Glacier National Park was on our bucket list, and we were both super excited to visit. Due to the popularity of the park, we had to plan a full year in advance. It can be difficult to secure campgrounds, hotels, and backcountry permits, so planning ahead is essential.

Our trip would begin on the west side of the park, and gradually head east over our three-week trip. We planned to spend our first two nights at Fish Creek Campground in Glacier’s Lake McDonald district.

Fish Creek is a large campground with 178 sites, which makes reserving a site a bit easier compared to other campgrounds in the park (like the popular and centrally located Many Glacier Campground). Most sites are released over a six-month rolling basis, except for a few sites, which have a 4-day window. The day we booked, we managed to get the site we wanted (C110) near Lake McDonald.

The campground has four loops – A, B, C, and D. Each loop is a bit different. We chose C loop for its access to Lake McDonald, fairly private sites, and because generators are prohibited. Loop D also has lake access, but the sites seemed less private, particularly on the inner loop. Loops A and B are farther from the lake and have less tree cover. Loop A has the only showers in the entire campground, though you could easily drive over to them. Loop B has more RV spots than other loops, so we avoided that.

Important Note: Grizzly and black bears frequent the area. Bear boxes are available near the restrooms; otherwise keep all food and scented items in your car for your safety and that of wildlife. Park rangers do patrol the area and issue fines for noncompliance.

Arriving at Fish Creek Campground

We flew into Kalispell, then picked up our rental car and supplies before heading into the park. Speaking of which, don’t forget to buy or rent bear spray – we bought ours from a nearby REI. From Kalispell it was around a one hour drive to the campground. On the way, we stopped at the Apgar Backcountry Office to confirm some of our upcoming backpacking permits.

Afterwards, we drove the short distance to Fish Creek Campground and checked in. Our site, C110, is a pull through to a cozy setup with a picnic table and fire ring. A water pump is located close by, and a short path leads to Lake McDonald. Our campsite had plenty of tree cover and it was nice and quiet – we liked it already!

Once we set up our tent, we walked over to Lake McDonald. There were plenty of multicolored rocks on the lakebed, visible through the clear pure water. Nearby, some kids were playing in the lake, but it still seemed so calm and peaceful. It’s the kind of place you could read a book, or simply relax and enjoy the view.

It was dinner time, and we had decided not to cook at our campsite (we were lazy). We drove 6 minutes into the nearby park town of Apgar, and got dinner at Eddie’s Cafe & Mercantile. It was the worst restaurant experience we’ve had in any national park. Our food took forever to arrive, the orders were wrong, and the food just wasn’t good. The attached ice cream shop was decent though, and they had some vegan sorbet options for Kristin. Since we visited, Eddie’s has changed concessionaires and undergone a significant renovation in 2022. It’s larger, and looks more like a traditional lodge. So take our experience with a grain of salt.

After dinner, we walked over to Lake McDonald and enjoyed the view and ambiance. With the gentle waves lapping the lakeshore, and stunning multicolored rocks in Lake McDonald, it was a beautiful spot to relax and eat our ice cream. The area looked even more beautiful in the early evening light. It was so simple, and yet a memorable first night.

The campground was relatively quiet when we returned later that evening, which we appreciated. The air had gotten cooler, but it wasn’t yet “cold.” Even though it was only 9:30 p.m. and still light out, we passed out in our tent. We awoke overnight to the sound of bugling. Probably an elk near the lake, but we didn’t get up to check.

The next day we got up early to hike the nearby Avalanche Lake Trail. Afterward, we drove into Columbia Falls for dinner before returning to camp – again, not worrying about cooking at the campsite. Then we went by the lake and relaxed, took photos, and just enjoyed the campground. We dipped our feet into the lake, which was freezing cold. There’s also an amphitheater at Loop A where the park service holds ranger talks. We had wanted to attend one, but didn’t find the time. But we did stop by for a quick visit, and also check out the only showers in the campground.

Two nights was a short stay at Fish Creek. It’s a great campground, we recommend it and wished we had stayed longer – but we had more places to see in Glacier. Next we’d be heading east, over Logan Pass, all the way to Many Glacier.

Fish Creek Campground | 178 Campsites

Dates Visited: Saturday July 20, 2019 – Monday July 22, 2019
Location: 12 miles from the park’s West Glacier entrance (Google Maps Directions)
Amenities: Potable Water | Fire Pits & Barbecues | Picnic Table | Flush Toilets | Amphitheater | Trash and Recycling
Dates Open: Mid-May to early September
Prices: $30/night for individual tent campsite
Reservations: 100% of sites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance for visits between March 1 and October 31. Otherwise, all sites are first-come, first-served.
Highlights: Access to Lake McDonald, Tree Cover
Best Sites: Loop C due to privacy and Lake McDonald access. Loop D also has lake access, but the sites are not as private. Loops A and B are further from the lake and have less tree cover.
Notes: There are four tent only sites: C120, C121, C122, and D166. Two sites are not suitable for tents: C139 and C143. Generators are prohibited in Loop C. Four sites are hiker/biker only: A11a, A11b, A11c, and A11d.

Places

• Fish Creek Campground | Fish Creek Campground Rd, West Glacier, MT 59936
• Eddie’s Mercantile and Cafe | Apgar Village, 236 Apgar Lp Rd, West Glacier, MT 59936

Maps

• Fish Creek Campground Map (Wikipedia, may be outdated)

Links

• Glacier Campgrounds (NPS)
• Fish Creek Campground Reservations (Recreation.gov)

Interactive Map

The post Fish Creek Campground appeared first on KTNPBlog.

When we decided to visit Japan, I knew we had to go to Miyajima (宮島). Officially known as Itsukushima (厳島), Miyajima is a small island off the coast of Hiroshima. The island, along with thousands of other islands in the Seto Inland Sea, is part of Setonaikai National Park (瀬戸内海国立公園, Setonaikai Kokuritsu Kōen).

Miyajima, which means “shrine island,” boasts a unique feature: a fifty-foot tall torii gate that appears to float on the water at high tide. At low tide, visitors can walk out to the gate. There’s lots more to see and do, including visiting the highest point on the island – Mount Misen (弥山, Misen).

Mt. Misen stands at 535 meters tall. Three main hiking trails, as well as a ropeway, lead visitors to its peak. We intended to hike up the mountain, but the heat got the better of us and we decided to take the ropeway up. On the way down we would hike through Mount Misen Primeval Forest, a protected area located on the northern side of the mountain.

My parents are big fans of Japanese woodblock art (ukiyo-e), and they took me to museums to see them as a kid. They instilled a love of art in me, and I bought a few prints as an adult. The first one I bought was called “Moonlit Night at Miyajima” by Kawase Hasui, which depicts a nighttime view of the beautiful Itsukushima Shrine, surrounded by water. So we were beyond excited to experience the shrine in person.

To Miyajima

We spent two nights on Miyajima, but only one full day. We really enjoyed the island and wished we had more time there. The previous day, we had completed the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route and spent the night in Matsumoto. We then took the shinkansen (bullet train) to Hiroshima, where we explored for an afternoon.

That evening, we had dinner with a family friend who lives in Hiroshima. Around 9:00 pm, we finally made our way to Miyajima via a ferry. It only took ten minutes, and we were the only passengers on board (aside from our family friend who insisted on accompanying us). Once we docked at the island, we walked about three minutes to Sakuraya, our hotel. It’s an affordable cozy spot with Japanese style rooms in a great location.

Itsukushima Shrine

The following morning, we headed out around 9:00 a.m. Immediately, we spotted some of Miyajima’s most popular residents: wild Sitka deer. They’re cute, relatively tame, and can be found all over the island. Watch out for them, as they will try to grab food or other items, we’re told. It’s illegal to feed the deer…so don’t do that. In the Shinto religion, Sitka deer are considered to be messengers of gods and are protected by law.

We headed straight toward Itsukushima Shrine. Along the way, we walked down Omotesando Street, where vendors sell food and souvenirs. Most vendors weren’t open yet, but we managed to find a few that were, and grabbed some snacks for breakfast. We made sure to buy some delicious Momiji manjū, a cake with various fillings that is considered a specialty on the island. Kristin was even able to find some that were dairy-free.

Omotesando Street curved to reveal our first glimpse of the Itsukushima torii gate as we walked. At high tide, the torii gate appeared to float, and its rusty orange color was striking in contrast with the blue water. The gate truly is a stunning and unique landmark.

Along the way, we stopped to take photos of the torii gate from various angles. I was glad to finally visit in person after seeing it represented in artwork throughout the years. We planned to return later in the day, during low tide, to get closer to the torii gate. Before our trip, we downloaded a tide timing app so we wouldn’t miss anything.

Next, we went to check out another popular tourist attraction on the island. After waiting in a long line and paying 300 yen apiece, we entered the Itsukushima Shrine complex. It has the same striking vermillion color as the torii gate, and is built over the water. It was crowded with tourists as we walked through.

Near the center of the shrine, we got our goshuin stamped, then walked out onto a platform with a view of the torii gate. Tons of people were waiting to get their photo with the torii gate beyond. So, we jumped on the bandwagon and got our picture too, before exiting the shrine to the east. We planned to stop by in the evening to get yet another view of the torii gate. Thinking about all the shrines we visited in Japan, this is one of the most impressive.

Ascending Mount Misen

At this point in the day, the temperature was quickly approaching scorching hot. It was around 90 °F, and with the humidity between 60% and 80%…it felt like more than 100 °F. Thankfully, the area was designed with streams that flow through constructed channels, so we dipped our feet in to cool off. We also got gelato at Baccano, which helped. Despite the heat, we were ready to ascend Mount Misen.

The history of Mt. Misen is connected with Kobo Daishi (774 – 835), a famous Buddhist monk who created the Shingon sect. In 806, he founded a temple called Daisho-in at the base of Mt. Misen. There are Seven Wonders of Mt. Misen, all legendary events said to have happened to Kobo Daishi. We saw two of the wonders while on Mt. Misen; many of the others are inaccessible or no longer exist.

There are three hiking routes to climb Mt. Misen: the Momijidani, Daisho-in, and the Omoto Course. Each course is a bit different. We originally thought we’d take the Momijidani Course up and the Daisho-in Course down. But we started to rethink our options due to the heat.

There is a fourth option to get to the top: The Miyajima Ropeway. We decided to ascend Mount Misen using this option and descend via the Daisho-in course. Daisho-in Temple is located near the exit of the Daisho-in course, and we wanted to visit that as well. After exiting the ropeway, the route to the summit and then down to Daisho-in is roughly 3.5 km (2.2 mi).

It was about a 20 minute walk from our hotel to Miyajima Ropeway. This route would take us through Momijidani Park, which is famous for its maple trees. We planned to walk, but when the free shuttle came by, we decided to take it. It was hot, enough said.

We arrived at the ropeway, bought our tickets, and got into a car with a friendly Japanese couple who spoke a bit of English. The views were decent as we went up the first section of ropeway, and before we knew it, we arrived at Kayadani Station. The second ropeway section had even better views, with a gorgeous look southeast of the Seto Sea.

Mount Misen Summit

Eventually, we arrived at Shishiiwa Station, the final stop on the ropeway. But we weren’t at the summit yet. From the ropeway it’s a 1.0 km (0.6 mi) hike to the top, which takes about 30 minutes via the Momijidani Route.

The trail wasn’t too hard, and we had nice views of the Seto Sea. In about 15 minutes, we came to a flat area with a couple of buildings: Misen Hondo (Misen Main Hall) and Reikado (Hall of the Spiritual Flame). We started in Reikado, where a fire lit in 806 by Kobo Daishi has been burning for over 1,200 years. The fire from this temple was used to light the fire at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. It’s considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of Mt. Misen.

Next we did a quick look into the nearby temple, Misen Hondo, then continued to ascend up to the summit. We passed by additional buildings: Sankido, Monjudo, and Kannondo Halls. All are places of worship, dedicated to a variety of deities.

It was a short walk to the top, and we weaved around and below some boulders before arriving. We had to duck to pass under Kuguriiwa, or Passage Rock. Finally, we arrived at the summit. Inside the observatory, we enjoyed the shade and a 360 degree view of the Seto Inland Sea and Hiroshima Bay. There’s also a small gift shop at the bottom of the building.

Descending Mount Misen and Daishoin Temple

Around 3:30 pm, we decided to head down. We wanted to check out Daisho-in Temple, but it closes at 5:00 pm, so we were going to be tight on time. The trail continues down the other side of the mountain and leads to the other two routes, Daisho-in and the Omoto Course. Near the top, we passed another of the Seven Wonders of Mt. Misen – Kanmaniwa known as the “ebb-and-flow rock.” The rock has a hole with saltwater that rises and lowers with the tide. We didn’t stick around long enough to see the phenomenon though.

After the Kanmaniwa rock we passed Dainichido Hall, but we didn’t have time to explore further. We descended multiple flights of stairs, and turned right to continue down the mountain. I was glad we had decided to hike down rather than up, because I was sweating buckets and it was nearly a hundred degrees.

As we passed a small shrine along the trail, we heard buzzing. Looking around, we saw a swarm of hundreds of bees above the small shrine. Thankfully, they seemed preoccupied, so we slid quickly by, past a turnoff to Miyama Shrine.

We passed between two large rocks on each side of the trail known as Kujiraiwa, which means Whale Rock. The rock on the left looks like a whale, and has a hole on the top which resembles a blowhole. And the round rock on the left…is the whale’s poop. It sounds like I made that up, but I promise I didn’t. Soon after, we passed through Niōmon (仁王門, Niou gate), which has two guardian statues. After the gate, the trail forks onto the Daisho-in and Omoto Courses. We headed left for the Daisho-in Course.

The trail parallels, and occasionally crosses, the Shiraito River down a seemingly endless staircase. In 2005, a mudslide damaged Daisho-in temple and other areas. On the way down, we spotted some large dam-like structures that help prevent mudslides, which had been constructed a few years later in 2008.

At 4:30 pm we arrived at a small shelter called the Azumaya Observation Deck. There’s a decent view looking north (though not as broad a view as when we were higher up). At this point, it’s about 0.4 miles (0.7 km) to Daisho-in. Quickly, we passed some small shrines on the side of the trail as we descended. We had to hurry, and didn’t spend as much time as we’d like looking at everything. We passed Shiraito Falls, which supposedly resembles threads of silk. But not much water was flowing, so we didn’t really get that impression. We also heard that the mudslides in 2005 altered the way the falls look.

Somehow, we made it to Daisho-in just ten minutes before it closed. That’s nowhere near enough time to do it justice. But, we did our best and even got our goshuin stamped. Daisho-in has hundreds of small rakan statues, which represent the disciples of Buddha. There are also buildings and caves you can explore. When we revisit Miyajima someday, Daisho-in is one place we’d like to spend more time.

Dinner and Itsukushima Torii Gate at Low Tide

Once we walked back into the heart of the town, we noticed something had changed. Fewer people were out and about. Miyajima has a lot of day tourists, so the evenings seem a lot more chill. It was still pretty hot, so we decided to get ice cream…again. Twice in one day, why not? The server recognized us and gave us an additional scoop for free. Now it was time to see the torii gate again – at low tide.

The torii gate looked dramatically different. We walked onto the sand, which had been submerged not long ago. Now, a trickle flowed underneath the torii gate. Near the gate, we spotted various wildlife like small crabs. Eventually we made our way toward, and finally under, the torii gate. Being that close to the gate was a surreal and memorable experience.

For dinner, we decided to check out a brewery. I had been loving all the Japanese food we got on our trip, but I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to try some craft beer (though it’s less popular in Japan than in the US). Miyajima is known for oysters, which Kristin tried, as well as anago (fresh-water eel). I, on the other hand, really enjoyed the beer – especially the Blood Orange.

After dinner, we walked around and explored the area until it got dark. Stone lanterns by the water’s edge were lit for both ambiance and safety. At night, the shrine and torii gate are also illuminated, adding another element to their beauty and uniqueness. The gate in particular looked even more striking and majestic at night. By then, we were pretty tired, so we headed back to Sakuraya to crash.

The next morning we got a small breakfast of toast, salad, egg, tea, and juice for ¥500 through Sakuraya, (we had to request it the night before). After breakfast, it was time to go! We boarded the ferry back to Hiroshima, and sadly, our Miyajima adventure was over.

We wished we had more time to explore all that Miyajima has to offer. Specifically, I’d also like to hike up Mt. Misen next time (weather permitting), and further explore the east side of the island. The time flew by, but I was glad to finally see the torii gate that I’d seen in artwork since I was a kid.

Links

• Attractions
  • Setonaikai National Park Official Site (English)
  • National Parks of Japan: Setonaikai (English)
  • Miyajima Tourist Association: Mt. Misen (English)
  • Japan Guide: Daisho-in Temple (English)
• Accomodations
  • Sakuraya (English)
• Restaurants
  • Miyajima Brewery (Japanese)
  • Baccano (Japanese)
• Other
  • Tides Near Me App (Google Play Store)

Maps

• Nature Hikes on Miyajima Maps (English) – Four maps of different courses on Miyajima. Lots of information, descriptions, and the best maps I had found for the island.

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One of the top tourist attractions in the Japanese Alps is the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (立山黒部アルペンルート). Located in northern Chubusangaku National Park (中部山岳国立公園, Chūbusangaku Kokuritsu Kōen), the route takes visitors on a journey through the mountains. The trip involves multiple modes of transportation such as bus, trolley, and cable car. Highlights of the Alpine Route include the snow corridor, hiking trails, the Midagahara wetlands, Kurobe Dam, volcanic features, and scenic views. Each stop along the route has its own personality and attractions.

The Alpine Route is only accessible from mid-April through November due to snow accumulation. Hotels, mountain huts, and campgrounds are located along the route, so you can make your trip as long or short as you like. We chose to spend one night in Midagahara Hotel (弥陀ヶ原), just below the apex of the route.

