Half Moon Lake Trail - Alpine, AZ

The Half Moon Lake Trail is in the Williams Valley Winter Recreation Area in the Apache National Forest and falls under the jurisdiction of the Alpine Ranger District. The Half Moon Lake Trail is the longest in the track system, around 10 miles and offers year-round recreation for hiking and biking x-country/back-country summer and skiing in winter.

Directions: Approximately 4.5 hours from Phoenix, Tucson and El Paso. From Intersection of US191 and U.S. 180 in Alpine, Arizona. Go north on U.S. 191 approximately 2 miles to Forest Road 249 turnoff. During the summer, the sign reads "filmed Big Lake" with an arrow in the winter jackets and down and the sign reads "Williams Valley Winter Recreation Area. To the west and go 3.4 miles to a wide spot on the street with a Forest Service kiosk right) below the road berm (south side. These are found in the middle of the Williams Valley Winter> Recreation Area. The area is closed to motorized travel. N3351.760 '& W10913.205' - Elevation 8675 '.

Head south across the meadow, climb a slight incline and head for the treeline. You pick a path, known as the Valley Loop. Simply follow the west on this route because it winds through the woods, turns south, then goes and opens a gate in Lookout meadow. N3351.615 '& W10913.775' - Elevation 8800 '. The Lookout Meadow Loop is a great short trip in itself, perhaps 1 1 / 2Hour and back of your vehicle. If you are still a few extra hours, veer to the right (SW) and Bust a Move up the hill a half mile or so. You come to a fork in the lane with a sign in which the rights as an Up & Over fork. There are no tricks here, the path leads, literally, and more and is only about 1 / 3 of a mile long. If you are "above" - they are about the isolation Meadow Trail. N3351.430 '& W10914.155' - Elevation 8770 '. Take advantage of this hike in the southeast for a long uphill slogIt is a cool little tank that go much deeper than it looks! Continue uphill and you will come to a woodpile in the lane with a gate just beyond. Travel though the gate about 200 meters to the northeast and you will find a "blue diamonds can be found attached to the" way to refer to a large aspen. N3351.050 '& W 10,914.055 "- Elevation 8980'.

For the next 3 / 4 mile you will be heading east and climb slowly - the road is identified, but look for theBlue Diamonds in the trees to keep you on the track. Finally, you come to a two-lane road. N3350.975 '& W10913.635' - Elevation 9020 '. Follow this two-track uphill to the northeast, the blue diamond still guide you along. If you "top out" the path starts through the forest with the odd wave motion and occasional meadow meanders. You will pass a road called Ya Hoo, this way you drop back to Lookout Meadow If you are short on time. But the nextMiles is the best part of the day, since you are now on the Half Moon Lake Trail! ) Within a 1 / 4 mile on the left (east, Half Moon Lake itself. N3350.765 '& W10912.840' - Elevation 9200 '. For most of the year the lake is dry and is pretty much a "mud hole" to fill but after snowmelt in spring and during the monsoon season the lake with no water. This is a large camping and hang a favorite destination for massive bull elk.

After leaving Half Moon Lake, the trail is fairly easyfollowed by blue diamonds in the trees every few hundred meters. You will find on the summit of the mountain to keep (part of South Mountain) for a mile and then the road will sell back to the west. They come to an open field and in the absence of a better term a "crossroads". It is a blue diamond in a yellow-pine with an arrow to the west. N3350.560 '& W 10,911.935 - Elevation 9350'. Now this is a two-way again, you follow it for 3 / 4 miles, and it will make a gradual descent. On the left side (SW)You'll notice a meadow formed by the trees, it is best to cut through the trees and the meadow. However, track, if you stay on the two it is easy for you in the meadow in the middle. This is the start of three "Hanging Meadows," that drain the north slope of the entire region. This is one of the most beautiful and remote location in Alpine .... It is also the locals preferred area for skiers, there are many telemark ski hills and large sunny picnic areas.

Continue to travel to theWest and follow the meadows edge (each side of the hill). They come to another water tank, which also deeper than it looks! N3350.805 '& W10912.535' - Elevation 9200 '. In the south and uphill of this tank is another large meadow to explore the fun of skiing or hiking too - it is also loaded with a large stock of locations. How to look down and to the west you see the last of the three Hanging Meadows. Continue down hill and up and over an embankment Forest Service. This trail is quite rockywith loose gravel, it is a great place for mountain bikers who "prefer rock gardens." Within half a mile you will see more of the lower trail head of the Ya Hoo, a half mile and you will fall into the eastern edge of Lookout meadow. N3351.275 '& W10913.425' - Elevation 8880 '. You will pass through another gate and continue on the second track path on the northern edge of Lookout's Meadow - half a mile and you will be your initial point of entry into Lookout Meadow recognize a few hoursbefore.

The route is described, over 10 miles and is 3-4 hours hiking, or 2 hours by bike or on skis to take. Keep a close eye on the weather, especially during our July-September monsoon season, it rains almost every afternoon, with frequent lightning strikes.

For more information on hiking, biking, skiing, fly fishing and homes in the Alpine region, please visit my website at http://www.AlpineNutriosoRealEstate.com