Horse Peak Loop - 8/26/24

Horse Peak tree with Sisters Ridge in Distance

Onyx Peak and Horse Canyon from Horse Peak

Horse Canyon Road

Starting up Horse Canyon Road

Horse Peak is a diminutive peak without much prominence. That said, it rises to a rounded point of 8950' in elevation at the top of Horse Canyon. Horse Canyon Road turns off of Macks Canyon Road about 0.6 mile from the Lee Canyon Road junction. It is a high clearance dirt road with primitive campsites along the route. There is a small spring bubbling out of the ground about 0.7 mile up Horse Canyon Road from Macks Canyon Road. When the road peters out, there is a trail for a short way. A large tree root marks the spot where we turned up to the left to climb a steep hill to the rim ridge above. Nearing the top, there is one or two trails that cross your path. Turn right on one of them and it takes you to a saddle on the rim ridge.

Horse Canyon Spring

Upper Horse Canyon Road

Saddle on ridge above Horse Canyon

Onyx Peak from Secondary Peak

A right turn on the saddle puts you on a trail system that the animals use. Try to stay as close to the ridge as the trails will allow. We circled around to the Secondary Peak, up and over, then on around to Horse Peak which is only 30' higher. The views here are tremendous. They allow you to view, most prominently, McFarland Peak and Macks Peak. Although you are tempted to take your break here, the most challenging part of the loop hike is yet to come on the descent. The important part of the navigation is to choose the correct ridges. For the most part, we stayed on the far right side nearest the canyon. However, at the end of this ridge, we veered to the left a little before being able to drop into a travelled wash on the right. All of the descent is using a vague trail.

Leaving Secondary Peak (8920')

Arriving at Horse Peak (8950')

Mummy Mountain behind Secondary Peak

Taking a break at Horse Peak

There is a little bit of scrambling as you climb up and over the intermittent small peaks. The most prominent peak is a dark colored rocky peak we call Onyx Peak. The entire descent is a challenge for the mind as well as the body. It is always a good feeling when we reach the wash at the end. On this hike, we returned on Macks Canyon Road until we found the new crossover to Sawmill Trail. This new route shortens the transition between Macks Canyon Road and the Sawmill Trailhead. A good day!

Stats: 5 miles; 1600' gain; 4.25 hours

Onyx Peak (8830')

Posing on Onyx Peak

Dropping into Wash