Murodo, the highest point along the Alpine Route, is home to Mount Tate (立山, Tateyama). We hoped to climb it as a day hike, but ended up exploring hiking trails at Midagahara instead due to time constraints. We were able to check out the volcanic area around Murodo known as Hell Valley. Murodo also boasts a picturesque but pricey lodging option called Hotel Tateyama.

Day 1 – Toyama to Midagahara

The day after we completed our backpacking trip to Mount Yari (Yarigatake), we took a bus from Shinhotaka Onsen to Toyama. Our journey officially began in Toyama, on the west side of the Alpine Route. Alternately, you could start on the east side, in Shinano Omachi.

A train took us from the Dentetsu Toyama Station to Tateyama Station. As with all our train rides in Japan, it was wonderful. We passed lots of verdant rice farmland along the way. After arriving at Tateyama Station, we awaited our second mode of transportation: a cable car to Bijodaira.

Our final type of transportation for the day was a bus, which took us to Midagahara. The bus goes all the way to Murodo, but you can press a “stop button” to get off earlier. Plenty of other people got off at Midagahara too, so we didn’t need to press it ourselves. The bus ride was peaceful, and had some decent views. The guide pointed out Shomyo Falls – the tallest waterfall in Japan – on the left side, though it was hard to see. For a better view, you can take a bus from Tateyama Station, followed by a short hike.

We got off the bus at Midagahara, and checked into the western style hotel, naturally called Midagahara Hotel. They upgraded our room when we checked in. We had reserved a twin room, but we ended up with a larger room with a lovely view and three beds! …score? Midagahara is known for its surrounding wetlands, so our plan was to go hike!

Day 1 – Midagahara Boardwalk Outer Course Hike

A network of trails runs throughout the park, and behind Midagahara Hotel are a couple recommended circuits – an inner loop, and a larger outer loop. The outer loop is only 2.1 km (1.3 mi), so we decided on that one. The trail begins on a boardwalk, which is the best place to hike in my opinion. Hiking over water allows you to access places and plant life you wouldn’t normally be able to.

There were wildflowers along the hike, but figuring out what they all are takes some work! The views out from the boardwalk were gorgeous, with clouds that looked like steam escaping from the earth. Around the path are “Gaki-no-ta,” or small ponds. They look like rice paddy fields, and are said to have been created by a hungry demon. The reflections in the pool gave the area an ethereal ambiance.

Every so often the hotel does a guided tour of the wetlands. And we ran right into the group. The only bad thing about boardwalks is there’s not much room to get around people. The guided group stopped frequently to hear the guide (who was speaking Japanese, otherwise we would have joined). Eventually, we got around the group and continued past the turnoff for the inner loop.

The trail transitions back and forth from a stone path to a boardwalk, and crosses a small stream. It feels more confined in this section, with bamboo grass surrounding the trail. Near the end of the loop, we spotted some snow next to the trail – and it was mid-July!

Asian skunk cabbage was just starting to blossom near the trail. The hotel was in view at this point, so we headed that way. The last unique wildflower we saw was a type of purple marsh orchid, which excited me since I always love seeing any kind of orchid. Overall, we really enjoyed our short hike.

Back at the hotel, it was time for dinner. It included a regional specialty called shiroebitei – raw white shrimp sashimi from Toyama Bay. We weren’t quite sure how to eat them, but we really enjoyed this delicacy. There was also a Wagyu beef hot pot (it was amazing) and a selection of other delicious food.

Day 2 – Murodo

Early the next morning, we caught a bus to Murodo, the highest point along the Alpine Route. Near the top is a popular destination called the “snow corridor,” where the road can have snow walls up to 20 meters (66 feet) high on both sides. Spring is the best time to experience it, and the bus will stop so visitors can get out and explore. The snow walls were significantly lower when we visited in the summer, but we still enjoyed our brief glimpse from the bus window. As we expected, the temperature in this area was much cooler than it had been at lower elevation.

The bus dropped us off at the Murodo Bus Terminal, and we promptly went to explore. There are a multitude of trails nearby, and we decided to do a short loop hike around Mikurigaike Pond. Mikurigaike and other nearby ponds are volcanic, meaning (we think) that they were formed in a caldera after a volcanic eruption, and later filled with rainwater and snowmelt.

A typhoon was impacting the area, so it was very foggy and a bit rainy. We plunged into the murky fog as we started the trail across stone-lined paths. Notably, snow covered some parts of the trail.

Our first stop was Mikurigaike Pond, which was surrounded by snow. Around this time, the clouds started to lift, revealing much appreciated blue sky. The ponds seemed to come to life as they reflected sky overhead. Near Mikurigaike, we spotted a rock ptarmigan, known as raichō (雷鳥) in Japan. There’s a population of about 350 of them in the Murodo area, and we were lucky to spot one. They’re not afraid of people, so I was able to get a close-up photo.

Next, we passed Jigokudani (Hell Valley), a volcanic area that reminded me of Yellowstone National Park. A trail passes through it, but it had been closed due to a high concentration of volcanic gases. However, we could look down at the steam vents to see the gases rising from the area. Mikurigaike Onsen is located near the trail to Jigokudani, if you want to stop for a soak.

We continued onto a side trail toward Rindouike Pond, which was covered with snow, so the view was a little disappointing. We spotted some Chinoike, or Blood Ponds, which appear reddish due to the high concentration of iron oxide. The air smelled heavily of sulfur along this section of trail, so we turned around and headed back to the loop once the smell became too pervasive.

Midorigaike Pond was our next sight. Smaller than Mikurigaike, it was very picturesque and lined with wildflowers. Mount Tateyama rises up behind the pond, though its summit was obscured by clouds. We passed Tateyama Murodo Mountain Hut, and then finished our loop. It was lunch time, so we ate our onigiri bento from Midagahara Hotel. Afterward, we decided to continue along the Alpine Route. I wish we had more time to explore Murodo, particularly to hike Mount Tateyama.

Day 2 – Kurobe Dam

We climbed aboard a trolley, our fourth mode of transportation. It took us through Mount Tateyama via a tunnel, en route to Daikanbo. At Daikanbo, an observation station affords great views of the surrounding mountains. Kristin found an interesting snack here which we hadn’t seen before: gohei mochi, which is basically grilled mochi covered in a sweet soy sauce. It’s a specialty of the surrounding mountainous region of Central Japan. It was delicious and we bought more at every opportunity going forward.

From Daikanbo, we boarded our fifth unique mode of transport, a ropeway down to Kurobedaira. We enjoyed the views, but it was too crowded to get any good photos. From there, we took a cable car to Kurobe Dam.

The sixth mode of transport is simply walking across the dam itself. Built between 1956 and 1963, the dam is on a grand scale and provides gorgeous views of the Kurobe River. As we walked across, water gushed through the open spillway.

The dam is a true tourist attraction, and its many platforms provide a variety of spectacular views. We tried to capture the essence of the dam through photos, but its massive size made our task difficult. After scoping out a few different perspectives, we continued on the Alpine Route. We took our seventh and final mode of transport: an electric bus which traveled through a tunnel to Ogizawa. From there, we took a bus to Shinano Omachi, the terminus of the route.

The Alpine Route was such a unique experience, and it allowed us to see so much of central Japan in a relatively short time. If you have time, we highly recommend checking it out. However, what we did is only a snippet of what’s available, as there are many other attractions along the route. Our next destination would be something completely different: we would travel south to Itsukushima (厳島), also known as Miyajima or “Shrine Island,” in Setonaikai National Park.

Links

• Official Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Website (English)
• Wikipedia: Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (English)
• Japan Guide: Alpine Route (English)
• Japan Guide: Midagahara (English)
• Midagahara Hotel (English)
• Japan Guide: Murodo (English)

Map

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Our hiking journey in Japan had been challenging due to Typhoon Prapiroon. It prevented us from summiting both Mt. Fuji and Mt. Yake. Though disappointed, we were still optimistic about our longest and most-anticipated hike to Mount Yari (槍ヶ岳, Yarigatake) in Chubusangaku National Park (中部山岳国立公園, Chūbusangaku Kokuritsu Kōen). We had planned a three-day, 32.6 km (20.3 mi) trek, staying in mountain huts along the way. Our one-way route took us from Kamikochi (上高地, Kamikōchi), to Mount Yari, then to Shinhotaka Onsen (新穂高温泉). Thankfully, this trip turned out better than both Mt. Fuji and Mt. Yake.

Planning: Route

When researching where to hike in Japan, we stumbled upon Kamikochi – a scenic mountainous region within Chubusangaku National Park. Subsequent searching led to Mount Yari. The mountain is named after the Japanese word for “spear,” as the tip of the mountain looks rather sharp. Mount Yari is 3,180 meters (10,433 feet) tall and is the fifth tallest mountain in Japan.

The timing of our trip was important. Mt. Yari can get crowded, especially from mid-July through August. This is especially due to schools letting out for summer break. When we went in early July, it was significantly less crowded. However, we also had to consider the impact of the rainy season (early June through mid-July), which turned out to be significant.

There are multiple routes to the top of Mount Yari. A popular route is a loop from Kamikochi to Mount Yari, and then to Mount Hotaka (穂高岳, Hotaka-dake). It’s often called the Kamikochi-Yari-Hotaka circuit. We were interested in it, but were put off by the section between Yari and Hotaka called the Daikiretto which means “big cut” in Japanese. It’s extremely steep and dangerous (people die there every year), with exposed ascents and descents. While I was intrigued, Kristin was not open to that option. Probably for the best, considering the wet weather we encountered.

Instead, we decided on a one-way route that started in Kamikochi and ended in Shinhotaka Onsen. Our trip would be three days and two nights, and we planned to stay in mountain huts along the trail. Each day of the journey would be strenuous, especially the second and third days. In early July, there was still a chance that we’d have to hike across snow fields. Just in case, we brought some inexpensive crampons, which (spoiler alert) came in handy.

Planning: Accommodations

Most mountain huts in Chubusangaku National Park provide meals and overnight accommodations. This meant we wouldn’t need to bring a tent, sleep system, or cooking gear. Sleep arrangements are typically dormitory style with wide bunks, though sometimes private rooms are available. If you prefer to camp, there are also campgrounds along the route.

Some mountain huts require reservations, but the ones we chose in 2018 did not. But, as of 2020, they now require reservations. These can be made online, even if you can’t speak Japanese. There are many lodges other than the ones we picked, so you can really customize a trip however you choose. Campgrounds typically don’t require reservations.

As of summer 2024, Yarisawa Lodge and Yarigatake Sanso cost ￥15,500 (~$100) per person per night for accommodations and three meals (dinner, breakfast, and to-go bento). The price can be reduced by forgoing some of the meals. An extra ￥12,000 (~$80) will get you a small private room. Mountain hut pricing differs, so be sure to bring yen regardless of the cost. Credit cards are not usually accepted.

To conclude our hike, we made a reservation at Yarimikan in the town of Shinhotaka Onsen. We wanted to experience an onsen, and Yarimikan has private baths. An onsen seemed like a great spot to relax after our 3-day journey.

Planning: Maps

English hiking maps of Japan are difficult to find. So, we bought Japanese maps and made it work. We had both paper and electronic maps. For paper maps, we got Mapple Map #40 from Amazon Japan for ￥1320 (~$10), which detailed the surrounding area. The map shipped quickly, and is good waterproof quality, though the NatGeo maps in the US are tougher. Mapple updates their maps every year, and the map number for each area can change, so be sure you get the map entitled “Mountain and Highland Map Mt. Yarigatake/Mt. Hotakadake Kamikochi.”

As far as electronic maps, we downloaded Mapple Yamatokogen (山と高原地図) from Android Play. It’s free to install the app, then you purchase the specific map(s) you’re looking for. It provides an electronic version (same as Mapple’s paper version), plus you can see your location on it. We appreciated having both the paper and electronic versions, just in case.

After opening the app, you’re greeted by a “sign” with three options. The first option will go to your purchased maps (there’s a free sample map). At the bottom of that screen is a button that allows you to select other maps to purchase. Clicking on any of the maps leads to a product page where you can see more information. At the bottom of that page is a button that you click to buy that map. Currently, each electronic map costs $4.49.

Generally Japanese trails themselves don’t have names like they do in the United States. Instead, trail signs point to the destination at each intersection. So, we would follow trail signs to Mt. Yari. Similarly, Japanese trail maps don’t list distances. Instead, they list the approximate time from intersection to intersection in both directions. I can appreciate that, but I’d rather have the distance since hikers move at different speeds.

To help other travelers, we created a map for this hike in English and Japanese. Hopefully it helps if you’re planning a similar trip. Use at your own discretion, but we tried our best to make it helpful. We were given an English map when we got to the park, but it wasn’t as detailed or extensive as we would have liked, so we didn’t rely on it. Instead, we used the Mapple ones.

Planning: Gear

When we climbed Yarigatake in early July, there were still some snow fields. Just in case, we had brought crampons with us. And we were glad we had them, though we saw some climbers not using them. We also used trekking poles, and recommend doing so regardless of when you hike due to large elevation gains and losses. The snow fields would likely be greatly reduced by late July.

Due to snow melt, there were streams everywhere and it was easy to find water. We brought our Sawyer Squeeze water filter and found it helpful. Water is also available at huts. Generally, unless you stayed at a particular hut, you would need to purchase your water.

Since we were staying at huts, we didn’t need a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, or cooking gear. This lightened our load considerably. We brought smaller backpacks – an Osprey Kestrel 38 for me, and Osprey Kyte 36 for Kristin. We both brought a rain jacket and rain pants, which were helpful. We also had small umbrellas which seemed like a strange item to bring on a backpacking trip, but turned out to be invaluable in this case.

Most of our snacks were brought from the United States, but we augmented our stash with Japanese ones too. It was fun trying different things that aren’t available at home. The mountain huts took care of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For lunch, we requested a bento from the hut, which we’d eat on the trail. That made it simpler and easier than packing our own lunches. Mountain huts also sell snacks, though they’re understandably expensive.

Day 0 – Arriving at Kamikochi

On Friday we arrived at Kamikochi, and tried to determine whether our Mt. Yari trip would be possible given the typhoon. We went to the nearby information center to ask. The workers there were super helpful, and told us there was currently an impassable stream on the stretch from Mt. Yari to Shinhotaka Onsen. Bummer. We hoped that the weather would improve, but it continued to rain the rest of the day.

On Saturday, we inquired again and were told the same thing. Sunday was when we would be starting our backpacking trip. Conflicted, we headed back to Nishi-ito-ya Mountain Lodge (西糸屋山荘, Nishi Itoya Sansō), where we were staying in Kamikochi. We requested another night there, since we had decided not to hike Mount Yari.

Instead, one of the staff tried to convince us to hike Yari. He showed us the forecast, which was not great for our first day, but seemed to be good for the following days. The man was a guide who had done the hike to Yari multiple times. We went back and forth, but in the end, he convinced us to go for it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? Plus, this might be our only chance to do this hike. We made the right call, as the trip was fabulous. Thanks to the staff member at Nishi-ito-ya who got us to reconsider!

Day 1 – Leaving Kamikochi

Nishi-ito-ya in Kamikochi is a great lodge, and the staff was so friendly. Before leaving, we sent our luggage to Yarimikan via Takyubin. It’s a very handy luggage forwarding service that we used multiple times while in Japan. Leaving Nishi-ito-ya, we headed north along the path, past Kappa Bridge (河童橋, Kappabashi) on our right. We decided to travel along the north side of the Azusa River so we could visit Myojin Pond (明神池, Myojinike) and Hotaka Shrine. It added about 15 minutes to our hike (compared to taking the path south of the river), but we didn’t want to miss these spots.

The rain continued as we walked along the river. Everything was drenched, but people were still out exploring. We were able to use our umbrellas, as the trail was fairly wide. Before long, we came upon Dakesawa Marsh (sometimes translated as Takezawa), which has a boardwalk. The area was flooded, but thankfully the water was still below the boardwalk. It’s beautiful, and the rain almost enhanced its beauty. And I’m a sucker for boardwalks and marshes.

After the marsh, we continued walking over bridges and past roaring streams. All the rushing streams head toward the Azusa river. We came upon an area with wide boardwalks along the river. At this point we saw how high the river had gotten based on it’s height compared to the trees. It was kind of daunting, as the rain continued to fall.

Day 1 – Myojin Pond

The rain started picking up even more as we reached a gravel road. We walked on it for a short time before getting onto another trail which ran parallel to the road. Eventually though, part of the trail was closed due to the high water, so we had to hike on the road. A truck trundled past us, and eventually we reached Myojin Pond and Hotaka-Okumiya Shrine. Part of the shrine is free to access, and you can pay ¥500/person to access Myojin Pond. We decided to pay the extra fee, bought a nice charm, and got our goshuin stamped. The pond is very serene and picturesque, and we were glad we got to see it. However we aren’t convinced it was worth the price we paid. The shrine is a branch of the main Hotaka Shrine, which is near Matsumoto.

Near Hotaka-Okumiya shrine is a small lodge called Kamonji-Goya. It was almost time for lunch, so we took a look at the menu, but nothing struck our fancy. The restaurant is actually quite famous, but we didn’t know that until later. At Myojin Bridge, we crossed the Azusa River. There were some free port-a-potties at the bridge too, if you’re in need of a restroom. On the other side of the bridge is a lodge called Myojinkan, where we hoped to get lunch.

It was still raining (surprise!). We avoided puddles, and saw people here and there. We arrived at Myojinkan – it’s a nice hut with a good selection of food and an English language menu (with pictures). I ordered the gyudon and Kristin got some tempura udon. Both were solid. We also grabbed a C.C. Lemon, one of our favorite Japanese soft drinks, from a nearby vending machine. Most vending machines in Kamikochi seemed to have it.

