also bring dangerously heavy rainstorms and lightening during the peak monsoon season (July and August).
How do I get/from to the trail?
The largest town near the Highline Trail is Payson, Arizona, which is located about 80 miles northeast of Phoenix. Hikers who intend to drive to the trail can park their car at either terminus, as both trailheads have medium-sized parking lots and pit toilets.
Two shuttle companies are also available to drive hikers between Payson and each terminus (as of April 2023). These shuttles are: Payson Rideshare at (602) 350-1105 and Jerry’s Local Shuttle at (602) 430-4898.
How is the trail marked?
The Highline Trail is blazed with white diamonds affixed to trees and brown carsonite markers along the route. The westernmost 20 miles of the trail also doubles as the Arizona Trail, so hikers may see those trail symbols too as well as rock cairns and wooden signs where other trails intersect the Highline Trail.
Both the western and eastern ends of the trail area well-defined and easy to navigate. However, the middle one-third of the trail is much more rugged and seems to have fewer markings, which may cause hikers to lose their intended path.
How do hikers navigate the Highline?
In my opinion, the best option for navigating the Highline Trail is to create a route using a navigation app (like Gaia or Avenza) and/or use a GPS track from one of the ultramarathon runners who recently completed the Zane Grey 100k.
There is also a National Geographic Trails Illustrated map set for the Mogollon Rim (Map #855). However, this map doesn’t cover the 18 miles of this trail east of the Hatchery Trailhead, so it may be of limited value to hikers seeking a paper resource of the surrounding terrain.
The Highline Trail has shifted its location over time, and is no longer located where it’s depicted on many topographic maps. Highline Trail markings are also still posted on some of the older, unused sections of trail too, which can add to the confusion of where the trail is supposed to be. Thus, to avoid getting off track, hikers should seek out the most up-to-date trail resources they can find.
What is the Zane Grey 100k?
The Zane Grey 100k endurance race (formerly Zane Grey 50M) is a trail race held on the Highline Trail in late April each year. The ultramarathon route heads eastbound from Pine and it is billed as one of the “toughest and roughest” 100k trail routes in the U.S. because of the terrain’s ruggedness and remoteness.
Each year, race organizers mark the most difficult-to-navigate sections of Highline Trail (i.e., Hells Gate Canyon to the Hatchery TH) with high visibility tape to help keep race participants from getting lost. This tape is tied at roughly eye level to make finding the course significantly easier. Thus, Highline Trail users hiking the trail in the weeks immediately before and after this ultramarathon may have additional assistance with their navigation from these ad hoc race markings.
How plentiful is water on the trail?
The Highline Trail has a robust amount of water when compared to other trails in Arizona. In the springtime, snow from the top of the Mogollon Rim melts into creeks that run into canyons along the route. This allows for numerous reliable year-round water sources, with even more seasonal creeks and springs.
Below is a list of the most reliable water sources along the trail. For ease of use, I’ve broken them down into roughly 20-mile increments for hikers heading west.
- 260 TH to Hatchery TH: Christopher Creek, Horton Creek East Fork, Horton Creek West Fork, Dick Williams Creek, and Tonto Creek
- Hatchery TH to Washington Park: Tonto Creek, Ellison Creek, Hells Gate Canyon Creek, Perley Creek, Bonita Creek, Dude Creek, the East Verde River
- Washington Park to Pine TH: East Verde River, Chase Creek, North Sycamore Creek, Bray Creek, Webber Creek, Red Rock Spring
Are there bridges to help with the creek crossings?
The only permanent bridge on the Highline Trail runs over the East Verde River near the Washington Park TH. Hikers may find a log dropped across some of the other creeks, but should expect to ford most of the creeks.
The widest and deepest creeks that I needed to cross during my own April 2023 thru-hike were at Christopher Creek (near the See Canyon TH), Tonto Creek (near the Hatchery TH), and Webber Creek (near the Geronimo TH).
What type of wildlife can I expect to see on this trail?
Rocky Mountain Elk are extremely common along the Highline Trail, and hikers may occasionally see black bears, bobcats, or mountain lions living in the canyons and drainages too.
Smaller wildlife include deer, coyotes, quail, turkeys, Abert’s squirrels (with their long furry ears), horned toads, lizards, skinks, and snakes. Overhead, keep an eye out for bald eagles, peregrine falcons, owls, ravens, black-tailed gnatcatchers, and swallows.
What about the landscape?
Obviously the most dominant terrain feature of this trail is the Mogollon Rim. However, the Highline Trail runs through a transition zone of flora as it hugs the rim. Hikers will pass through tall ponderosa pines forest, oak woodlands, chaparral, and pinyon-juniper woodlands. You can also expect to see desert scrub, prickly pear, agave, and even wildflowers along the route.
Does the Highline Trail ascend the Mogollon Rim?
No. The entire Highline Trail runs below the rim. However, hikers who wish to ascend the rim can use several side trails that head north. The most defined of these trails is the Arizona Trail (at Washington Park) and the Military Sinkhole Trail (at the 260 TH). The ascent up to the top of the rim is approximately 2 miles using either of these trails.
Is there any cell service along the Highline Trail?
Cell service is present, but very intermittent throughout the trail, especially when navigating in canyons or down near creeks. I found Verizon service was available on at least one-third of this route, including at both the western and eastern terminuses. I also carried a Garmin InReach mini as more reliable backup and would recommend this device for any solo hiker heading out on this trail.
How crowded or busy is the trail?
This multi-use trial is still very lightly trafficked as of 2023. I only saw a handful of day hikers each day (mostly near the trailheads), and four other backpackers over three days’ time. The westernmost end of the trail (between the Pine and the Geronimo TH) is the most highly used section because it is part of a network of trails near Pine. Meanwhile, the eastern end of the trail (between the 260 TH and See Canyon) is more popular with mountain bikers. I came across one horseback rider too, and there are horse stalls at some of the trailheads for equestrians looking to explore the trail.
How many day does it take to thru-hike the Highline Trail?
This depends on how quickly you want to see the trail’s sights. Experienced thru-hikers can definitely complete this 58-mile trail in three days, especially if hiking the Highline Trail westbound. However, I would strongly recommend taking four (or even five) days if you really want to enjoy the experience.
Hikers who truly enjoy this landscape who are looking for an even bigger/tougher challenge may want to also consider sampling the Mogollon Rim Trail, a 500-mile hiking route created by Brett “Blisterfree” Tucker that runs from Cottonwood, Arizona, to the New Mexico border.
Where can I learn more about the Highline Trail?
In the next few weeks I will be posting details from my day-by-day trail journal, a list of the gear I used during my thru-hike (and what I’d do differently), and my other observations. In the meantime, here are some of the resources I used to plan my hike:
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map #885 (Mogollon Rim)
- Route Overview and Elevation Profile (Zane Grey 100K Endurance Run)
- Current trail conditions & closures (U.S. Forest Service)
- GPS Track for Highline Trail (Gaia)