Central Big Horn Mountains Wilderness in Big Horn Mountains Wilderness Area, AZ

Hike Central Big Horn Mountains Wilderness Big Horn Mountains Wilderness Area, AZ

Class 3 8.8 miles 2400 gain 7-10 hrs Loop Jan 2, 2025
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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The Big Horn Mountains Wilderness is a small, rugged area dominated by Big Horn Peak. While the high point sees a fair number of summits the surrounding peaks are seemingly forgotten. On a previous trip, we visited Peak 2700 at the far end of the wilderness area, but this time, Matt and I were drawn to the colorful cliff bands in the central section, prompting this outing. The terrain felt especially rugged and slow-going, though I’m not sure how much of that sentiment comes from the actual hike or the aftermath of a rowdy NYE in Phoenix. I really shouldn’t be surprised anymore that a mix of substances and staying up until 5 AM isn’t exactly a recipe for hiking stamina.

Accessing the land south of the Big Horn Mountains Wilderness is tricky since a water canal snakes around it, but we managed to find a legal route by approaching from the southeast. Navigate here (33.49819, -113.02773) and continue north, passing under I-10. The road is in great condition, maintained for access to the canal and power lines overhead. It’s okay for passenger vehicles much of the way, but requires moderate clearance for the last couple of miles. We parked at an arbitrary point on the side of the road.

Our first goal was an unranked block of gorgeous rock just south of Peak 2887, the main reason we wanted to explore this area. We hiked through the desert and ascended a spur to gain the main ridge crest, navigating a couple of Class 3 cliff bands along the way. Our detour to the unranked peak turned out to be a dead end, since a sheer face heavily guarded the final couple hundred feet of vertical. I removed our rambling detour from my attached map, but despite this failure, we were well-positioned to reach Peak 2887.

Heading north along the ridgeline, we encountered a series of engaging scrambles: a solid Class 2+ ramp, a surprise Class 3 knife-edge with small notch is fun stuff by joining the ridge crest north of the summit instead of approaching from the south as we did.

Our traverse to the second summit, Peak 3025, was time-consuming and required quite a bit of micro-route-finding. It might actually be more efficient to drop back to the desert floor and reascend completely, but we weren’t interested in that. The ridge was jumbled with many ups and downs, but it was undeniably beautiful and made for an excellent little adventure to kick off 2025. The traverse included a handful of typical desert obstacles, and we generally stayed along the crest, except for the final descent to the saddle at 2400′, the low point between our two peaks. Here, we took a steep gully to the left of the ridgeline.

Once at the saddle east of Peak 3025, we started up toward what initially appeared to be a trivial headwall, but we quickly found ourselves dealing with Class 3/4 climbing on loose rock. Matt scrambled up without issue, while I scouted below the extended cliff face for a more reasonable route. Fortunately I found one since Matt was well out of earshot at this point, and I scurried back to the crest on easier terrain, where we continued merrily along. Looking back, we could see the colorful bands that had drawn us to the area, as well as some very cool eroded rock formations along the base of Peak 2887.

There were a couple more obstacles requiring short descents and reascents before reaching Peak 3025. One involved an extended, exposed Class 3 scramble out of a notch. Another had us wrapping above a cliff band until we located a fortuitous weakness in order to reach the base of the peak. The final ascent to Peak 3025 was a typical Class 2 desert romp that included a traverse beneath its east face followed by a short scramble up its north side. From the summit, we enjoyed the view of Big Horn Peak’s towering north face as the setting sun cast long shadows across the wilderness.

For our descent, we side-hilled across mostly tame terrain, heading northeast into a major wash and following a burro trail when available. We stayed in the wash all the way back, eventually intersecting an ATV road near the end.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Peak 2887
2887 ft
527 rise
2
Peak 3025
3025 ft
385 rise

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Peak 2887 center, Peak 3025 right.
Peak 2887 center, Peak 3025 right.
Approaching the ridge crest via a spur ridge/slope. Our first objective was the cool-looking unranked peak on the left, but we failed that one due to a sheer cliff.
Approaching the ridge crest via a spur ridge/slope. Our first objective was the cool-looking unranked peak on the left, but we failed that one due to a sheer cliff.
Onward to Peak 2887 along the ridge crest. View back at Matt coming up a neat Class 2+ ramp.
Onward to Peak 2887 along the ridge crest. View back at Matt coming up a neat Class 2+ ramp.
Ridgeline to Peak 2887. Peak 3025 seen far left.
Ridgeline to Peak 2887. Peak 3025 seen far left.
Surprise Class 3 knife-edge.
Surprise Class 3 knife-edge.
A Class 3+ down-climb before the summit.
A Class 3+ down-climb before the summit.
Summit of Peak 2887, view back.
Summit of Peak 2887, view back.
Onward along the ridge crest.
Onward along the ridge crest.
View back at a scramble along the way.
View back at a scramble along the way.
Descending a gully to reach the saddle separating our two peaks.
Descending a gully to reach the saddle separating our two peaks.
View back toward the gully we descended.
View back toward the gully we descended.
Headed up from the saddle, starting toward Peak 3025. The headwall above becomes a bit of an obstacle.
Headed up from the saddle, starting toward Peak 3025. The headwall above becomes a bit of an obstacle.
View back as we try to locate a way through the cliffs. Our gully we descended seen top center.
View back as we try to locate a way through the cliffs. Our gully we descended seen top center.
Matt went up there somewhere, but I was not interested. I kept scouting.
Matt went up there somewhere, but I was not interested. I kept scouting.
Back on the ridge crest, continuing to Peak 3025.
Back on the ridge crest, continuing to Peak 3025.
Down into a notch, followed by an extended, exposed Class 3 scramble.
Down into a notch, followed by an extended, exposed Class 3 scramble.
Peak 3025 seen right. Big Horn Peak on the left.
Peak 3025 seen right. Big Horn Peak on the left.
View back toward Peak 2887 (right of center).
View back toward Peak 2887 (right of center).
Navigating above an annoying cliff band blocking easy access to Peak 3025 (far right).
Navigating above an annoying cliff band blocking easy access to Peak 3025 (far right).
Short scramble on the north side of Peak 3025.
Short scramble on the north side of Peak 3025.
Peak 3025 summit, view back along our traverse.
Peak 3025 summit, view back along our traverse.
Close-up toward the southern Big Horn Mountains Wilderness.
Close-up toward the southern Big Horn Mountains Wilderness.
View north.
View north.
View back toward Peak 3025 as we had back to the cars.
View back toward Peak 3025 as we had back to the cars.
Burro trails and a wash the whole way back.
Burro trails and a wash the whole way back.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!