Leaving Myojinkan, we got out our umbrellas again. The next section is a flat, easy hike along the river. As we hiked, the rain started tapering off. And before we knew it, the sun started peeking out! We were overjoyed. It was the first time we saw the sun in four days. Invigorated, we continued on, enjoying views of mountains and the river. Along this section is a small pond called Furuike (古池, Old Pond), which is beautifully clear and mirror-like due to incoming spring water.

Day 1 – Tokusawa and Yokoo-Sanso

After crossing a stream that flows into the Azusa River, we entered a wooded area. From a distance, we spotted Tokusawa Lodge and went to check it out. There, we took a quick snack break. Shortly after, we passed free bathrooms, Tokusawa Campground, and Tokusawa-en Lodge. Past the Tokusawa area, we encountered mostly rolling hills where the trail is wide and follows the river. Eventually the trail narrows, and we passed a beautiful suspension bridge (Shinmura Bridge) that heads back across the river. We didn’t cross it, but couldn’t resist taking some photos.

We reached Yokoo-Sanso, the last lodge before Yarisawa, and noticed restrooms and a campground nearby. Checking our map, we saw that we were about 1 hour and 40 minutes away from Yarisawa. We weren’t sure whether to trust the time on the map, but it was 3:30 p.m., and dinner is served at Yarisawa at 5:00 p.m. I went into Yokoo-Sanso and asked the staff to call Yarisawa and let them know we’d be late. We wouldn’t get the usual dinner, instead it will be dehydrated curry, but we were okay with that (and we didn’t have a choice).

Confident that we’d be able to get some dinner that night, we grabbed another C.C. Lemon from a vending machine and continued on. The wide level path becomes more of a hiking trail here. It narrows, becomes rocky, and the trail starts to ascend significantly for the first time. As the trail took us closer to the river, we could see the beautiful rushing water. The air around us cooled, and we could see our breath.

The trail continued ascending and we spotted a sign along the trail. With my basic Japanese language skills, I read “Ganbatte!” which means “do your best” in English. It was a nice motivator, and we knew we were getting close. 10 minutes later, we saw the lodge and celebrated.

Day 1 – Yarisawa Lodge

Checking into the Yarisawa Lodge, we paid for our three meals and accommodations. We decided not to spend extra money for a private room. The staff started making our dehydrated curry. Kristin had to get the vegetarian curry because the beef one had milk in it. She was glad that they were able to accommodate her dietary restriction.

While our food was being prepared, we checked out the dorm area. We had spots on a top bunk, and were relieved to see that we had the whole row to ourselves. That’s one benefit of visiting during the off season. There were other guests below and across from us. Only about 15 people were staying the night, and we appreciated that the staff spread the guests out for privacy. Next to our bunk was a small window that overlooked the river.

Yarisawa has a drying room, so we grabbed our wet gear from the morning and went to check it out. We headed downstairs, past the public bath (which is open briefly at a designated time) and restrooms. We opened the door and immediately felt the intense heat of the drying room. There were shelves, clips, and hangers everywhere. All our gear dried within a few hours, except for our boots which were soaked.

Our dinner was ready, so we went into the dining room and ate our curry and rice. It was pretty good! We were just happy to eat at that point, though we wondered what the regular meal had been like. After finishing up, we explored the hut, and decided to go to bed early. Many hikers in Japan wake up before dawn, and breakfast would start at 5:30 a.m.

The pillow was weird, and the futon not super comfortable, but we fell asleep quickly. At 4 a.m. we were awakened by our bunkmates below. They continually rustled their bags as they packed up to leave. Like plastic grocery bags. Rustle, rustle, rustle. For about 30 minutes before they left the lodge. Some hikers like to get a really early start. We just wished they had packed the night before.

Day 2 – Leaving Yarisawa

Around 6 a.m. the next morning, we went to the dining room to join 8 or so other guests that stayed for breakfast. Some hikers start their day early and have breakfast on the trail, but that wasn’t an option for us. Plus, we wanted the full mountain hut experience. Breakfast was simple but good: miso soup and rice, both served family style, as well as veggies, tea, and a small piece of fish. We talked to a few other guests, and learned that several other hikers were heading to Yarigatake too.

After breakfast, we picked up our lunch bento, packed up, and filled up our water bottles. We purchased a couple of overpriced snacks, and Kristin bought a souvenir bear bell. It was 7:30 a.m. when we headed out. Immediately outside Yarisawa was a telescope. Curious, we peered through it and saw a very sharp mountain peak – Mt. Yari (Yarigatake). It was distant, but we appreciated knowing that our destination was in sight. We’d be hiking 5.7 km (3.5 mi) and ascending 1396 meters (4580 feet) that day. And, finally, the weather was gorgeous!

Finally, the trail started to ascend. It was rocky but easy going. We continued until we reached a shelter area (we later learned it’s called Babadaira Campground) with a restroom. As we ascended, we started seeing beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and valley. Clear alpine streams rushed down the mountainside due to the melting snow. Sometimes these streams were running on the trail itself. We saw a few other hikers going the opposite direction, but otherwise it was a quiet trail.

Eventually we broke out our bentos to see what they were. They were large, rectangular onigiri with lotus root, egg, and veggies. We weren’t sure of all the ingredients, but it was delicious. Savory with a slight sweetness, it was the best bento that we got from a lodge/hut in Japan.

Day 2 – Across Snow Fields

After lunch, we reached the first of four snow fields. It was a bit scary, never having crossed them before. We had brought some cheap, probably not great quality, four-point crampons. We strapped them over our boots, went slow, and also relied on our trekking poles to cross the snow field. I wished we had brought some microspikes or better crampons, but we got across without issue. We saw other hikers that didn’t use any crampons, but…I’d still recommend bringing something. The first snow field was the shortest, while the snow fields at higher elevation were larger.

We crossed a longer snow field, then spotted a cave. Banryu (1786-1840), a Buddhist priest and the first known climber of Yarigatake (1828), stayed in this cave for 54 days, while chanting constantly. Inside the cave are a few Jizo statues. After leaving the cave, we came to our longest snow crossing, which we took slowly and carefully.

Eventually we started seeing boulders with numbers painted on them. Initially, we thought the numbers represented the hiking distance to the peak of Mt. Yari, or the elevation. However, we eventually realized it’s actually the elevation gain required to reach the top in meters. It was a nice measure of our progress, which gave us renewed energy. In the rock scramble sections, some rocks had large Xs and Os on them, indicating where to go (the Os) or avoid (the Xs), which was useful since the terrain wasn’t a defined path.

As we climbed higher, the spear-shaped peak of Yarigatake came into view again. Eventually, we spotted Yarigatake Sanso, just below the peak, where we would spend the night. It was a rough climb, but we eventually made it around 2:45 p.m. We were exhausted, but thrilled that we were finally there. Behind us were amazing views of the area we had just hiked through.

Day 2 – Summiting Yarigatake

At Yarigatake Sanso, we reserved our bunks and set our gear aside. Hikers can climb the peak of Yarigatake, situated just next to the lodge. We knew we wouldn’t have time the next day, so we decided to go ahead and do it. We had an hour or so before dinner, which turned out to be just enough time.

Climbing to the peak of Yari is not for the fainthearted. It’s a vertical climb aided by ladders, chains, and scrambling. I thought it was tons of fun, but Kristin thought it was scary. The routes up and down the peak are mostly separate, so you won’t run into people going the opposite direction. A few sections are combined, and hikers must be patient.

Making our way up the peak, we held onto the chains and ladders as we scrambled our way to just below the summit. From there, two ladders lead to the very top. Some climbers coming down mentioned that the ladders felt a bit loose. That was kind of scary to hear, but we proceeded and they seemed secure to us.

A small shrine sits at the summit (of course). The peak was shrouded in a dense fog. It was hard to see out any distance, but we did get a view of Yarisanso and glimpses of the surrounding mountains. After a few minutes, we carefully climbed back down. Here are more details about climbing the peak.

Day 2 – Dinner at Yarigatake Sanso

Back at Yarisanso, we were starving. Thankfully, it was dinner time! Unlike Yarisawa, we had arrived in plenty of time to eat. Everyone filed into the huge dining room. It could probably seat hundreds of people, though there were only about 15 guests. Nice thing about it not being peak season yet.

Sitting down at a table with others, we each had a plate of hamburger steak (hambagu) and veggies. As usual, rice and miso soup were served family style. There was another foreigner beside us, a solo British man, who was very nice. We also met and chatted with a Japanese woman who lives in Seattle. Everyone else appeared to be Japanese, and we talked with them as much as we could. A couple of guys even poured miso soup on their rice and told us it was “Japanese soul food.”

In the dining room, and the hut in general, there was a wonderful sense of camaraderie. We shared another C.C. Lemon (we’re addicted) from the vending machine. The machine also had beer, but I wasn’t feeling it (nor did it seem like the best choice for a multi-day hiking trip).

After dinner, we went upstairs to request a bento for the following day. We also inquired about the water crossing that we would reach the next day (it had been impassable for few days due to the typhoon). The staff showed us a photo of the area on an iPad. It was very hard to tell, but we thought it would be doable, so we continued with our original plan to hike to Shinhotaka Onsen. Not that we really had a backup in mind.

We went outside on the patio to take some more photos. The clouds had lifted a bit and we gazed out over the horizon. And what did we see? Mt. Fuji. It’s unmistakable due to its distinctive shape. Having been forced to abandon our plans of hiking it earlier in our trip, it was therapeutic to see it now.

We wanted to get to bed early. Our bunk was on the bottom this time, a welcome change compared with Yarisawa. Across the aisle, we spotted an older Japanese couple – our bunkmates from the previous night. Turns out they spoke some English and we had a nice conversation. And we felt a little bad that we complained about them rustling their bags early in the morning. We hope when we’re their age, we can still hike and backpack.

Day 3 – Leaving Yarigatake Sanso

We woke to the lovely sounds of bag rustling again at 4 a.m. After getting a bit more sleep, we got up around 6 a.m. We enjoyed a simple and tasty breakfast of salmon, veggies, egg, miso soup, and rice. Today would be the longest day; we would hike 12.1 km (7.5 mi) and descend 2093 meters (6867 feet). There would also be a water crossing of unknown difficulty. We were excited, but not sure how the trip would go, so we packed and headed out at 7:15 a.m.

Saying goodbye to the lodge, we headed through the adjacent campground. Its many sites are intricately laid out along and below the ridgeline, though only a few groups were using it. I was glad we stayed in the lodge. I’m not sure I trust the campground in high winds given that it’s so exposed – plus not having to bring a tent, sleeping bag, or meals is a huge advantage.

After leaving the campground, we came to an intersection. We turned right to head down the mountain. Straight would have taken us through the previously mentioned Daikiretto area. The weather was sunny and beautiful, but we didn’t see too many other hikers. Some had likely been put off by the recent weather. The trail is well defined, but steep with some loose slippery rocks in some places. Trekking poles were a necessity.

On the other side of Yari, the landscape seemed vastly different. We were surrounded by gorgeous snow-covered peaks. As we descended, we started seeing more lush green plant life. Fog rolled in, and we worried about the potential for rain, but thankfully it didn’t materialize.

Day 3 – Injuries and Lunch

Further down, we spotted some pretty wildflowers. We descended through an area with larger rocks, so we had to be careful. Suddenly, Kristin banged her knee, so I stopped to see how she was doing. She hit it pretty hard on a rock, and it was very painful. Thankfully she could still hike, but we needed to move at a slower pace.

I was hoping to get to Yarimikan, our onsen ryokan, by 17:00 (5:00 p.m.) for dinner. So we continued on, trying to hurry where we could. The area around us transitioned into a more lush, humid atmosphere that almost reminded me of a jungle. Pinked flags tied to trees sometimes marked our route.

We crossed a few streams, some of which swelled with rain water and were a bit tricky to cross. The area became more forested. Near an intersection, we passed a campground and arrived at Yaridaira Hut. It was a convenient spot to rest and grab a simple meal of udon and a C.C. Lemon. Kristin’s knee was still hurting, but manageable. Earlier we had also eaten our bento from Yarigatake Sanso, and while it was good, it wasn’t as good as the one from Yarisawa Lodge the previous day.

After finishing our meal, we continued. Concerned with time, I tried to hurry Kristin along. I moved faster to try to get her to move faster. But she could only go so fast with her knee. So we got angry with each other and barely talked for a couple hours. Eventually we apologized, and we both felt better. Part of hiking and marriage.

Day 3 – Streams and Dams

Eventually, we reached the stream that we had been warned about. It looked harder to cross than the picture we’d seen at Yarisanso. It took us 20 minutes to find a safe spot to cross without getting soaked or injured. As I landed on the other side, the rocks below me gave out. And…I banged up my leg. Poetic justice? But we got across eventually, and it turned out there were three separate crossings as the water flowed down the hill. As we were doing this, another hiker came along and hopped over everything in half the time it took us.

After the stream crossing, we made good time and reached a dry dam shortly after. Thinking the trail led right over it, we climbed down a ladder, crossed the dam, and climbed back up. We discovered that we went the wrong way though, as the trail actually goes below the dam. So we retraced our steps, curious why the dam was dry when everything else was overflowing.

On the other side of the dam, the trail became more of a fire road as we neared the end of our hike. A few streams flowed under the trail, and we passed several other dams. The terrain was gently descending at this point, so we made good time.

Passing by a lodge called Hotakadaira-goya, we immediately made a wrong turn. We continued along the “fire road,” but we should have taken a shorter trail that leads into the forest. We realized this further down the road, but we kept going since the road eventually meets back up with the other side of the trail. Eventually, we spotted the intersection with the trail. Since we missed the shortcut, we had to hike about an extra 1.0 km (0.6 mi).

Day 3 – Shinhotaka Onsen

A car passed by as we continued down the road, alongside the Gamada River. We also spotted several dams, and some buildings under construction. Soon, we stepped into the town of Shinhotaka Onsen. Thanks to Skype, we were able to call our ryokan, and they sent a shuttle. My limited Japanese and some English got the point across. Pro-tip: get a Japanese SIM card or pocket WiFi device so you can make calls.

The shuttle took us to a small, beautiful ryokan onsen called Yarimikan. We checked in, dropped our stuff in our room, and immediately went to take a bath. No one was in either the men’s or the women’s, so we had it all to ourselves. It’s a relaxing spot, with views of the Gamada River. Feeling refreshed, we headed to dinner. The meal was…disappointing. The service was slow, the food was nothing special, and they brought us one item at a time, so we couldn’t really enjoy our meal. Everything else about the onsen was amazing, but the food could’ve been better. Especially compared with other ryokans we visited.

After finishing our meal, we went to check out some of the private onsens. Our tired muscles enjoyed soaking and relaxing in the hot (almost too hot) water. Once finished, we returned to our room and passed out. The futon was the most comfortable one we had in Japan. We were glad, because we needed the rest after our 3-day adventure.

In the morning, we ate breakfast at Yarimikan (again, kinda disappointing) and checked out. The ryokan shuttle took us to the Shinhotaka Ropeway (HO65) bus stop. In a building next to the bus stop, we bought tickets from a machine for the Nohi Okuhida-Toyama bus route (note: this route seems to no longer exist, but there are other options). Prior reservations aren’t required. Our bus eventually arrived, a little late, and we were on our way to Toyama. From Toyoma, we headed into the northern part of Chubusangaku National Park, toward the Alpine Route.

Final Thoughts

Mount Yari was the highlight of our trip, with its stunning views, mountain huts, and solitude. Being surrounded by breathtaking mountains in Japan is unlike any experience we’ve had. It was also interesting culturally, since backpacking we’ve done in the US has been quite different. Our journey was nothing short of epic, and we hope to do more hiking in the region one day.

The route we planned worked well for us. The only issue was the descent on the last day. I wouldn’t recommend descending ~6000 feet in a day, but at the same time, I’m glad we didn’t take an extra day to hike down. Lastly, ending at Shinhotaka allowed us to relax in an onsen after the hike. If you want more adventure and don’t mind a potentially dangerous route, you might consider the Kamikochi-Yari-Hotaka circuit.

Yarigatake is crazy busy in summer (mid-July through August), so I do recommend planning your trip during the off-season. We dealt with storms due to the rainy season though, so it’s a gamble. But we reaped the rewards with a mostly uncrowded route. So weigh what’s important to you. Fall might be another time to consider visiting.

If you’re considering this hike, there’s a list of helpful resources below. And if you have any questions or thoughts, feel free to leave a comment!

Backpacking Mount Yari (Yarigatake)

Date: Sunday, July 8, 2018 – Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Type: 2-Night Backpacking, One Way Shuttle
Total Distance: 32.6 km (20.3 mi) round trip
Cumulative Elevation Gain/Loss: +2060 meters (6759 feet), -2454 meters (8051 feet)

• Day 1 (Starting from Kappa Bridge):
  • Distance: 14.8 km (9.2 mi)
  • Overall Cumulative Gain and Loss: 540 meters (1772 feet) gain, 225 meters (738 feet) loss
  • Time: 7 hours, including lunch, breaks, and exploring
  • Overnight: Yarisawa Lodge
• Day 2 (Distance/Elevation includes climbing the peak of Mt. Yari):
  • Distance: 5.7 km (3.5 mi)
  • Overall Cumulative Gain and Loss: 1396 meters (4580 feet) gain, 136 meters (446 feet) loss
  • Time: 7.5 hours to get to the lodge, including lunch and breaks. It took an additional 50 minutes to climb the peak of Mt. Yari.
  • Overnight: Yarigatake Sanso
• Day 3 (Ending at Shinhotaka Ropeway):
  • Distance: 12.1 km (7.6 mi)
  • Overall Cumulative Gain and Loss: 124 meters (407 feet) gain, 2093 meters (6867 feet) loss
  • Time: 9 hours, including lunch and breaks
  • Overnight: Yarimikan in Shinhotaka Onsen

Trail Markings: Trail signs at intersections, markings painted on rocks: “O” (safe route), “X” (avoid)
Difficulty: Strenuous
Crowds: Low
Water: Streams, creeks, waterfalls, small ponds
Highlights: Views, wildlife, mountains, Japanese culture, lodges, wildflowers, snow, creeks, bridges, onsen
Directions to Kamikochi: Google Maps Directions
Notes: There are many route options; below is the one we did.

