Kachina Trail Out-and-Back

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · Geological Significance · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

This route offers a stunning experience and is surely one of Flagstaff's finest. The Kachina Trail is renowned for its scenic beauty, particularly during the fall when the aspen groves are ablaze with color. It is popular among hikers and runners for its moderate difficulty with good mileage and fantastic views.

Kachina trail is very popular with trail runners. The undulating grade and the mostly dirt trail surface make it ideal for trail running.

Start this route at the Kachina Trail #150 trailhead in the Arizona Snowbowl parking lot. The trail begins by traversing the southern face of the San Francisco Peaks and entering the Kachina Peaks Wilderness. The route winds through thick forests and open meadows, providing views of Flagstaff and the surrounding area.

The trail surface is generally easy to travel. There are roots and some rocks, but nothing too crazy. Along the way, it crosses several small canyons and passes unique geological features, such as a lava cliff and cave-like erosion in volcanic rock.

The full trail as an out and back would be more than 10 miles, but the route mapped here reaches a particular highlight at about 4.5 miles (one-way) before turning around. This is a swath of sloping meadow dotted with tall aspens against a backdrop of The Peaks. The scene is especially beautiful when the leaves change in early to mid October.

There's no reason you have to make it that far to enjoy the Kachina Trail, however. Any distance that you choose to hike out and back from Arizona Snowbowl will make a rewarding hike in the cool montane forest. As another option, consider leaving one car at Shultz Tank trailhead and hike the entire trail, plus a portion of the Weatherford Trail, to make a ~7.5 mile point-to-point hike that's mostly downhill.