Enjoy a delightful forest and cool mountain air while hiking along the base of the San Francisco Peaks on the Kachina Trail. You’ll pass through several groves of aspen trees, fern-covered clearings, and majestic pines all while being treated to the occasional view of the valley down below. There’s no real destination here, so the key is to enjoy the journey. This hike would be a great alternative to Aspen Loop when you want to see aspen trees in all their autumn glory.

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Trail Description

If you’re in the mood for some “forest bathing,” it doesn’t get much better than Kachina Trail. A forest of pines and aspens, wildflowers dotting the forest floor, squirrels and deer scampering about, and happy birdsongs in the air. The only thing that would have made it better is a babbling brook, but we can’t always have it all, right?

This trail does not change much in elevation over the five miles it travels in one direction, but it’s still a moderate hike because there are a lot of ups and downs along the way. It really would have been perfect, except that this happened to be the last five miles of a strenuous 19-mile loop I had done that day. I was tired. But the beauty of the forest kept me going, and I don’t think I put my camera away for more than 5 minutes at a time. If that.

Kachina Trail

From the trailhead, you’ll start heading south on Kachina Trail as it briefly parallels Snowbowl Road. The sound of the cars whizzing by interrupts the peaceful forest sounds at first, but have patience. The trail soon pulls away to the southeast, and leaves all traces of civilization behind. After just over half a mile, you’ll enter the Kachina Peaks Wilderness. Ahhh.

Generally, you’ll be gradually losing elevation over the next five miles, but there are some uphill portions as the trail rolls along the contours of the mountain. Of course, that means you’ll gradually be gaining elevation on the way back, so keep that in mind when you’re deciding when to turn back.

Aspen Groves

Every so often, you’ll pass through a grove of aspen trees. This was my favorite part, and I knew I needed to come back in the fall. Everybody heads to the Aspen Nature Loop because it’s famous and it’s easy, but you wouldn’t need to go more than a mile in to find some pretty cool spots here for leaf peeping. And I would imagine it’s a lot less popular.

This group of trees was just under one mile from the trailhead. There are more groves ahead, though, so if you haven’t had enough of the aspens, keep going! My favorite group of aspens was at about 4.5 miles in (hint: it’s the cover photo).

Rock Grotto

After about a mile and a half, there are some interesting rocky outcroppings, and there’s even a cool grotto.

Great Views

Though most of the trail is through thick forest, once in a while there is an opening in the trees where you’ll be able to gaze into the valley below.

Do you see any brown here? No! Even the ground is covered in ferns. Gorgeous!

Off to the other side, you’ll get an occasional glimpse of the San Francisco Peaks towering above you.

Even where there aren’t ferns, there’s grass. I would say all these plants are providing you plenty of oxygen, but let’s be real. You’re at 9,000 feet elevation, and it’s going to be a little tougher for the “flatlanders” like me to breathe.

At the end of the Kachina Trail, you’ll suddenly be dumped out onto a trail outside the wilderness area that’s flat, grassy and dotted with ponderosa pines. It’s pretty in its own way, and you can certainly continue to the left if you want to hook up with Weatherford Trail, but your Kachina Trail experience is finished, and it’s a good spot to turn around.

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Map & Directions

Location Kachina Peaks Wilderness, Coconino National Forest, Flagstaff, Arizona

Google Maps Kachina Traillhead

Fees/Passes No

Trailhead Facilities Portable toilets available at the Humphreys Peak Trailhead

Download KML or GPX

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