Trail Directions

• Day 1
  • 0.0 km / 0.0 mi – From Kappa Bridge in Kamikochi, head north on the gravel path along the river.
  • 0.2 km / 0.1 mi – Where the road and the path join briefly, bear right to stay on the path. A trail sign points toward “Myojin-Ike Pond” in 3.3 km. After about 5-10 minutes on the trail, you’ll enter Dakesawa Marsh via a boardwalk.
  • 0.7 km / 0.4 mi – Bear right at the intersection, following the sign to “Myojin-Ike Pond” in 2.8 km. This section goes through the forest, crossing many bridges with views of the Azusa River on the right.
  • 2.4 km / 1.5 mi – Turn right when the trail intersects with the Chisan transport road. Follow the sign for “Myojin-Ike Pond” in 1.1 km.
  • 2.7 km / 1.7 mi – Turn right to get back on a walking trail, following the sign for “Myojin-Ike Pond” in 0.8 km. The trail runs parallel to the road along some boardwalk sections.
  • 3.5 km / 2.2 mi – Arrive at the Myojin Pond area. To see the shrine and pond, head left at the trail sign to “Myojin-Ike Pond” in 0.1 km. Otherwise, continue straight toward Myojin Bridge.
  • 3.6 km / 2.2 mi – At the bridge, turn right to cross the Azusa River via Myojin Bridge.
  • 3.9 km / 2.4 mi – Arrive at Myojinkan Lodge, staying to the right of the building. At the T intersection with the main building, turn left. A trail sign points to 徳沢 (Tokusawa) in 3.4 miles.
  • 4.2 km / 2.6 mi – Continue straight at the intersection with Tokugotoge Shimashimadani, toward Tokusawa-Yokoo.
  • 5.6 km / 3.5 mi – Pass by Furuike (Old Pond).
  • 6.8 km / 4.2 mi – Keep left at the intersection. However, if you want to take a break or explore, you could bear right toward Tokusawa Lodge. You’ll pass another intersection in a few minutes, which also leads to the lodge. Shortly after that, you’ll pass a bathroom, then Tokusawa Campground, and some lodges. Keep straight until you get to Michikusa Shokudo.
  • 7.1 km / 4.4 mi – Turn left at Michikusa Shokudo, another lodge.
  • 7.3 km / 4.5 mi – Keep right at the intersection, toward 横尾 (translated as Yokoo).
  • 8.0 km / 5.0 mi – Continue straight to “Yokoo-Karasawa-Yari” and pass a suspension bridge (Shinmura Bridge) on your left that crosses the Azusa River.
  • 10.7 km / 6.7 mi – Arrive at the Yokoo area, where there is a lodge, campground, and restrooms. Continue straight, with the lodge buildings on your right. A large bridge will be on your left. Follow the sign toward “槍ヶ岳”, or Yarigatake. After this point, the trail becomes more of a true hiking trail rather than a gravel path.
  • 14.8 km / 9.2 mi – Arrive at Yarisawa Lodge! Stay the night, and continue on the trail in the morning.
• Day 2
  • 16.7 km / 10.4 mi – Head left at the intersection with Minamata. Follow the sign toward Yarigatake.
  • 17.8 km / 11.1 mi – Bear right at the intersection (left leads to Mt. Minami and Tenguhara Junction).
  • 18.7 km / 11.6 mi – Continue straight at the intersection with the trail that goes to Hutte Oyari. There’s a trail sign all in Japanese.
  • 19.2 km / 11.9 mi – Continue straight at the intersection with the trail to Sessho Hyutte.
  • 19.3 km / 12.0 mi – Continue straight at another intersection that goes to Sessho Hyutte. Then, make the last push to Yarigatake Sanso.
  • 20.0 km / 12.4 mi – Turn left at the intersection, and climb a short distance to arrive at Yarigatake Sanso! Check-in and relax.
  • 20.0 km / 12.4 mi – Optionally, climb to the peak of Mt. Yari. From Yarigatake Sanso, head left out of the main doors toward the peak beside the lodge. At the base, a sign points to “The top of Mt. Yarigatake” in 0.2 mi. There are separate routes to ascend and descend. Follow the route to ascend with multiple chains and ladders.
  • 20.2 km / 12.6 mi – Climb the last ladder to the top, enjoy the view and shrine, then head back down along the descent route.
  • 20.4 km / 12.7 mi – Arrive back at Yarigatake Sanso.
• Day 3
  • 20.4 km / 12.7 mi – Exit Yarigatake Sanso, turn right, and pass the campground. You’ll pass a trail sign pointing to “Shinhotaka-onsen Spa” in 14.4 km, and “Mt. Hotaka-dake” in 9.0 km.
  • 20.7 km / 12.9 mi – Turn right at the intersection. A worn sign (in Japanese) is there, but it can be hard to read.
  • 22.0 km / 13.7 mi – Continue straight at the intersection.
  • 24.2 km / 15.0 mi – Continue straight at the intersection.
  • 24.3 km / 15.1 mi – Continue straight at the intersection, past Yaridaira Goya mountain hut.
  • 25.7 km / 16.0 mi – Pass Takidani Junction, where there may be some stream crossings.
  • 27.9 km / 17.3 mi – Continue straight at the intersection, past the dam. The trail becomes a gravel road.
  • 28.1 km / 17.5 mi – After the dam, continue straight past the intersection.
  • 30.5 km / 19.0 mi – Go past Hotakadaira-goya mountain hut. Locate the trail heading to the west, near the mountain hut. If you can’t find it, continue on the road (this is what we did) though it will take slightly longer.
  • 31.2 km / 19.4 mi – Turn left, back onto the road as the trail ends.
  • 32.6 km / 20.3 mi – Arrive in Shinhotaka Onsen and relax!

Maps

• Yarigatake to Shinhotaka Map (KNTP) – Map that we created, in English and Japanese. Thanks to HokkaidoWilds.com for information and directions. We did the best we could do to make this map, but please use at your own discretion.
• Mapple Map 40 (Amazon Japan) – Map is in Japanese, but has some English for specific features. Mapple updates their maps every year, and the map number for each area can change, so be sure you get the map entitled “Mountain and Highland Map Mt. Yarigatake/Mt. Hotakadake Kamikochi.”
• Mapple Yamatokogen (山と高原地図) – Mapple App in Google Play Store to download and view digital maps (must purchase separately from paper maps).
• Northern Japan Alps Panorama-Ginza Hiking Map (Azumino City Tourist Association) – We got a paper version of this while in Japan, but this is a digital copy in English that you can view. Does not cover the area around Shinhotaka Onsen.

Links

• Kamikochi (上高地)
  • Kamikochi Official Site (English)
  • Japan-Guide Kamikochi (English)
  • Chubu Sangaku National Park Official Site (English)
  • Japan-Guide Chubu Sangaku National Park (English)
  • National Parks of Japan: Chubu Sangaku (English)
  • Nishi-ito-ya Mountain Lodge (English) – Where we stayed in Kamikochi, highly recommended.
• Yarigatake and Mountain Huts
  • Yarigatake Page on Yarigatake Sanso Group Site (English) – Has general information about some huts and the mountain. Can get additional information from Japanese language pages if you use Google Translate. Created by the group that operates Yarisawa and Yarigatake Sanso lodges.
  • Yarisawa Lodge (Japanese) – Where we stayed our first night (requires prior reservations).
  • Yarigatake Sanso Lodge (Japanese) – We stayed here our second night (requires prior reservations).
  • Yokoo-Sanso Official Site (English) – We didn’t stay at this lodge, but it’s just below Yarisawa.
  • Yarisawa Page on Northern Alps Mountain Huts Site (Japanese)
  • Yarigatake Sanso Page on Northern Alps Mountain Huts Site (Japanese)
  • Japan-Guide: Kamikochi-Yari-Hotaka Circuit (English)
  • Hiking in Japan: Mt. Yari (English)
  • Mt. Yari Peak Route Details (English)
• Shinhotaka Onsen
  • Yarimikan (English) – Onsen where we stayed after the hike
  • Japan-Guide Okuhida Access & Orientation (English)

Elevation Graph

Interactive Map

The post Backpacking Mount Yari (Yarigatake) appeared first on KTNPBlog.

While our misadventures in Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi were over, the rain from Typhoon Prapiroon continued. But it was time to head to Chubusangaku National Park (中部山岳国立公園, Chūbusangaku Kokuritsu Kōen). We’d be spending almost a full week exploring the park, which encompasses the Northern Japanese Alps, so there are many opportunities for hiking and backpacking. Our first hike would be to Mount Yake (焼岳, Yakedake), an active volcano, near the town of Kamikochi (上高地, Kamikōchi).

Located in the southern part of Chubusangaku National Park, Kamikochi has spectacular views. It’s situated in a valley surrounded by mountains, so it’s a perfect jumping off point for hikes. The area is only open to visitors from mid/late April to November 15. Visitors have to take a bus or taxi to Kamikochi, since private vehicles are not permitted in the park.

The timeframe that we visited was both good and bad. It was the tail end of the rainy season, so it wasn’t crowded. In mid July, the park would get very busy. Days before we were set to arrive in Kamikochi, Typhoon Prapiroon hit Japan, causing widespread flooding. It significantly impacted our trip, so we worked around it (or through it) as best we could.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to the summit of Mt. Yake. We made it about three-quarters of the way up the mountain before wind and rain drove us back into the more protected valley. We’ll detail our experiences below.

Kamikochi

The day we planned to travel from Lake Kawaguchi to Kamikochi, I got an email from Nishi-ito-ya Mountain Lodge (西糸屋山荘, Nishi-ito-ya Sansō), where we’d be staying in Kamikochi. We were informed that the narrow, winding road to Kamikochi was closed due to flooding. Never ones to give up, we decided to go anyway.

Thankfully, I got an email en route that the roads had re-opened, so we were relieved. Once we reached Matsumoto, we took a train to Shinshimashima, and then a bus to Kamikochi. Alpico, the operator of the route, provides a guide to help visitors travel to the park. The bus ride afforded mountain views as we entered the park. We also saw the swollen streams along the way, as rain continued to fall.

After about an hourlong bus ride, we arrived at Kamikochi Bus Terminal. Everything was soaked and dreary. Thankfully we had brought umbrellas. We made our way along the muddy path to Nishi-ito-ya Lodge. It’s a short walk, only about 10 minutes, and we crossed the picturesque Kappa Bridge (河童橋, Kappabashi) on the way.

We had booked a traditional Japanese style room, which included a toilet and sink. Once we arrived at the lodge, we checked in and got organized. Afterward, we planned to explore the area around the lodge. At this point, it was still raining, and we borrowed some large umbrellas from Nishi-ito-ya, which were appreciated. We visited some small shops, and bought a few snacks and gifts.

Kamikochi’s most famous attraction is Kappa Bridge (河童橋, Kappabashi), which is close to Nishi-ito-ya. The bridge, named after a mythical aquatic Japanese creature, has become a symbol of the area. On an average day, you can see breathtaking views of the surrounding Hotaka Mountains, but on this day we couldn’t see much other than clouds. However, it was still quite pretty. Back at the lodge, we stored all our wet gear in the drying room. The staff helped us figure out where to put everything.

Nishi-ito-ya has a communal bath, and this would be our first time experiencing that. I was a bit nervous using the public bath initially, but Kristin was a bit more adventurous. After bathing, we dined at Nishi-ito-ya and got to bed early. We planned to hike to Mount Yake the next day, assuming the weather cooperated.

To Mount Yake

Mount Yake is an active volcano. Its Japanese name, Yakedake, means “burning mountain.” The highest peak is at 2,455 meters (8,054 feet), and there’s a small lake between the two main peaks.

We planned to hike to the summit of Mt. Yake (Yakedake). The route from Kappa Bridge to Mt. Yake is a 12.7 km (7.9 mi) out-and-back (round trip). The hike boasts gorgeous views, volcanic features like steam vents (fumaroles), and precariously placed ladders. It’s a strenuous hike, with 1,062 meters (3,481 feet) in elevation gain/loss. A mountain hut, called Yakedake Goya (焼岳小屋), is located near the summit. Reservations are required to stay overnight.

The next morning, it was still pouring, but we were tired of cancelling plans. After breakfast, we picked up the bento we had requested the night before from Nishi-ito-ya; this would be our lunch on the trail.

After leaving Nishi-ito-ya, we turned right onto the main trail. Our route took us south, beside the Azusa River (梓川, Azusagawa). There are multiple intersecting trails here. While some are paved, we mainly used the gravel path by the river. Usually, the Azusa River is a lucid blue (or so we heard), but on this day it was turbid and murky. The rain slowed, and even stopped intermittently. This was an improvement, so we kept going, and noticed other visitors who were equally committed to exploring the area.

Next to the path, we came upon Weston Monument, a small relief of Walter Weston (1861-1940). He introduced western mountain climbing to Kamikochi and is credited with popularizing the area as the “Japanese Alps.” Conveniently, there’s also a restroom located nearby.

We passed some hotels and lodges, followed by Tashiro Bridge on our left. Then, the trail veered away from the river. As we were hiking, we heard a loud roaring sound, and wondered if we were in trouble. Thankfully, we quickly realized it was a swollen stream flowing underneath the trail. All the streams we’d seen were at a higher volume than normal, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise.

Shortly after, we ran into a sign blocking our path. We had no clue what it said, but we assumed it said something about cars not being allowed past this section (and you know what they say about assuming), so we went around and continued on. Later, Google Translate helped us determine that the sign stated that “traffic is prohibited due to mudflow.” Thankfully, that hadn’t been an issue. We turned right onto the main trail to Mt. Yake. At this point the trail turned from a level walking path to more of a true hiking trail.

Climbing Mount Yake, Sort of

While we had seen other visitors on the gravel path along the river, we saw no one in the forest. The trail was rocky, wet, and muddy, with a subtle but increasingly steep incline. Water was everywhere! Streams flowed on, across, and through the trail. It was still raining, but the path became too narrow to use our umbrellas, so we had to rely on our other rain gear. As we crossed bridges, roaring streams flowed underneath them. The weather was miserable, but we were still enjoying the hike.

Along the trail we spotted a frog (or possibly a toad?), and I spent a lot of time trying a get a good photo. Probably too long, as Kristin was ready to move. As we continued, we started encountering multiple ladders along the trail. They’re kind of fun, but also scary since the ladders aren’t always in the best shape. They looked rickety, but they felt solid.

Some of the bridges go over a gap between rocks, which also seemed sketchy at first. Thankfully, there are handholds – either chains or ropes. Some of the ladders are literally just placed vertically on a hillside, and are attached to rods that have been hammered into the hill. At one ladder, we encountered a worker carrying gear on his back in crates. We guessed he worked at one of the mountain huts. He would be the only person we’d see before returning from our hike.

After ascending a ways, we started to get some scenic mountain and valley views. Thick clouds covered the sky, but the rain had stopped temporarily. After hiking up a hillside we reached the tallest ladder yet, going up a cliff. On closer inspection, it was actually multiple smaller ladders attached to each other. It looked scary, but wasn’t that bad when we actually got on it. Looking back, the photos appear scarier than the hike actually felt.

As we continued, we encountered chains to help us climb up the rock face. We were back under tree cover, but we could tell the rain was picking up again. As we entered an open area, weather conditions became rainy and very windy. Our umbrellas were useless at this point, but we continued on.

Eventually, we took a break under tree cover to eat lunch. The bento boxes were nothing special – two onigiri with raw umeboshi and a small fish. Breakfast and dinner had been very good at Nishi-ito-ya, so it was disappointing.

After reviewing our map, we realized we were close to Yakedake Goya mountain hut. But the weather was getting worse, we were already soaked, and we couldn’t see much because of the clouds. We also acknowledged that we could be in trouble if the weather suddenly worsened. It was disappointing, but we decided to hike back down.

We made good time on our way back down. The rain and wind cleared up as we descended into the protected valley. At that point, we decided to stay on the paved trail, away from the river since we had taken the gravel paths on the way to Mt. Yake. The paved trail doubles as a maintenance road, so we had to watch out for vehicles.

Near a trail intersection with the Mt. Nishihotaka (西穂高岳, Nishihotakadake) trailhead, we saw an animal that made the whole hike worth it: a Japanese macaque in a tree. It was the first monkey we’ve ever seen in the wild! It was a novel experience, so we snapped some photos, and made sure to keep our distance. Eventually we moved on, passing the small Oyama Shrine (Oyamanokami), or shrine to the Mountain God.

Back at Nishi-ito-ya, we were exhausted and soaked. The friendly front desk employee helped us with our gear and outerwear – shoes, umbrellas, backpack covers, rain pants, and rain jackets. He hung them up to dry, while we put on slippers and headed toward a much appreciated hot bath in the ofuro (Japanese bath), followed by dinner.

We can’t give a complete guide or review of the hike to Mt. Yake since we didn’t actually finish it. The unique obstacles – ladders, chains, and bridges – provided a fun challenge, so I can see us enjoying the hike in milder weather. I was looking forward to seeing the views and volcanic features, and maybe someday we’ll get another chance.

