New Mud Mack Loop - 6/9/25

Green/Red Trail to Mud Springs

Wash section of Green/Red Trail

Macks Canyon Road Return

Heading out the Sawmill Yellow Trail

About ten years ago, I started leading a hike called Mud Mack Loop. The loop started at Sawmill and lead down what was then the Red Trail or Mud Springs Trail. The lower end looped around and back up to Macks Canyon Road by bushwhacking up to its nearest point below the Sisters Spur Road. Arriving back at Sawmill v Macks Canyon Road was just under a seven mile trek. This time, trying to shorten the journey, we turned left into a smaller wash and climbed over two steep hills to arrive at Macks Canyon Road lower than the Sisters Spur Road. This made the hike around 3/4 mile less than the aforementioned <7 miles. The Lady Hikers found the downhill portion (3.5 miles) of the Mud Springs Trail to be beautiful but hard on the body.

1) 0.70 miles up Yellow Trail from TH
2) Junction of "Red" Trail and "Green" Trail
3) Midway between last junction and wash junction
4) Wash Junction
So which is it? Red or Green?

Rest site on Red Trail

Mummy's head parts from Red Trail

Heading down the Mud Springs Loop Trail (Green)

We hiked down using the recently maintained trail remembering all the landmarks we hadn't seen in a few years. It must be mentioned that the route we used began as the "Yellow" Trail, turned into the "Red" Trail at a well-used junction, turned into the "Green" Trail at the ridge junction, turned into the "Red" Trail about halfway down the 3.5 miles to the wash part of the trail, then, finally, returned to the "Green" Trail when we junctioned with the wash and sat down for a break. I know the trail so this did not throw me in any way. However, anyone who was new to the trail might have some questions. Anyway, we took our break at the wash junction ready for the new shortcut and the uphill part of the hike.

Mud Springs Loop Trail

Macks Peak from Mud Springs Loop Trail

Starting to get Tired

View of Traction Benchmark

We trudged up the wash 0.60 mile to find a very nice transition to a smaller wash on the left. I'll dub this wash the "shortcut wash." It is easily navigable and we climbed it for approximately half a mile. At this point, the wash veers to the right and we continued in a straight direction up a steep embankment. Keeping our trajectory 😉, we found a trail on top of the ridge and followed it. Learning from our next mistake, it would be best to keep working your way to the right because the next arroyo crossing presents steep terrain. At any rate, by this time, you can just make out Macks Canyon Road higher up and a campsite sitting on the apex of a sharp curve. That's your target! We made it up, down and up the arroyos' sides and took a rest at the campsite.

Beetle destruction on mountain Laurel (no present evidence)

Taking a break at wash Junction

Rita attending to the rock in the Shoe

Don't you just love interesting Trees?

All that remained was a mile of Macks Canyon Road and half a mile crossing back to the Sawmill Yellow Trail and back to the cars. The new shortcut wash was welcomed as an interesting change ... not to mention ... we were quite tired by the end of the hike anyway! Another cool day on the trail even though the clouds were building up over the Kyle side of the Spring Mountains. Mind you, we start around the 7am hour at the trailhead. (... and, many hikers start even earlier!)

Stats: 6.3 miles; 1050' gain; 4 hours

Hiking up the wash section of Mud Springs Trail

Hiking up the new shortcut Wash

Ending the shortcut at a campsite on Macks Canyon Road