Description of the AZ Trail in
Canelo Hills Hike
The hike described here follows AZ Trail 131 west out to the
"Meadow Valley Tank"
and back by the same route. The Meadow Valley Tank is the
name of the cattle watering pond that is visible once one
starts down the western side of the pass that the trail
crosses. My gps indicated that the hike out to Meadow
Valley Tank was about 2.87 miles. By the time one wanders
around at the watering hole and finds a lunch site the total length of
the hike is over 6 miles round trip. I rate this hike as
moderate with some steep climbs, especially on the west side of
the "pass," and some regions of very rough, rocky trail
that are difficult. Heading west the trail climbs about
200 feet up the saddle (the pass) and then drops about 300 feet
down to the Meadow Valley Tank. So the total climb
associated with the roundtrip is well over 500 feet
vertical. Most of the hike is in the open and so it is not
a good "hot weather" hike. The hike offers some very nice
views of the west
side of the Huachuca Mountains to the east and the Patagonia Mountains to
the west. The watering hole usually has some
waterfowl present and the mud around the edges provides evidence
of those that have been drinking there. There are both
scaled quail and Montezuma quail in the grass lands surrounding
the watering hole. If one looks off to the hill just south
and west of the watering hole one can probably see the Border
Patrol vehicles at their observation post.
One can also hike east from this trailhead on the Canelo Hills East trail 125
(also part of the AZ Trail) leading to the Parker Lake trailhead
about 15 miles away. The Parker Lake
Trailhead is accesible by car on paved roads.
There are no toilet facilities at the trailhead.