Mount Yake Trail

Date: Saturday, July 7, 2018
Type: Out and back day hike
Total Distance: 12.7 km (7.9 mi)
Cumulative Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,062 meters (3,481 ft)
Time: 6.5 hours to do 75% of the hike in terrible weather. Our Shobunsha Mapple map of the trail estimates around 8 hours for the entire hike.
Trail Markings: Signs at intersections
Difficulty: Strenuous
Crowds: A few people along the river only
Water: River, many streams, a volcanic lake at the top we didn’t get to.
Highlights: Volcanic features, views, water, mountain hut, wildlife, wildflowers
Directions to Kappa Bridge (Kappabashi): Google Maps Directions

Trail Directions

• 0.0 km (0.0 mi) – From Kappa Bridge (Kappabashi), head southwest along the path with the Azusa River on your left. You’ll pass Nishi-ito-ya and other lodges on your right. Numerous paths, paved and unpaved, go parallel to the river. All trails lead to Mt. Yake.
• 1.1 km (0.7 mi) – You’ll arrive at an intersection with a restroom, and then the Weston Memorial. Continue heading southwest, either along the paved transport road or gravel path by the river (distances are for gravel path). You’ll pass two onsen hotels on your right.
• 1.5 km (0.9 mi) – Arrive near Tashiro Bridge and around the Mt. Nishihotaka Trailhead. There are a few intersecting trails/roads here; just follow signs for Mt. Yake.
• 2.3 km (1.4 mi) – Turn right to exit the walking path, and begin the hiking trail to Mt. Yake. There is a large sign indicating the turnoff. Elevation gain begins here.
• 5.0 km (3.1 mi) – Turn left toward Mt. Yake. Yakedake Goya mountain hut is located at this intersection, if you want to make it an overnight.
• 5.4 km (3.4 mi) – Continue straight past the intersection.
• 6.3 km (3.9 mi) – Turn right onto a short path to Mt. Yake
• 6.35 km (3.95 mi) – At the end of the trail, turn around and head back down when ready.
• 6.4 km (4.0 mi) – Turn left and return to the main trail to head back down.
• 7.3 km (4.5 mi) – Continue straight past the intersection.
• 7.7 km (4.8 mi) – Turn right, going past Yakedake Goya.
• 10.4 km (6.5 mi) – Turn left, onto the level walking path heading north to Kamikochi.
• 11.3 km (7.0 mi) – Continue straight, past Tashiro Bridge and Mt. Nishihotaka Trailhead. You can return via the transport road or paths by the river. If you take the transport road, you’ll pass a small shrine on your left.
• 11.7 km (7.3 mi) – At the intersection with Weston Monument, take the paved or gravel path.
• 12.7 km (7.9 mi) – Back at Kappa Bridge!

Maps

• Mount Yake Trail Map (KTNP) – A map we created for the hike in English
• Mountain and Highland Map Mt. Yarigatake/Mt. Hotakadake Kamikochi 2024 (Shobunsha Mapple, Map #40, Amazon.co.jp) – A map of the Kamikochi area, including Mt. Yake. It’s analogous to the National Geographic maps you might get in North America. Even though it’s in Japanese, you can still understand the map if you don’t speak the language.

Links

• Kamikochi (上高地, Kamikōchi)
  • Kamikochi Official Site (English)
  • Japan-Guide Kamikochi (English)
  • Chubusangaku National Park Official Site (English)
  • Japan-Guide Chubu Sangaku National Park (English)
  • National Parks of Japan: Chubusangaku (English)
  • Nishi-ito-ya Mountain Lodge (English) – Where we stayed in Kamikochi, highly recommended.
  • Guide on How to Travel Between Kamikochi and Matsumoto by Bus (English)
  • Kamikochi, Wikipedia (English)
• Mount Yake (焼岳, Yakedake)
  • Mount Yake, Wikipedia (English)
  • Yakedake Goya (Japanese) – Mountain hut near the summit of Mt. Yake. Reservations required.

Places

• Nishi-ito-ya Mountain Lodge | Kamikochi-4469-1 Azumi, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-1516, Japan
• Kappa Bridge | 36.248797, 137.637861
• Weston Monument | 36.246981, 137.626717
• Yakedake Goya | 36.236859, 137.594121

Elevation Graph

Interactive Map

The post Exploring Kamikochi and Mount Yake appeared first on KTNPBlog.

Back in 2018, we explored several regions of Japan, and we were particularly excited to finally visit some international National Parks. And we decided to start by hiking the big one: Mount Fuji (富士山, Fujisan). After that, we planned to stay in the town of Fujikawaguchiko (富士河口湖町, Fujikawaguchiko-machi), located beside Lake Kawaguchi (河口湖, Kawaguchiko) at the base of Mt. Fuji.

Spoiler alert: we weren’t able to climb Mt. Fuji, but we had fun anyway. This post details the bit we did get to experience on Mt. Fuji and in the town of Fujikawaguchiko (also located within Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park).

Planning

Mount Fuji is located in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park (富士箱根伊豆国立公園, Fuji-Hakone-Izu Kokuritsu Kōen), southwest of Tokyo. The mountain is divided into 10 “stations,” ascending from bottom to top. We decided to start from the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, which is about halfway up and is accessible by bus.

There are four main trails to climb Mt. Fuji. It would be our first time hiking Fuji, so we chose the Yoshida Trail, which is the safest and most popular. It’s also easy to access from Tokyo, and has plenty of amenities. The route is around 9 miles round-trip (14.4 km), with over 4,800 feet (1463 m) of cumulative elevation gain.

We decided to make it an overnight so we could experience the sunrise. That requires waking up super early and climbing to the summit, which is supposed to be somewhat miserable…but we figured we’d be disappointed if we didn’t do it.

Scattered around Mt. Fuji are huts where guests can stay the night. Reservations are required, so we reserved spots at the Fujisan Hotel (located at the 8th Station), through Fuji Mountain Guides. This service was helpful because we were able to make our request online in English, and they booked the reservation for us.

Next, we needed transportation to Mt. Fuji, so we bought bus tickets from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Mt. Fuji Subaru 5th Station. We chose a bus with a restroom (not all buses have them) since the ride was around 2.5 hours. Two companies run buses from Shinjuku to Mt. Fuji Subaru 5th Station: Fujikyu and Keio. We made a reservation on a Keio bus through highwaybus.com for 6:45 a.m. The soonest we could make a reservation was around 30 days out.

We had planned our trip for early summer (the end of the rainy season) to avoid extreme crowding, so we knew there was a chance for storms. Other blogs were a good source for suggested gear. We already owned most of what we needed, but decided to purchase some heavier duty gloves and thermal base layers in case of cold or rainy weather.

Sadly, we had to call off our hike due to Typhoon Prapiroon. There’s not much you can do about 56 mph (90 km/h) winds, driving rain, and mudslides. Safety is our priority, and we try to remain flexible.

Tokyo to Mt. Fuji

Prior to attempting to hike Mt. Fuji, we stayed in Asakusa in Tokyo. Around 6:15 a.m., we took the admirably efficient train system to Shinjuku Station, then walked to the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal above the JR Shinjuku Station. On the way, we made a quick stop at FamilyMart in the bus terminal for onigiri and sandwiches.

At 6:45, we boarded the bus and began navigating the streets of Tokyo. The bus was less than half full. I blame the rainy and dreary weather. We knew there was a possibility we’d have to cancel our hike, but we still had hope at this point. We kept an eye on the forecast, but it wasn’t very promising.

The bus ride was mostly uneventful, and we started to ascend Mt. Fuji. Hikers can start at the base of the mountain too, but we figured it would be challenging enough from the halfway point.

Mt. Fuji Subaru 5th Station

At 9:20 a.m., the bus arrived at the 5th station. It was pouring rain, windy, cold, and generally yucky. I almost didn’t want to get off the bus. But we hopped off, grabbed our backpacks from underneath the bus, and ran to the closest shelter we could find – a souvenir shop and lodge called Fujikyu Unjokaku.

As we pondered our next steps, we chatted with some other hikers, particularly about the inclement weather. Everyone seemed to be wondering what to do next. We stalled a bit by using the restroom and getting lunch. All public restrooms on the mountain cost 100 yen (we brought change).

Upstairs, the restaurant area was crowded with people who seemingly just finished their hike. We talked with a couple people who descended Mt. Fuji earlier that day and said it was miserable. They also mentioned that the weather had been perfect the previous day.

We ordered tempura udon and hoto, both of which were surprisingly delicious given the lack of other options. After we ate, we put on our rain gear, and decided to check the visitor information center. There, we were promptly told that hikers were not allowed to climb due to the current weather conditions.

So that was that. There were high winds, along with warnings about flooding and mud slides. Japan was hit hard by the typhoon, and there were even some deaths. Southern Japan was impacted the most, and we were fortunate to be further north.

We were disappointed (though not surprised), as were other hikers. Summitting Fuji is a lifelong dream for some. I was, however, relieved that we wouldn’t be hiking in those conditions. So, now what?

Our plan had been to travel to Lake Kawaguchi the following day, after completing our hike. We briefly discussed staying the night at the 5th Station, but instead decided we would travel to Lake Kawaguchi a day early so we could maximize our time and enjoyment on our international trip. The visitor center staff called Fujisan Hotel (our mountain hut) to cancel that reservation for us.

Before leaving, we explored the 5th station. We checked out the gift shops, then found Fujisan Komitake Shrine behind some buildings. The shrine was under construction, and even with the rain and wind, workers were doing some repairs.

We explored the picturesque temple, and got our goshuin stamped. In another small gift shop, we talked with a few employees, who kindly gave us some snacks. After looking around, we went to the bus booth and purchased our tickets to Kawaguchiko Station. The cost was 1,540 yen per person for a 45 minute ride.

Lake Kawaguchi – Day 1

Upon arriving in the lakeside town, the bus dropped us off at Kawaguchiko Station. We only had our backpacks with us. Our other luggage had been sent via Takkyubin to Kasuitei Ooya (花水庭おおや), the hotel where we planned to stay in Lake Kawaguchi.

At Kawaguchiko Station, we found a visitor center where the employees spoke English. They were able to book us a room at Katsuitei Ooya for that night. The only room available was a Japanese-style room – it was more expensive, but we were excited to stay there. The following night we’d have to switch to the western-style room we’d reserved previously.

The walk from the station to Katsuitei Ooya is only about 15 minutes. Conveniently, the hotel also provides a shuttle from the station, so we decide to take it. After a short drive, we checked in and went to our room – and were pleasantly surprised. Our Japanese-style room was spacious, and had a balcony with a gorgeous view of Lake Kawaguchi.

We were excited to explore Fujikawaguchiko. Afterall, the town is located inside a National Park. This concept intrigued us, since it’s quite different from National Parks in the United States. Thankfully, it wasn’t raining in town, but views of Mt. Fuji were non-existent. However, the sky and town were incredibly beautiful and serene.

Near our hotel, we browsed a row of small gift shops. We passed Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway which takes visitors to an observation deck near the peak of Mount Tenjo called Tenjoyama Park. Given the weather, we were unlikely to have a view of Mt. Fuji, but Travis and I agreed to check it out the following day (it was a must-do).

It was dinner time, so we searched online and found a tempura place called Fuji Tempura Idaten. It was a bit of a hike to get there, and it was some of the best tempura we’ve had. If you’re visiting Lake Kawaguchi, we highly recommend it – especially the asparagus tempura. The area is also well known for hoto, a thick miso stew with wide noodles. We planned to try that the following evening.

Lake Kawaguchi – Day 2

The next morning, we had a rather elaborate breakfast in the dining room at Katsuitei Ooya. We were looking to immerse ourselves in Japanese culture, so we wore our yukata. We weren’t sure if others would be wearing those or street clothes, but it was about 50/50. And they were pretty comfy too!

Next, we walked to Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway. It was raining on and off, but we were excited. After purchasing our tickets, we boarded the gondola. The views of the lake, mountains, and town were jaw-dropping. It was so gorgeous, even on a day with thick clouds, I doubt there is ever a bad view from there. Taking a slow day to explore is not our usual, and Lake Kawaguchi was the perfect place to do that.

At the top are multiple little attractions, as well as a gift shop. Scattered throughout the observation area are statues of a tanuki and a rabbit. These characters represent the Japanese fable Kachi-Kachi Yama – how a rabbit gets revenge against an evil tanuki…it’s actually a pretty dark story. Naturally, there’s also a small shrine to rabbits.

The clouds were so thick that we didn’t have a view of Mt. Fuji’s summit – but we could see the base. There are a few hiking trails up there, too. One is a long dayhike to Mount Mitsutoge (~6 hours round-trip), which unfortunately we didn’t know about at the time. Instead, we chose a much shorter 20 minute round-trip hike to the top of Mount Tenjo. The trail goes through woods and leads to a small shrine. We doubled back and took the ropeway down.

Once back down, we happened by Tenjoyama Gokoku Shrine, and noticed a hiking trail that started there as well. We later learned that it leads up to Mount Tenjo and is called the “Hydrangea Route” since native hydrangea bloom there from mid-July to late-August. It was too late for us to hike it, but we were impressed with the hiking and walking options in the area. We also found a small shrine near a neighborhood.

The neighborhood itself was a peaceful, cute residential area with gardens in the back. We enjoyed getting a glimpse of the vernacular architecture and everyday Japanese life. It seemed like we often had a more authentic cultural experience when we got away from the hustle and bustle of the major cities and popular tourist attractions.

We were getting hungry, and we wanted to check out Hoto Fudo, a well known restaurant near Kawaguchiko Station. For whatever reason, they had closed early. Bummer. We searched online and found another hoto place called Koshu Hoto Kosaku, which was a 25-minute walk from our hotel. That wasn’t going to dissuade us though. The experience was worth the walk, as the food was delicious, and the ambiance was perfect. There are low tables, and it’s a huge space which we had almost entirely to ourselves.

Kawaguchiko – Day 3

The next day, we took a train from Lake Kawaguchi to Kamikochi (上高地, Kamikōchi), which is located in Chubu Sangaku National Park. We were ready for our next adventure, a three-day backpacking route up to Yarigatake. But the typhoon was still in full force throughout much of Japan, so once again we weren’t sure what to expect. Thankfully, Yarigatake would be much more successful than our Mt. Fuji climb.

Links

• Mount Fuji (富士山, Fujisan)
  • Fuji Mountain Guides – Reservations (English) – Third party service that will reserve Fuji mountain huts for guests
  • Highwaybus.com (English) – Shinjuku to Mt. Fuji Bus Reservations
  • Official Site for Climbing Mt. Fuji (English)
  • Japan-Guide: Climbing Mt Fuji (English)
  • Official Site for Climbing Mt. Fuji (English)
  • Japan-Guide: Climbing Mt Fuji (English)
  • Fuji Mountain Guides – Recommended Gear (English)
  • Gary J Wolff Climbing Mt. Fuji FAQ (English)
  • Fujikyu Unjokaku (English) – Souvenir shop, restaurant, and lodging at Mt. Fuji Subaru 5th Station
• Lake Kawaguchi (河口湖, Kawaguchiko)
  • Kasuitei Ooya (English) – Ryokan where we stayed in Kawaguchiko
  • Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway (English)
  • Japan-Guide: Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway (English)
  • Tenjoyama Park (English) – at the top of Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
  • Fuji Tempura Idaten (Japanese, English translation available)
  • Koshu Hoto Kosaku (Japanese)

Places

• Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal | Japan, 〒151-0051 Tokyo, Shibuya City, 千駄ヶ谷５丁目２４ 55
• Mt. Fuji Subaru Line – 5th Station | Japan, 〒401-0320 Yamanashi, Minamitsuru District, Narusawa, 富士山五合目
• Fuji San Hotel | Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0005, Japan
• Kawaguchiko Station | 3641 Funatsu, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi 401-0301, Japan
• Kasuitei Ooya | 4025 Funatsu, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi 401-0301, Japan
• Tenjoyama Gokoku Shrine | 4213 Funatsu, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi 401-0301, Japan
• Koshu Houtou Kosaku | 1638-1 Funatsu, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi 401-0301, Japan

Interactive Map

The post Exploring Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi appeared first on KTNPBlog.

Our trip to Arches National Park was an adventure. We’ve captured our favorite hikes, dislikes, what we wished we had done, and other tips. We also provide information about visitation statistics and weather which are important considerations when visiting any national park. Here are our takeaways – we hope you can use it as a planning guide for your trip to Arches.

Overview

Arches National Park, located in eastern Utah near the town of Moab, was established to protect the high density of natural sandstone arches, bridges, and other rock formations. Established in 1929 as a National Monument, it was designated as a National Park in 1971. It’s the home of the well known Delicate Arch, which can be seen on tourism literature as well as the Utah state license plate. The fifth longest arch in the world, Landscape Arch, is also in the park.

American author Edward Abbey had been a park ranger in Arches NP from 1956 to 1957. His book, Desert Solitaire, chronicles his experiences within the park. Travis read the book before our trip, which gave him a better understanding of the area.

Compared to other National Parks, Arches is on the smaller side at 76,678 acres. This is similar in size to Theodore Roosevelt and Great Basin National Parks. It’s small enough that we felt like we had a good understanding of the park as a whole by the end of our 5-day visit.

There are plenty of recreational opportunities within the park including hiking, camping, backpacking, and canyoneering. For our trip, we focused on hiking and camping. We enjoyed the vast majority of hikes we did, and each offers something unique.

Our Top 5 in Arches National Park

1. Fiery Furnace – To limit the impact to the land, a permit is required to access Fiery Furnace. The ultimate adventure in the park, hikers can join a ranger-led tour (spring through fall) or do a self-guided hike. We opted for the latter; and had fun getting lost while exploring the picturesque rock formations. We also enjoyed the solitude the area affords.

   

2. Delicate Arch Trail – Hiking to the iconic Delicate Arch was a priority. It’s worth the hype (and crowds), as it boasts a gorgeous arch and other rock formations, interesting terrain, and even some petroglyphs. The La Sal Mountains provide a striking backdrop.

   

3. Devils Garden and Primitive Loop Trail – This hike can be as long or short as you want, and can be done as a loop or out-and-back. It provides views of Landscape Arch, the fifth longest arch in the world, as well as many other impressive arches. It’s a crowded hike, but the farther you go the fewer people there are.

   

4. Devils Garden Campground – The only campground within the park is centrally located so it’s easy to get out and explore. Additionally, it has sweeping views and convenient, thoughtful amenities. It’s one of our favorite campgrounds we’ve visited.

