Weatherford Trail
This trail is actually remains of an old road that once took Model T Fords to the top of the San Francisco Peaks. The road has since been closed to vehicle traffic to protect the area's alpine environment, and the upper reaches of the mountain have been set aside as the Kachina Peaks Wilderness Area so forest visitors can enjoy its panoramic views in the relative seclusion and natural surroundings such an area provides.
Along the steady but gradual climb, views stretch to Oak Creek Canyon and the Verde Valley over fifty miles away. Trailside vegetation changes as elevation increases, from ponderosa pine to more alpine species such as limber pine, corkbark fir, and bristlecone pine. On this summer day in early August, monsoon rains had the trail bursting with colorful wildflowers, including lupine, vetch, fleabane, aster, paintbrush, wild geraniums, and sunflowers.
Photo taken August 2, 2017 by Deborah Lee Soltesz. Source: U.S. Forest Service, Coconino National Forest. Learn more about the Weatherford Trail #102 and the Coconino National Forest for more information. Original public domain image from Flickr