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Tag: kokopelli trails

Kokopelli Loops: Troy Built Loop to Salt CreekKokopelli Loops: Troy Built Loop to Salt Creek

Kokopelli Loops: Troy Built Loop to Salt Creek

After Work Adventures | Thursday & Tuesday, November 16 & 21, 2023

After hiking the Lion’s Loop Trail to its junction with the Troy Built Loop on Tuesday, I thought it might be a good idea to return to the Kokopelli Loops after work on Thursday afternoon so I could finish hiking the Troy Built Trail, especially since a storm had just moved through the area earlier in the day and left some nice clouds in the sky. I thought that there had been enough time for the road to the top of Mack Ridge to dry out, but as I started driving up it I quickly found out that it was still muddy and slick in places, so I turned around and decided to hike a shorter section of the Troy Built Trail from its northern end near I-70. Thankfully, this northern portion of the trail had already dried out and wasn’t muddy, since hiking on muddy trails is not looked upon too kindly by the mountain bikers who mostly ride these trails.

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Kokopelli Loops: Lion’s Loop to Troy Built LoopKokopelli Loops: Lion's Loop to Troy Built Loop

Kokopelli Loops: Lion’s Loop to Troy Built Loop

After Work Adventures | Tuesday, November 14, 2023

After work this afternoon I returned for the third straight week in a row to the Kokopelli Loops on Mack Ridge so I could hike yet another section of the Kokopelli Trail. This time I started out from the Lions Trailhead between Loma and Mack and followed the Lion’s Loop Trail for about three miles to it’s junction with the Troy Built Trail and then returned the way I had come. This trail followed a bench above the Colorado River in Horsethief Canyon which offered some nice views along the way, especially at sunset. The hike ended up being about 6 miles in length and I returned to my Jeep just as the sun was setting for the day, so I was able to squeeze it all in before darkness set in. Here are a couple photos from the short hike.

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Kokopelli Loops: Wrangler Loop & Mary’s LoopKokopelli Loops: Wrangler Loop & Mary's Loop

Kokopelli Loops: Wrangler Loop & Mary’s Loop

After Work Adventures | Tuesday, November 7, 2023

After hiking the western ends of Mary’s Loop and the Wrangler Trail last week on Halloween, I returned to the Kokopelli Loops right after work today so I could finish hiking the eastern ends of both of those trails. Even though we just had the Daylight Savings Time change over the weekend and afternoon sunlight would be limited, I figured that this loop would be short enough and I would be able to squeeze it in before sunset. I started my hike near the Kokopelli Trailhead and followed the Wrangler Loop to the point I had hiked to last week and then returned down Mary’s Loop to complete the loop. Even though it was a bit windy this afternoon, the clouds and light were a lot nicer than during my hike last week and I enjoyed the views along the way. In the end, the loop was just over 5.5 miles and I returned to my Jeep shortly before sunset, so the timing was perfect.

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Kokopelli Loops: Mary’s Loop & Wrangler TrailKokopelli Loops: Mary's Loop & Wrangler Trail

Kokopelli Loops: Mary’s Loop & Wrangler Trail

After Work Adventures: Halloween Edition | Tuesday, October 31, 2023

With the Daylight Savings Time change coming up this weekend, I wanted to get out for one more longer hike after work this week before it really starts getting dark early and I thought it would be a good idea to head on over to the Kokopelli Loop Trails in the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area located between Loma and Mack. Although I have hiked and mountain biked about half the trails in this system over the years, there are still some I have not been on before and I thought that completing the rest of them would be a good project to start working on next. I may not finish them this year, but I can always pick up where I left off in the spring. For today’s hike I started at the upper Lion’s Trailhead and followed Mary’s Loop and the Kokopelli Trail east along the Colorado River and Horsethief Bench, then I looped back up and around on the Wrangler Trail which made a nice 7.5 mile loop.

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The Kokopelli Trail to Salt CreekThe Kokopelli Trail to Salt Creek

The Kokopelli Trail to Salt Creek

McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area
Tuesday, April 21, 2020

This evening Diane and I headed over to the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area near Rabbit Valley so we could spend the evening hiking a short section of the Kokopelli Trail. Although I have driven, hiked and even biked much of the Kokopelli Trail over the years, there are still a few sections of singletrack that I have missed. Today I thought it would be fun to hike one of those sections which descends down to Salt Creek from near the end of the Sidewinder Road on the west side. The trail then crosses a bridge over Salt Creek and connects up to the Troy Built Trail on the other side of the canyon.

CONTINUE READINGThe Kokopelli Trail to Salt Creek
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