   

5. Moab – The town of Moab is located just outside the park, but we’re still giving it a mention. We loved Main Street and the variety of restaurants. Even if you’re not a foodie, there’s something for everyone. The only downside for us is that it can be crowded and touristy, depending on when you visit.

   

Mini Adventures

During our trip to Arches National Park, we visited several places that didn’t get a full post, but are worth mentioning.

• Balanced Rock – We stopped to check out this popular feature as we drove to Devils Garden Campground on our way into the park. It’s visible from the main road and easy to access. A short 0.3 mile hike loops around a precariously balanced sandstone rock. We enjoyed the walk and views of the surrounding landscape.

  

• Courthouse Wash Rock Art Panel – This pictograph is located just north of Moab, along US Route 191. A small parking lot on the border of Arches National Park leads to a bike trail. We hiked one mile round-trip to see the panel, along with other petroglyphs, at the base of a nearby cliff. Sadly, the rock art was severely damaged in 1980; it’s faint, but still visible.

  

• Park Avenue – This 2.0 mile round-trip out and back trail is the first hike you’ll reach when entering the park. That said, it was our least favorite. There were simply too many people (especially stepping off-trail), and its features didn’t seem as special to us as other hikes in the park. If you only have time for one hike, we recommend choosing another one. There are decent views of a few rock formations, like Three Gossips and Courthouse Towers.

  

Things we wish we did (“Things to do next time”)

• Backcountry Camping – When we planned our trip, it was our intention to backpack in the park. But the park closed down dispersed camping, and transitioned to designated campsites only, so there weren’t any options for backcountry camping during our visit. Currently, there are backcountry sites located off Devils Garden Primitive Trail and Courthouse Wash.
• Lost Spring Canyon – This north-east section of the park was added in 1998. There are no trails here, and we thought it would be a fun backpacking destination. Dispersed camping had been allowed, but was suspended shortly before our visit. Day hiking in the area is a priority next time we visit.
• Courthouse Wash – This route requires some navigation skills, and isn’t as well-advertised as others in the park. There are two sections of Courthouse Wash. The upper wash runs from the main park road to the western border. The lower wash begins along the east side of the main park road and runs to the southern border. Both have options for backcountry camping, or could be done as a shuttle hike or short out-and-back. It’s one of the few hikes in the park that may have a significant amount of water along the trail.

  

• Autotouring – There are a couple of 4WD roads within the park that interested us, specifically in Willow Flats and Herdina Park. We were curious to see what they had to offer, even though we focus mostly on hiking, camping, and backpacking.
• And many more…

Weather

Arches NP can be very hot, especially during late spring and summer. You’ll want to bring ample water, snacks, sunscreen, and a hat. March through May and September through October are the best times to visit Arches NP. We went in March and highly recommend it. Rain isn’t much of a concern since the area gets so little. As mentioned, the summer gets HOT, so we don’t recommend visiting during this time. If you do visit in summer, get out early, avoid mid-day, and bring lots of water.

Visitation Statistics

May through August is the most popular time to visit the park, assumedly because of summer break. We visited during spring break – there were fewer people, and the weather was milder. If you’re constrained by a school calendar, we recommend going during spring break instead.

Even in spring, the park is still booming with visitors, to the point where there are almost too many people. The chart below shows the influx of visitors by year. It’s been steadily increasing, aside from a drop in 2020 due to COVID-19. During the busiest times of the day (especially during the high season), the park entrance will close temporarily until enough visitors leave the park. Typically the park entrance closes mid-morning, and reopens in the early afternoon.

There have been discussions about alternate solutions. From April 3 to October 3, 2022, the park has implemented a timed entry pilot program. Visitors must reserve a ticket to enter the park between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. This will require planning ahead, but should lessen congestion in the park. Of course, the best option might be to camp at Devils Garden Campground so you don’t have to worry about reserving a pass or re-entering the park.

Our Itinerary

We started our exploration of the park with hikes near Devils Garden Campground. Our planned itinerary worked well, but there are countless ways to plan your trip.

If you only have time for one hike, we recommend:

• Short Hike: Double Arch
• Medium Hike: Devils Garden Trail to Landscape Arch
• Long Hike: Delicate Arch

Our Experiences

• Devils Garden Campground
• Tower Arch Trail
• Sand Dune, Broken, and Tapestry Arch Loop Trail
• Devils Garden and Primitive Loop Trail
• Windows Loop and Double Arch Trails
• Delicate Arch Trail
• Fiery Furnace
• Moab Accommodations & Restaurants

Interactive Map

Paper Maps

• Arches National Park Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated)
• Arches National Park Maps (NPS)

The post Best Hikes, Itinerary and Planning Guide appeared first on KTNPBlog.

There are no restaurants or lodging (aside from campgrounds) in Redwood National & State Parks. In 2010, Redwood Hostel, previously the only lodging in the park, closed. And in 2019, the hostel building is set to be demolished. Crescent City is near the northern part of the park, and Klamath and Orick are to the south. Even further south are the towns of Arcata and Eureka.

Restaurants in Crescent City

When visiting a park, I often drag my wife to nearby breweries. If I like the beer enough, I’ll buy a pint glass souvenir. In this case, I had SeaQuake Brewing in Crescent City in mind. We decided to visit after our Redwood Creek backpacking trip, so we were starving. I got pizza with a chocolate porter and Kristin got fresh fish tacos. I enjoyed my pizza a lot, but Kristin thought the fish tacos were dry and desperately needed a sauce. The beer was good, but didn’t wow me. We did enjoy the casual atmosphere there.

A couple days later, I convinced Kristin to go back to SeaQuake. I really wanted to like it – enough to get a pint glass. This time, I got a 9.2 burger with parmesan fries and Kristin got a Thai chicken salad. This time we both liked our food. Kristin’s salad had an assortment of vegetables, crunchy noodles, and spicy peanut dressing. I got two half pints of beer, a blonde ale and coastal pale ale, which were okay, but felt forgettable. So we left, me without a pint glass. The place was packed both times and we had to wait, so maybe I’m missing something.

We went to Perlita’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant for dinner one night, while staying at Jedediah Smith Campground. Kristin ordered a torta with pork al pastor, guacamole, mayo, onion, lettuce, and tomato, which she loved. It looked like a simple sandwich, but its sweet and spicy flavors and variety of textures made it great.

I got a chimichanga platter, but thought it was one-note and nothing special. Service was a bit strange, as different servers kept coming by our table, but they were friendly. When Kristin mentioned her dairy allergy, they were very accommodating.

For breakfast the next morning, we went to Hiouchi Cafe, which is only three minutes from Jedediah Smith Campground. The waitress was friendly as she took our order. I ordered Grandma’s French Toast, which piqued my interest as a cinnamon lover. It was good but basic – and it needed more cinnamon! My bacon was kinda rubbery too.

Kristin’s dairy allergy prevented her from ordering the breakfast meals, so she ordered eggs, sausage, hash browns, avocado, and tomatoes a la carte. Some items looked okay, but the avocado was very brown, and she was surprised they served it that way. I wanted to like Hiouchi Cafe – it sounded tasty and was highly rated. But for $30, what we got wasn’t worth it.

Restaurants in Orick

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Snack Shack. This outdoor roadside joint is located in Orick, California, near Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center and the southern section of the park. With limited parking and picnic benches, some of which are shaded by umbrellas, it was one of our favorite restaurants of the trip.

Snack Shack mainly serves burgers, hotdogs, and burritos. As we ordered, a Redwood Park Ranger picked up her order, so we figured it must be good! I got the Baby Bigfoot Burger: bacon, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and pepper jack cheese. And tots. And a chocolate milkshake.

Kristin got the Hawaiian Burger, which came with pineapple and bbq sauce, and a huge order of fries. Our meal was a bit greasy, but so tasty. The milkshake was rich, thick, smooth, and chocolatey. While Snack Shack has a seemingly “fast food” vibe, our food took a while to arrive.

Snack Shack is open until 7pm, and we wished it was open later. Also, there’s no restroom, so plan ahead. There aren’t many places to eat near southern Redwood N&SP, so we highly recommend it if you’re looking for some casual-yet-delicious roadside burgers.

Accommodations Near the Park

For campgrounds in the park, check out Gold Bluffs Beach Campground and Jedediah Smith Campground.

Lighthouse Inn in Crescent City is relatively affordable, and conveniently located along highway 101. Close to the park, and at just over $100 a night, our standard room was actually quite large. Our bed was a bit springy, which made it hard to sleep. The hotel was clean, and staff was friendly.

Breakfast consisted of basics: bagels, oatmeal, hard boiled eggs, cereal, and cake (breakfast of champions). There was no hot food, unless you toasted some bread, but it got us going in the morning. They had a washer and dryer, so we took the opportunity to clean our clothes ($1.50 a load). Some of the nautical themed decor in the hotel wasn’t quite our taste, but it was an affordable place to stay.

Places

• SeaQuake Brewing | 400 Front St, Crescent City, CA 95531
• Perlita’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant | 297 US-101, Crescent City, CA 95531
• Hiouchi Cafe | 2095 Hwy 199, Hiouchi, CA 95531
• Snack Shack | 120779 US-101, Orick, CA 95555
• Lighthouse Inn | 681 Highway 101 South, Crescent City, CA 95531

Interactive Map

The post Restaurants & Accommodations appeared first on KTNPBlog.

Video Guide

Travis’ Top 3 in Saguaro National Park

1. Backpacking to Manning Camp – What an adventure. Going all the way to the top of the park, from the lower desert elevation to a high elevation conifer forest. It was strenuous, difficult, and a blast. I would return to the park just to do this trip again, and we definitely will someday. I feel we didn’t get enough time to really explore it with only a 3-day backpacking trip.

   

2. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum – This is outside the park, but only barely. It taught us so much about the desert ecosystem. It was tremendously important for understanding the plants and animals that live here. Highly recommended.

   

3. Saguaro Cacti – Seeing the namesake of the park, the saguaro, was a highlight. Especially when we saw it blooming! Obviously they are prevalent in many areas of the park, but some trails, like Wasson Peak, have particularly nice views. Others, like Garwood Trail, had unique sights like a cristate version, and a cluster of 11 saguaros.

   

Kristin’s Top 3 in Saguaro National Park

1. Manning Camp – Our three-day backpacking trip took up almost half of our time in the park, and it was well worth it. The route took us through a variety of biomes. The weather was a nice escape from the desert heat, and there are many trails up there to explore. The spring at Manning Camp is breathtaking; it can’t be captured in a photo (believe me, we tried). Plus, as far as I’m aware, it’s the only backcountry campground in the park where the pit toilets are fully enclosed.

   

2. Wasson Peak – This was my favorite day hike in the Tucson Mountain district. The views are gorgeous, the terrain is varied, and there are some cool landmarks along the route that speak to the park’s history. And the breeze at the peak provided a refreshing respite from the desert heat.

   

3. Signal Hill Petroglyphs – The largest petroglyph site in the park and the reason to drive the Bajada Loop. A brief walk up a rocky hill takes you to a series of petroglyphs that were created between 550 and 1550 years ago by the Hohokam Native Americans. The views are nice for such a short hike, and it’s a good spot for photography, too.

Honorable mention: Tucson food scene. Much like we experienced in Saguaro National Park itself, I was pleasantly surprised – this time by the amount of high-quality and different varieties of cuisine we were able to try during our trip. If you go to Saguaro, take advantage of Tucson’s proximity to the park.

Things we wish we did (“Things to do next time”)

• Hike to Rincon Peak – This hike is near Happy Valley Campground, but we just didn’t have enough time (or extra potable water) to make the trip. Next time, we’ll either do it as a day hike or extend our backpacking trip by one day.
• Other backcountry trails – We only saw a bit of the backcountry on the eastern side of Manning Camp. We’d love to check out trails on the western side of Manning Camp like Tanque Verde or Douglas Spring. We would also like to spend two nights at Manning Camp to explore the trails and beautiful scenery up there. This is doable since Manning Camp has a spring that flows year-round.
• More time in the Cactus Forest – This is located in the northwest corner of the Rincon Mountain (east) District. We got to do a short hike to Garwood Dam there, but there are so many intersecting trails. We were tired from our backpacking trip, otherwise we would have explored more.
• Riding horses – I’m not sure if we’d be interested in this, but we’d investigate the possibility for our next trip.

Mini Adventures

We generally only post about places we visit for a longer amount of time. But we also checked out a few smaller sites, events, and hikes in the park that are worth mentioning.

• Tucson Mountain District (West)
  • Desert Discovery Nature Trail – A 0.4 mile loop, and one of two ADA trails in the park. We stopped here while trying to get a sunset photo and found this short loop with interpretive signs. We were lucky enough to see a woodpecker fly into its nest in a saguaro!

    

• Rincon Mountain District (East)
  • Cactus Forest Loop Drive – This is the paved driving loop in the east district. We found that we liked it more than the Bajada Loop Drive in the west district. There were some overlooks, views, and trails along the way. We enjoyed driving it at sunset.
  • Desert Ecology Trail – The second short ADA trail in the park, which is along the Cactus Forest Loop Drive. It’s only 0.3 miles, so it’s a nice quick walk with some more interpretive signs along the way.

    

  • Freeman Homestead Trail – A short 0.9 mile trail, this was the last hike we did in the park. I really wanted to see a Gila monster and a ranger mentioned they had seen one along this trail. Gila monsters come out more in the early morning or late afternoon, so we went in the late afternoon hoping to see one, but no luck. The trail itself was an easy hike with some history about the area before it become a park.
  • Star Party – An astronomy event held in the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center. A ranger-led presentation discussed Tucson’s dark skies and detailed the history of the park. Afterward, visitors got a chance to stargaze in the parking lot, where members of the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association had set up 5-6 telescopes. The volunteers were knowledgeable and friendly, and it was quite an experience to stargaze this close to an urban area. We signed up for this event ahead of time, and we’re guessing it filled to capacity, so sign up early if you’re interested! Offered October through April, highly recommended.
  • Tanque Verde Trail – We had originally planned to take this trail to Manning Camp, but started at Miller Creek instead. We decided to do an out-and-back hike on Tanque Verde. We were only on the trail for about an hour, and it was similar to other hikes we had done, so we weren’t super impressed with it. But this was at the end of our trip, and we were exhausted, so your opinion might differ. It would be interesting to take the trail further into the backcountry and experience the changing ecosystems as you ascend. This trail is lacking in shade, so we recommend checking it out in cooler weather.

    

• Sunset – We drove around looking for the best place to capture a beautiful orange sunset with saguaros in the foreground. But we missed our opportunity to find the spot that had been recommended to us. Lesson learned – if you see a gorgeous sunset, just stop and enjoy it while you can.

Our Saguaro NP Tips

• Like any desert hiking, start as early as possible. We did the best we could, but still ended up hiking during the hottest time of day.
• Bring more water and snacks than you think you’ll need.
• Go during spring or fall, avoid the summer heat. Winter might be nice too, especially if you see the rare snow on the saguaro cacti.
• Gilbert Ray Campground is a great place to stay to explore the Tucson Mountain District. Grab a tent-only spot if you can.
• Get a high-clearance vehicle, especially if going to the Miller Creek or Turkey Creek trailheads.
• If you only have a couple days, explore the Tucson Mountain District. If you have more time, add a backpacking trip in Rincon Mountain District. Another option: skip Tucson Mountain District entirely and plan a 3-plus-day backpacking trip in the Rincon Mountain District.
• Give yourself enough time to explore Manning Camp and the surrounding area. We recommend at least one full day.
• Tucson is right there – great restaurants and more places to explore.
• Stay alert. This park is wild, and we ran into a western diamondback rattlesnake in the middle of Garwood Trail.

Map of Everything We Did in Saguaro NP

The post Best Hikes and Planning Guide appeared first on KTNPBlog.

Type: 3-day Backpacking Loop
Distance: 20.4 miles (32.8 km)
Cumulative Elevation Gain/Loss: 6,083 feet (1854 m)
Net Elevation Gain/Loss: 4,076 feet (1242 m)
Date visited: April 17, 2017 – April 19, 2017
Manning Camp via Miller Creek Trail Map (KTNP)

[Last updated: April 2024]

On our second to last day in Saguaro National Park, we went to a “Star Party” at Rincon Visitor Center.  We like astronomy, planets, and stars, so we made sure to go.  Before going outside to stargaze, the ranger at the visitor center gave us a rundown on the history of the park.  He explained how the park was created by President Herbert Hoover as a National Monument.  The ranger then said, “The park has a lot of diversity, not just the desert environment, but also the Rincon Mountains at 8,000 feet.  Up there is Manning Camp, but nobody really goes there.”  We sat there feeling slightly miffed, but also smug, because we had been at Manning Camp just two days before.

While researching Saguaro, one spot stood out more than anything else: Manning Camp.  This campground sits among conifer forest at 8,000 feet of elevation, in the Rincon Mountain (east) District close to the highest point in the park.  There’s a cabin at the campground that was built in 1905 by Levi Manning, a mayor of Tucson.  It was used until 1907 when the area was added to Coronado National Forest.  When the national park was established, the cabin and surrounding areas were restored and used as a campground, corral, and research station.  Visitors can’t stay in the cabin, but there are six campsites.  Doesn’t that sound like a great destination for an adventure?  If you’re interested in more information, the NPS has an article about the history at Manning Camp.

Planning

8,000 feet is about as high as you can get from the Sonoran Desert, which has an elevation of around 3,000 feet.  The only way to get to Manning Camp is a backpacking trip, so our plan was set.  Mostly.  There are six different trailheads to get into the backcountry, and by extension, Manning Camp.  The backcountry guide on Saguaro National Park’s website gives a decent rundown on the options.  There are five designated backcountry campgrounds (dispersed camping is not allowed).  Manning Camp which has six campsites; the rest have three.

Given the six trailheads to the backcountry, it was a difficult choice.  These were our options:

• Douglas Spring: Easily accessible on the west side of the Rincon district.  Decently close to Manning Camp.  But, there are frequent break-ins when cars are left overnight.
• Tanque Verde: Located on the western side of the Rincon district, inside the park, secure parking.  Long distance to Manning Camp, but trail goes through 6 different biomes as you climb from 3,100 to 8,000 feet.
• Italian Spring: On the north side of the Rincon district, in Coronado National Forest.  4WD vehicle access only.
• Loma Alta: On the southern side of the Rincon district.  There’s no public access to this trailhead. (Update: As of 2020, this now seems to be publicly accessible)
• Miller Creek & Turkey Creek: East side of Rincon District, in Coronado National Forest.  You start from higher up (4,200 or 4,250 feet respectively), so not as long to get to Manning Camp.  But the trails are steeper, and you have to go through backcountry gravel roads to get there.  Turkey Creek follows a 4WD road for a mile or so, so you can get in further if you have the right vehicle.

Looking at the list of trailheads, we quickly eliminated Italian Spring from our options since we wouldn’t have a 4 wheel drive vehicle.  Likewise, we eliminated Loma Alta since there was no easy way to access it.  My initial thought was Douglas Spring, since I had found a route from Backpacker Magazine for that trailhead.  But K nixed that idea, because of frequent break-ins that occur there.

That left us with Tanque Verde.  It is secure, safe, and had campgrounds spaced a good distance apart (you can only camp in designated campgrounds, no dispersed camping).  We could do a 3-night out-and-back trip to Manning Camp, staying the first night at Juniper Basin, second at Manning Camp, and back to Juniper Basin for the third night.  But when we started planning out our full itinerary for the trip, we realized that we wanted a day to explore the Cactus forest in the northwest corner of the Rincon District.

Could we do anything about it?  Looking at our map led us to Miller Creek Trailhead which was located on the east side of the Rincons, in Coronado National Forest.  We could form a loop with that and Turkey Creek trailhead to manage a two night backpacking trip, giving us that extra day.  It would be a bit more strenuous with steeper trails, and the last day would have a decent chunk of mileage.  One first night would be at Happy Valley Campground, with our second at Manning Camp.  Problem solved.

• Day 0 – Drive to Benson, stay in the night.  Benson is the closest town to the trailhead.
  • Overnight:  Comfort Inn, Benzon, AZ
• Day 1 – Hike to Happy Valley Campground. If time allows, hike up 7.2 mile round-trip to Rincon peak from there.
  • Overnight: Happy Valley Campground
  • Distance and Elevation Gain: 4.1 miles, +2239 feet, – 327 feet
• Day 2 – Hike from Happy Valley Campground to Manning Camp. If time allows, hike the 5.0 mile Fire Loop Trail hike.
  • Overnight: Manning Camp
  • Distance and Elevation Gain: 6.4 miles, +2764 feet, – 939 feet
• Day 3 – Miller Creek Trailhead via Turkey Creek trail, forming a loop.
  • Distance and Elevation Gain: 9.9 miles, +1080 feet, -4817 feet

A backcountry permit is required for any overnight stays and it’s $8 per campsite, per night.  Campsite permits are released on a 6-month rolling basis.  When we did this trip in 2017, you had to request the permit via mail.  But as of 2020, the permit can now only be obtained from recreation.gov.  We weren’t too worried about not getting a permit, but you never know if a site will fill up.  Additionally, we didn’t know what rental car we’d have, so we left that information blank on the permit, and called the visitor center once we arrived in Tucson.

This is the desert, so water sources are hard to come by.  Only some of the campgrounds in the park have springs, and only one of the campgrounds has a guaranteed year-round water source.  Thankfully, that year round water source is at Manning Camp, which was the reason the cabin was built there so many years ago.  Happy Valley, where we’d stay the first night, did not have a spring – only ephemeral water from snow melt.  So water was not guaranteed from our starting point at Miller Creek until we get to Manning Camp.  As a result, we each packed 5 liters of water (a 3-liter bladder, and two 1-liter water bottles).  This would prove to be enough, as long as we were judicious with our water supply.

Day 0 – Benson, Arizona

We wanted to get an early start, especially with much of the trail being exposed to the sun.  There was also Rincon Peak, a 6 mile round-trip hike from Happy Valley Campground that we wanted to do after we got to the campground.  The day before our trip, we were going to be in the Tucson Mountain (west) District, so we decided to drive that evening into a small town called Benson, the closest one to Miller Creek trailhead.  According to Google, it would only be a 45-minute drive to the trailhead from the Comfort Inn in Benson.

So after hiking Ringtail Trail, we set out and drove 75 minutes to Benson, Arizona.  The drive was easy, and as we drove we gazed at the mountains in the distance and wondering if those were the Rincon Mountains that we’d be in the next day.  When we arrived at the hotel, we were ravenous.  Hotel staff recommended a restaurant called Pablo’s Steaks.  Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed…it was Easter Sunday.  Somehow we had forgotten that.  As we drove through town, we figured that dinner was going to be McDonald’s, until we spotted one lone place open: Farm House Restaurant.  We took our chances…

… and the restaurant was actually quite good, though we came in with low expectations.  Super casual atmosphere, quirky country decor, friendly staff, and solid American/country-style food.  K got a pulled pork sandwich with barley vegetable soup.  The sandwich was sweet, with lots of BBQ sauce (which K loves), while the soup was basic but homey.  I got an Avocado Bacon Burger, which I enjoyed, though it had no avocado (and was too tired to ask for some).  K kept stealing my fries, which were simple, but good.  While we ate, we listened to older country music which K is a fan of.  We closed down the restaurant, and barely made it out before they shut down for the night.  A filling meal before our hike, and certainly better than McDonald’s.

Day 1 – Drive to Miller Creek

And so our adventure began.  We ate a quick breakfast, checked out of the Comfort Inn, and started the drive to our trailhead on North Mescal Road.  Before we knew it, we were onto Forest Road 35 (Happy Valley Road), a dirt road going through the Coronado National Forest.  With gorgeous views of the Rincons in front of us!  We stopped a couple times just to take pictures, and admire our surroundings.

The road wasn’t in bad condition, it was nicely graveled and decently level.  Our rental car was a Nissan Rogue – no 4 wheel drive, but it had a higher clearance.  It handled the road without issue.  We continued on, winding up and down the mountains, the views from the road continuing to impress.  There were no saguaros in sight; this was more of a desert grassland environment.  We also passed a few ranches and small houses on the way.  Everything was going great, beautiful day, making good time.  And, of course, that’s when we ran into a large muddy stream running across the dirt road…the adventure had started well before we got to the trailhead.

None of our research had indicated a stream across the road, so it was certainly a surprise.  We stopped the car, got out, and walked to the water’s edge.  We grabbed a rock, threw it in, and it made a big splash.  That wasn’t very helpful for figuring out how deep it was.  I grabbed my trekking pole, and stuck that in.  It was about 10 inches deep, but this was only on the edge.  Could we make it across?  We’d never driven across something like that.  But we weren’t going to give up.

Hearing voices past the water, we set out to investigate.  We walked on the side of the road, and jumped across a narrow part of the stream.  We were across!  But without our car or gear, and miles still away from the trailhead.  Following the voices, we walked along the road for a few minutes until we saw a couple camped on the side of the road.  After chatting with them, we learned they’d crossed with a small, lower-clearance sedan.  They also told us a spring was the culprit, and that the left side of the stream was shallower.

Newly emboldened, we went back to the car, and I got in.  K was still a bit apprehensive that we’d flood the engine or something, so she waited outside.  I started the car, and eased slowly across the stream, making sure to stay on the left side.  We made it!  As we drove past the other couple camping, we made sure to thank them.  On the drive back after backpacking, the water remained, but had decreased in volume.

Further up the road there were puddles, but nothing as big as the stream we had crossed.  We passed many washes, and that was typically where we saw water.  At certain times of the year, when the wash was running, this road would be impassable without a high-clearance vehicle.  As we drove on, we started seeing a few potholes, which we did our best to avoid.  Happy Valley Road also became sandier and bumpier as we passed ranches and pastures, and continued to enjoy mountain views.  And before we knew it, we arrived at Miller Creek.

Day 1 – Miller Creek to Happy Valley

Arriving at the trailhead, we were the only ones there.  We did our best to park in some shade, loaded on our packs, and set off for Happy Valley Campground.  If we had time, we planned to do an additional hike up to Rincon Peak.  In each of our packs was 5 liters of water: a 3-liter hydration bladder and two 1-liter water bottles.  This had to last until we got to Manning Camp, since that was our only guaranteed water source.  Every other campground, except for Happy Valley and Juniper Basin, has a seasonal spring.  Happy Valley only has water from ephemeral streams due to snow melt, but we weren’t counting on that.

We were still on Coronado National Forest land – it would be 1.3 miles until we reached the Saguaro National Park boundary.  Until that point, we would hike through grazing areas and meet lots of friendly cows.  And watching our step because of those friendly cows.  As we started the hike, there was a cow right on the trail.  As we approached, she mooed, got up, and walked away.  Amused, we passed by.  The trail was sandy, with shiny mica bits.  It makes sense, as Mica Mountain, the tallest point in the park, is at the top of the Rincon Mountains.  We kept our heads down as we walked to see the mica, and avoid the cow pies.

The trail was pretty easy going at this point, with a few trees which offered a nice respite from the shade.  Before long we started seeing pools of water, and finally a small creek (the titular Miller Creek).  This is what made the area a bit greener than we expected.  But we continued to slowly ascend, and we started returning to the desert grassland.  Ahead, we could see our path through the beautiful Rincon mountains.

The trail became more open and rocky as we approached our first checkpoint: the national park boundary.  We entered the park through a gate, which keeps cows out, and took a quick celebratory break.  It was great to get our packs off our shoulders, even for a few minutes.  We looked around, and noticed an interesting tree on either side of the trail.  The bark was deep purplish brown that twirled together with a grey bark, almost resembling a candy cane.  I researched it after our trip, and found that it was a Manzanita tree, which means little apple in Spanish.  Looking back at the photos, this made sense because of its small round fruit.

After a brief rest, we shouldered our packs and headed on.  This part of the trail was the strenuous incline we were expecting.  It was around 1,900 feet overall elevation gain over only 2.8 miles to get to Happy Valley Campground.  Additionally, the trail was rocky, sandy, eroded, and required a bit of scrambling here and there.  Naturally, it was a ton of fun!  And also grueling and exhausting.  Markings on the trail are not a strength – it’s not blazed.  Occasionally we’d lose track of the trail.  If this happened, we learned that we could follow the sand and use our intuition to pick it back up.  Occasional small cairns helped guide us, but these were few and far between.  Rocks and branches were placed across areas that marked where hikers should NOT go.

The views as we ascended were spectacular, and they were enhanced by the huge boulders and rocky terrain.  Some sections with large boulders reminded me a bit of Joshua Tree National Park.  Occasionally, we looked out at the view and tried to pick out our path in the valley below.  I kept a lookout for wildlife, but we only saw lizards and birds.  Mountain lions are rare in the area, and sadly, we didn’t see any.

Our trip up was so sunny and hot that we stopped for breaks whenever we had a bit of shade.  Our only complaint with the shade was having to share it with small, annoying bugs.  But shade is at a premium, so you don’t really have a choice!  The trail wasn’t quite what we expected.  A variety of boulders made for gorgeous scenery and interesting terrain.  We both had trekking poles, which we recommend, as there was loose rock and sand on top of boulders, which made for sometimes unsure footing.

We tried to ration our water, but also made sure we were hydrated.  We hadn’t seen any water since we passed Miller Creek at the start of the trail.  We planned to hike to Rincon Peak after arriving at Happy Valley Campground, and wanted to ensure we had enough water for the trip.  As we ascended, the desert grassland gave way to oak woodland.   The trail became more forested, we kept assuming we were almost there.  But we weren’t – it was taking far longer than expected.  The long car ride, along with the heat and incline, made our side trip to Rincon Peak unlikely.  We kept trudging along.

Day 1 – Happy Valley Campground

When we saw a sign marking an intersection with Heartbreak Ridge Trail, we were overjoyed.  We were almost there!  We turned left at the intersection, and it was a short 0.2 miles to the campground, which appeared on our left.  At this point, we had also started seeing pine trees, which made sense, since we were at an elevation of around 6,200 feet!  Pine cones littered the forest floor, and yellow wildflowers added pops of color.

Pine trees towered over us as we made our way into the campground.  It was very majestic and peaceful, located in a tree grove.  We had seen no one on the trail, though we figured we would in the campground.  But we had it all to ourselves.  K went to find the pit toilet while I explored the campsites.  After wandering around, K pointed out what seemed to be a critical flaw in the bathroom – it was only three-sided, without a roof.  We were both amused and confused.  Would it have been that costly to put up a fourth wall with a door?

Arriving late in the campground meant we had to forgo climbing Rincon Peak.  Add it to the list for next time.  We wanted to go, but realized we didn’t have enough water or time.  If you want to hike Rincon Peak, we recommend you stay a second night at Happy Valley, and do Rincon Peak as a dayhike.  You would need an additional day’s supply of water, though.  The peak would be visible on our hike tomorrow, taunting us that we didn’t get to climb it.

Happy Valley has three campsites.  We chose campsite #1, pitched our tent, and took some time to relax and make dinner.  We didn’t look around for water, assuming there was none since we had read nothing about a spring here, only ephemeral streams from snow.  There had been snow 2-3 weeks ago, but now, there was nothing.

Since we had the place to ourselves, we were able to explore the other campsites.  We found campsite #3 to be the best, as it was the furthest removed from the trail, had log chairs, a leftover portable table, bear box, and fire ring.  We would have stayed there had we found it sooner.  Campsite #2 seemed to be the least desirable, mainly because it didn’t seem to have a bear box.  Our site, #1, had a fire ring, bear box, and log seats, but if anyone came to the campground they’d go through our site (of course, no one did).

It was getting cool, quite different than our time in the desert scrub portion of the park, which was at 3,000′ feet of elevation.  We were glad to have our jackets!  This had been a hard day, the hike was difficult with the weight of our packs, heat, and the elevation gain of the trail (around 2200′ over 4.1 miles).  Exhausted, we went to sleep so we could get an early start for the long day tomorrow.

Day 2 – Happy Valley to Manning Camp

We woke up refreshed at Happy Valley Campground in Saguaro National Park.  And a little cold.  But happy.  Something about it all just makes your body and soul feel good.  You get to relax, enjoy the views, nature, and get away from crowds and work.  We were at 6,000 feet of elevation.  The sun slowly peeked in, but the pine trees were blocking our precious sunshine.  Finding what sunshine we could, we sat there eating our oatmeal.  Slightly sad, we packed up and said goodbye to our campground.  We wanted to get to Manning Camp at a decent time so we could do additional hikes around it.  So we wasted no time, leaving at 8:30am (this is early for us).  We hoped it would turn out better than our attempt to climb Rincon Peak.  It would be 6.4 miles and 2,764 feet of elevation gain to Manning Camp.

Walking out of the campground, we turned right to go back to the intersection of Heartbreak Ridge trail with Miller Creek Trail.  This time, we would head straight on Heartbreak Ridge.  The trail started out in Happy Valley Saddle, which is the region between Rincon Peak and Mica Mountain.  We’d have a similar elevation gain to the previous day, but it was more gradual this time with ups and downs, so we hoped it would be slightly easier.  As we moved into the saddle, the pine trees vanished, and we were back in a desert grassland.

Flowering manzanita lined the sides of the trail as we ascended.  Why is the trail called Heartbreak Ridge?  Seems ominous.  I’m assuming it’s because when you think you’re almost there, you realize you have more to go.  Happy Valley Lookout was the first intersection we encountered.  I wanted to check out the lookout on the side trail, but we decided to keep going in the interest of time.  We could see Rincon Peak the whole way up to Manning Camp too.  And it taunted us every step of the way since we didn’t get there the previous day.

Like day 1, we relied on periodic shade that allowed us take breaks, and grab water or a snack to recharge.  Sunglasses are essential on this trail, which is mostly exposed to the sun.  The trail was not well-maintained; there were multiple downed trees, bushes on the trail, and eroded slopes.  Sometimes the trail was marked with reddish metal flags embedded in trees.  Who knows how long they’ve been there, but they were still helpful.  Again, the trail is speckled with bits of mica that reflect sunlight.

Our weary bodies kept going, and we passed Deerhead Spring Trail on the right.  For now, we continued on Heartbreak Ridge Trail.  The Deerhead Spring Trail sign said it would be only 0.5 miles until we got to Four Corners.  Four Corners wasn’t on any map we had, but based on the mileage and looking at the map, we assumed it was the intersection of Heartbreak Ridge and Devil’s Bathtub trails.

We soon reached the intersection with Devil’s Bathtub Trail, and turned left.  And gloriously the trail was more level than Heartbreak Ridge, which was a relief.  A little bit into the trail, we reached a sign that pointed us to Devil’s Bathtub, located at 7,500 feet of elevation.  And we saw our first sign of water in a day and a half.  A small trickle of water flowed across rocks, until it came to the edge of a rock cliff where it dripped down and down and down, until it hit a large pool of water.  You can’t miss it, but there’s a wooden sign just in case.

There was no easy way to reach the large pool of water, hence the name.  And we couldn’t get anything from the small trickle on top either, not easily at least.  So we enjoyed the view, walked around, took photos, and were just glad to see water.  At this point we were also very much in a pine forest, similar to Happy Valley, which was nice since we weren’t as exposed to the sun.  We didn’t expect the environment to change so rapidly.

Soon Devil’s Bathtub trail dumped us out on Manning Camp trail, which is part of the Arizona Trail, an 800-mile National Scenic Trail from Mexico to Utah across the state of Arizona.  We’d only be on the trail for 1 mile until we reached the campground, but the Arizona Trail bisects the entire Rincon District.  With renewed spirits (and some energy chews), we headed north.

Along the way, I saw a lizard scamper near the trail.  Now, we had seen plenty of lizards on the trip, but this one looked different.  It had horns.  Initially I thought it was a Regal Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma solare), but research after our trip told us it was a greater short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi).  It was small, only about five inches in length, but was very interesting to look at with all the horns, knobs, and scales.  We waved goodbye, and were soon greeted with the sounds of a stream.  Shortly, we saw the small creek gurgling below to the left of the trail.  We could have filtered water from the stream, but we were close to Manning Camp at this point.  And a few hundred feet later, the small stream crossed the trail for easier access if we needed it.  We jumped over it and headed up.

Day 2 – Manning Camp

And soon we saw it, on our right – campsites.  We’d made it!  If we had kept going on the trail, we would have run right into the cabin, but instead, we walked through the campground looking at the sites.  But mainly looking for the water source since we were about out of water.  We found it, and it was breathtaking.  Pictures don’t do it justice.  The small but beautiful waterfall cascaded into a large clear pool where we could get all the cold drinking water we needed (after filtering of course).  We refilled our bottles and hydration bladders and relaxed for a few minutes.

After filtering water, we went and picked a campsite that we thought looked private.  Each campsite had a fire ring and bear box.  Then we set about exploring the campground.  We found the bathrooms, which thankfully had a doors and roofs (comparatively with Happy Valley Campground).  The cabin had an open-air section, where we saw lots of gear for the National Park staff that visits the cabin.  Next to the cabin is a large corral, fire pit, and picnic tables.

There are 6 campsites and 2 bathrooms at the campground.  There are also a few special tents scattered around for NPS employees near Manning Cabin.  We chose site 2, as we felt it offered privacy and had some logs for seating.  You can’t go wrong with any of the sites though; they all looked private, large, and appeared to have some seating.  Apparently there is also a helipad to the west of the camp.

One thing we didn’t see?  People.  Once again, we were the only ones in the campground.  We saw a large red tent near the cabin, but not in a campsite, but we never saw anyone use it.  We were alone.  Not that we minded, but it would have been nice to see other people at some point.  After our trip, we asked at a visitor center, and were told an NPS intern should have been staying up there in the cabin.  A registry book at Manning Camp told us someone camped there the previous night. Another visitor had written that there was snow a few weeks prior to our visit!

Day 2 – Spud Rock

Our initial plan after arriving at Manning Camp was to hike the intersecting trails north of the campground that led to the highest points in Saguaro National Park.  Namely, Spud Rock (8613 feet), Mica Mountain (8666 feet), and Reef Rock (8103 feet).  We wanted to do a 4.9 mile trail called Fire Loop Trail, that would go past all of them.  Even with us pushing ourselves to get to Manning Camp, we still didn’t have quite enough time before it started to get dark.  But we did have enough time to hike to Spud Rock.

Mica Mountain may be slightly taller, but I had read that Spud Rock has better views.  Kristin and I grabbed some energy chews and water, then walked through camp past the cabin.  We turned onto Cowhead Saddle Trail, which turned right onto Fire Loop Trail in 0.6 miles.  We went around the loop clockwise, and the hike wasn’t too bad – it would only be 2.5 miles roundtrip.  Not being very good at judging distance, we kept suggesting that every big rock that we saw was Spud Rock.  In reality, we didn’t see Spud Rock coming.

At about 1.4 miles into the hike, we came upon a simple sign that marked Spud Rock, with an enormous rock outcropping behind it.  Did it look like a potato?  Not to us, at least from that vantage point.  According to the book “Arizona Place Names” by Will C. Barnes: “Two Southern Pacific railroad engineers, William H. Barnett and Jim Miller, had a shack here and raised potatoes and cabbage on a little flat close to the rock.  They called it Spud Rock for their major crop – spuds.”  There was no official trail that went to the top, but there was clearly a social trail.  So we followed it.  It doesn’t take that long, just 5 or so minutes to climb.  Near the top we climbed up a decently sloped rock slab, but it wasn’t too bad.

At the top was a flat-ish area, where we were greeted by immense gusts of wind.  Not surprising considering how high we were.  We were also wowed by spectacular views that took our breath away, despite it being hazy. We snapped a few quick photos while trying not to get blown away.  Also at the top is a logbook in an ammo box, surrounded by rocks to protect it from the wind.  We had to duck to sign the logbook, and then climbed back down.

The hike back to Manning Camp didn’t take long, and we were back before we knew it.  We settled in, made some dinner, and were exhausted so went to sleep shortly after.  It had also gotten pretty cold out.  We were happy to have our jackets and long hiking pants.  I don’t know the exact temperature, but it was probably in the low 40s (°F).  There was a fire ring, but we didn’t feel like going through the hassle of making a fire, when we could just crawl into the tent and get warm instead.  Sleep came easily.

Day 3 – Manning Camp to Turkey Creek Trail

It was still cold when we got up around 7 a.m.  The average low at Manning Camp in April was 37°F!  It started warming up slowly, as the sun rose in the sky.  With a long day ahead, we made some oatmeal for breakfast and started packing up.  You can never have too much water, so we went back to the water source to fill up.

As we were filtering, we hear a noise beyond the water, and were startled to see, of all things, a turkey.  The large adult male turkey was covered with feathers and weird wrinkly appendages.  Not what we expected!  But then we remembered the name of the trail we would be on later that day – Turkey Creek.  Of course.  Was it a good sign for the day?  The turkey flew across the small creek downstream from the waterfall, coming closer to us.  That’s when we noticed that the turkey wasn’t alone.  There were about 10 female turkeys all throughout the campground.  The turkeys wandered around in the campground for a good 20 minutes, while we filtered water and packed up.

After saying goodbye to our turkey friends, we walked past Manning Cabin toward Fire Loop Trail.  On the way out, we also saw the “pond” that feeds the campground’s water source.  There’s a fence, so you can’t access it from the top, but you can see it running through the rock into the pool below.  After checking it out, we left Manning Camp and went east along Fire Loop Trail.  It was going to be a long day with 9.9 miles and 4,817 feet elevation loss.

Initially, the trail was a bit elusive due to downed trees and poor signage.  There were pine needles littering the ground, so we had to be cautious to avoid slipping.  We crossed several small trickles and pools of water.  Probably not enough to get drinking water without a pump.  Initially, the trail ascends slightly before starting our big descent.  Fire Loop Trail runs into our old friend, Heartbreak Ridge Trail.  This time we were only on it for 0.9 miles before going on a few smaller trails like Switchback and East Slope Trails.

At the terminus of East Slope Trail is Spud Rock campground.  We were close enough, so we decide to go check it out.  Really, we wanted to find out if the bathroom there is also three-sided like Happy Valley Campground.  It was a bit tough locating the campsites themselves, but when we did, they reminded us of Happy Valley Campground with pine trees towering above.  And like Happy Valley, the bathroom was indeed 3-sided.  And leaning!  Lovely view down a hill though, if that matters to you.  There’s supposed to be a spring somewhere in the campground, but we didn’t have time to look for it.

Day 3 – Turkey Creek Trail

Leaving Spud Rock Campground, we continued on Deerhead Spring Trail which connected with Turkey Creek Trail.  Deerhead Spring itself is located along Turkey Creek Trail.  It didn’t look like a ton of water, but you might be able to search to find some.  This part of the trail descended steeply, with very slippery, eroded and overgrown trails.  It could benefit from some maintenance, but since not many backpackers visit, they probably don’t have the budget or incentive.  In 2017 there were only 2,339 backcountry campers in Saguaro NP; 50% of those visited in March or April.

We crossed between sunny and wooded areas as we looked for markers and small cairns to guide us.  We stopped for a lunch break along the trail, and realized we were running a bit low on food.  It was also here that I somehow smudged my camera lens and didn’t notice until we got back from the trip that all my pictures also had a smudge from this point on.  Whoops.  If you see it in future pictures, that’s why.  Continuing on, we had great views along the trail that we enjoyed.  The trail was dusty, gritty and slippery, and we were beyond tired.  But we still were having a blast.  We tried to hike quickly to make good time.

After 3.1 miles on Turkey Creek Trail, we reached the boundary with Saguaro National Park and Coronado National Forest.  Our surroundings started to change too, and we found ourselves hiking through a picturesque grassland.  Once again, not what we expected.  We hiked through it as the winds rustled the grasses, and we felt as though we had been magically transported somewhere else.

Soon, we spotted the end of Turkey Creek Trail.  Well, in a way.  The trail ends and Turkey Creek Springs Road (Forest Road #4408), a 4 wheel drive road (4WD), takes over.  On most maps, the road isn’t considered part of Turkey Creek Trail, though there is a trailhead sign near the end of the road that includes the road as part of the trail.  Either way, it was about 1.8 miles on Turkey Creek Spring Road to Happy Valley Road.  Not expecting much from a dirt road, we were surprised when it had great views.  It definitely is a 4WD road…I wouldn’t take our 2WD Nissan Rogue on it.  We munched on some Clif Bar energy chews as we hiked, the last of our food.  We had more food in the car, so we just had to get there.

The 4WD road ended in a circular area with a grove of trees.  It looked like there were a few primitive campsites that people had used around the area.  It was tricky to figure out which way to go, so we wandered around until we came upon a metal gate.  We knew we were headed the right way when we saw a sign pointing to the Turkey Creek Trailhead.  Before we knew it, we were on Happy Valley Road (Forest Road #35).  A 10-minute walk along the road led us back to Miller Creek Trailhead, where we started.  We were overjoyed to see our car, and grab a well-deserved snack.  Our car was no longer lonely either, someone else had parked next to us.  And yet we never saw another person during the trip.

So exhausted.  Our minds and bodies were shot at this point with the heat and distance.  All we wanted to do was sleep.  And eat.  It was confusing.  As we drove back to Tucson we snacked on Sun Chips and jerky.  The drive back was uneventful.  The water we had passed through on the way there had subsided, so it was easier to cross.  Once in Tucson, we stopped at El Guero Canelo and got our first Sonoran Hotdogs.  Then we went to our hotel, the Comfort Suites at Sabino Canyon, showered, and passed out.

Final Thoughts

We loved this backpacking trip.  It was the highlight of our visit to Saguaro National Park.  But the last day was exhausting, and we would have changed a few things in hindsight.  We plan to do it again someday, and when we do, we’d make it a 5-day trip, adding days to hike the trails we missed.  We’d do it like this:

Day 1 – Miller Creek to Happy Valley, camp at Happy Valley Campground
Day 2 – Hike Rincon Peak, camp at Happy Valley Campground again
Day 3 – Happy Valley to Manning Camp, camp at Manning Camp
Day 4 – Hike trails around Manning Camp, see Spud Rock, Mica Mountain, and Reef Rock.  Camp at Manning Camp.
Day 5 – Manning Camp to Turkey Creek

That’s our preferred route, if you can figure out how to get additional water at Happy Valley.  If not, I would do a 4-day trip, cut the side trail to Rincon Peak, and stay two nights at Manning Camp.  If you don’t have four or five days, we can happily say our three day trip was well worth it.  Saguaro National Park surprised us, time and time again, and this backpacking trip was no exception.  We’ll be back.

Manning Camp via Miller Creek Trail

Date Visited: We did this backpacking trip from April 17, 2017 to April 19, 2017
Type: Two Night Backpacking Loop
Total Distance: 20.4 miles (32.8 km) round trip
Cumulative Elevation Gain/Loss: 6083 feet (1854 m)
Net Elevation Gain/Loss: 4,076 feet (1242 m)

• Day 1:
  • Distance: 4.1 miles (6.6 km)
  • Cumulative Elevation Gain and Loss: 2239 feet (682 m) Gain, 327 feet (100 m) Loss
  • Time: 5 hours, including lunch and rest breaks
• Day 2:
  • Distance: 6.4 miles (10.3 km)
  • Cumulative Elevation Gain and Loss: 2764 feet (843 m) Gain, 939 feet (286 m) Loss
  • Time: 6.5 hours, including lunch and rest breaks
• Day 3:
  • Distance: 9.9 miles (15.9 km)
  • Cumulative Elevation Gain and Loss: 1080 feet (329 m) Gain, 4817 feet (1468 m) Loss
  • Time: 8 hours, including lunch and rest breaks

Trail Markings: There are infrequent cairns and red metal markers usually pounded into trees.  Signs at intersections.  Trail is not well defined in some areas.  Sticks are placed in areas to mark the “wrong way.”  We usually found that following the sand led us the right way.
Difficulty: Difficult due to elevation gain, long days, and rough trail in some areas
Crowds: None.  We saw absolutely no one on this 3-day backpacking trip.
Water: A small stream near the start of Miller Creek Trail, and then a stream that is coming down from the Manning Camp water source.
Highlights: Views, History, Camping, Water Features, Wildlife, Different Biomes, Wildflowers, Solitude, Scrambling
Directions to Miller Creek Parking: Google Maps Directions
Trail Directions: 

• 0.0 mi – From the parking area at Miller Creek, you’ll see a fence to your west.  Go through it, making sure to close it on your way.  This is the Miller Creek Trail, through Coronado National Forest.  You’ll pass cows, and go up a slight incline.  You might see some small pools and streams of water.  I’d stay away from it with all the cows around though.
• 1.3 mi – You’ll see a sign and fence indicating you’re entering Saguaro National Park.  Again, make sure to close the fence, and continue on the Miller Creek Trail.  This next section is more steep and eroded.
• 3.9 mi – You’ve reached the intersection with Heartbreak Ridge Trail!  You’re almost there.  Turn left onto the trail, and you’ll be rewarded with small downhill section.  As you’ve noticed, there are a lot of trees in this area, compared to the earlier parts of Miller Creek Trail.
• 4.1 mi – Keep an eye out on the left for a Happy Valley Campground sign.  Stay the night here (make sure you have a reservation).  Site 3 is the best, imo.  The next day, go back the way you came.
• 4.3 mi – You’re back to the intersection with Heartbreak Ridge and Miller Creek Trails.  This time, continue straight.  This section becomes more exposed to the sun again, leaving behind the big trees.  You’ll also start to climb steeply in elevation.
• 6.1 mi – To your right is a short trail to Happy Valley Lookout.  We didn’t go up there because of time constraints, but my understanding is that there is an old fire tower there (or was).  Go check it out if you wish, it’s only 0.4 mi round-trip.  If not, continue straight on Heartbreak Ridge Trail.  The trail starts to go up and down and level out a bit occasionally.
• 7.8 mi – Pass Deerhead Spring Trail on the right, and continue straight on Heartbreak Ridge Trail.
• 8.3 mi – You’ve reached “Four Corners,” where the Heartbreak Ridge, East Slope, and Devil’s Bathtub Trails converge.  Head left on Devil’s Bathtub Trail.
• 8.9 mi – Finally!  Your first water since yesterday.  On the left is the Devil’s Bathtub.  I’d only recommend getting water if you’re desperate, you’re almost to a better source at Manning Camp.
• 9.5 mi – Turn right at the intersection, onto Manning Camp Trail.
• 10.5 mi – You’ll see Manning Camp on your right, you’ll pretty much run right into it.  Stay the night here, and enjoy it.  If you have time, explore the trails around Manning Camp.  Even better, stay another night to hike the trails the following day.  Whenever you leave Manning Camp, head east on Fire Loop Trail.  There’s a bit more of an uphill climb, until you begin the long descent.
• 10.7 mi – An intersection with Mica Mountain Trail.  Continue straight on Fire Loop Trail.  On this section, keep on eye out on the left for Duckbill mountain top.  We neglected to look for it when we did the trail.
• 11.1 mi – Head right at the fork, going onto the Heartbreak Ridge Trail.  The trail starts descending here.
• 12.0 mi – At the intersection, go left onto Switchback Trail instead of continuing on Heartbreak Ridge Trail.
• 12.4 mi – Turn left onto East Slope Trail.
• 12.5 mi – At this intersection with East Slope and Deerhead Spring Trails, there’s also a short trail to Spud Rock Campground.  Check it out, or continue onto Deerhead Spring Trail.
• 12.9 mi – You’ve reached Turkey Creek Trail.   You’ll more or less be on this for the rest of the trip.   This is also where the bulk of your descent is.  Be careful because the trail is eroded and steep.  Follow cairns as needed.  You’ll come out of the trees too into more open areas.
• 15.2 mi – You’ll see a fence, meaning you’ve come to the end of the Saguaro National Park Boundary.  Go through it, and continue on the trail in Coronado National Forest.  You’ll see your environment start to change as you enter into more of a grassland.  It’s not quite as steep here, but you’ll still descend.
• 17.9 mi – The end of Turkey Creek Trail.  Continue straight on the Turkey Spring Road, a 4WD Road (Forest Road #4408).  It has great views!
• 19.4 mi – The 4WD road ends, and you come to a primitive campsite area.  We got a bit lost here;, exit through a metal gate and follow the dirt road.
• 19.8 mi – The road ends in a T intersection.  To the left and right is Happy Valley Road (Forest Road #35).  Go right.
• 20.2 mi – On your right is the road to Miller Creek Trailhead, almost there.  Head down the road.
• 20.4 mi – You’re back where you started.

Places

• Benson Comfort Inn | 630 S Village Loop, Benson, AZ 85602
• Miller Creek Trailhead | 32.151929, -110.482352
• Happy Valley Campground | 32.153920, -110.519760
• Devil’s Bathtub | 32.196430, -110.545760
• Manning Camp | 32.20623, -110.55544
• Spud Rock | 32.21869, -110.55048
• Turkey Creek Trailhead | 32.17679, -110.48209
• El Guero Conelo | 5802 E 22nd St, Tucson, AZ 85711

Maps

• Manning Camp via Miller Creek Map (KTNP)
• Saguaro National Park Rincon District Map (NPS)

Links

• Saguaro Wilderness Permits (Recreation.gov)
• Saguaro National Park 2020 Backcountry Guide PDF (NPS)
• Saguaro National Park Camping (NPS)
• Manning Camp History Article (NPS)

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