Hike Elephant Head and Little Elephant Head Coronado National Forest, AZ

Threat to Our Public Land!

Recent proposals could transfer or sell off national forests, BLM land, and wilderness areas. This threatens the trails, wildlife, and access we all love. Once they're gone, we don't get them back.

The push to sell off public lands is being driven mostly by Republicans. What's frustrating is that many who vote for this party still love hiking, hunting, and exploring. If you keep voting for politicians who promise to "cut red tape" and "shrink government," don't be surprised when your favorite trailhead is fenced off and leased to a mining company.

Resources

Public Land for Sale Map
Write Your Senator
Utah is Not for Sale
About the Spending Package

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Route Map

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The Santa Rita Mountains just south of Tucson AZ are mostly known for the high point Mount Wrightson, but on the west side of the range is a weird feature unlike the rest of the range, Elephant Head. This peak juts out from the desert, a gorgeous formation that requires some scrambling to reach. This was my second peak this week with "Elephant" in its name, but I've struck out both times in mustering the creativity to decipher an elephant's likeness from a mound of rock. The road to the trailhead is paved to this junction (31.68694, -110.96269), though any car can likely make it past here if driving slowly.

I started along the Quantrell Mine Trail, a pleasant and gradual hike through the desert that initially heads northwest and passes over a creek before ascending to a minor saddle on the east side of Little Elephant Head. The trail then contours for a bit and passes by the signed Quantrell Mine. Still ascending modestly, the trail finally curves around a slope, and Elephant Head comes into view just across Chino Canyon. To reach it, however, I had to drop down into the canyon and reascend on its opposite side.

I soon reached a cairned social trail that leaves the Quantrell Mine Trail and heads north, steeply descending into Chino Canyon for about 500 feet of vertical loss. There wasn't any scrambling here, and the switchbacks were in good shape, but I'd have to reascend this later on my way back. I wasn't too surprised to find flowing water cascading down the gorgeous slickrock canyon, a wonderful riparian oasis before starting back out on the opposite side. I paused when I reached the rushing stream, staring lustfully down into its narrows. This is a technical canyon descent that I'd disregarded earlier and was now in full-FOMO about passing it up.

The steep hike out from Chino Canyon and up to Elephant Head's eastern ridge was uneventful but included a couple of difficult-to-follow sections if not paying attention. There was also a forest of ocotillo that the trail led safely through, and I was grateful I didn't have to bushwhack. Once at the ridgeline, I continued west toward the base of Elephant Head. A cairned trail assisted in wrapping around various bumps and obstacles efficiently, perhaps removing a bit of the fun from how the route was before gaining popularity.

Now standing at the base of the extended summit push, I got pretty excited. This was a really neat peak. I navigated through crevices separating large boulders, wrapped around ledges, followed weaknesses that ducked below tree branches, and hopped up and down various rock ribs. Even though the route-finding was generally straightforward, there was some mental effort required. I found only one Class 3 section toward the summit, required to gain a short headwall and ultimately the final ramp to the high point.

Normally there are supposed to be elephant toys at the summit, but apparently, the typical argument of "leave no trace" versus "it's fun and don't remove them" persists here, and currently the "leave no trace" side was winning. The National Forest Service had posted a sign at the trailhead asking people to stop adding the trinkets. I took in the views from Elephant Head for a bit before starting back to the saddle with Little Elephant Head.

Little Elephant Head is a short add-on summit that has similar rock to Elephant Head but is much smaller in stature and lacks the fun scrambling of its larger neighbor. Reaching the peak requires hiking a well-beaten social trail up and over a sub-peak before dropping back down to Little Elephant Head's base. The trail then continues to the summit, navigating around occasional outcroppings and up steep slabs, nothing exceeding Class 2. The view toward Elephant Head and Chino Canyon was pretty cool from the top, and it was a worthy peak to tack on.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Elephant Head

5641 ft

561 rise

Little Elephant Head

5139 ft

419 rise

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Starting along the Quantrell Mine Trail.

Crossing a creek.

View back toward the trailhead, Mount Hopkins visible up there.

Ascending to the saddle with Little Elephant Head.

Another shot back to the surrounding desert.

Junction with the social trail for Little Elephant Head.

Onward along the Quantrell Mine Trail, Elephant Head seen far left.

Quantrell Mine Trail.

The mine shaft, just off the trail.

Little Elephant Head seen across the canyon.

The trail crested a slope and I could see Elephant Head clearly in front of me.

I started down the social trail into Chino Canyon below.

Descending into Chino Canyon.

Chino Canyon.

Gorgeous slickrock and running water.

View back down into chino Canyon as I start up its north slope.

Ocotillo forest.

A shot back toward Little Elephant Head and Chino Canyon. You can also see the Quantrell Mine Trail on the slope.

Now on the ridgeline, heading toward Elephant Head.

Elephant Head ahead. A social trail makes the rout-finding less difficult than what it could have been.

Now at the base of Elephant Head, I started up.

First section of scrambling, a nice Class 2 slab.

Keeping right at this first headwall.

A ledge the social trail leads around.

A sandy section where the trail keeps left.

Ascending below some trees.

View back at my progress so far.

Class 2/3 scrambling along the ridge.

Close-up back along the ridge.

A gorgeous last bit to the summit.

Approaching the crux ahead.

Class 3 crux to overcome this headwall.

Continuing through cracks and over rock ribs to the summit.

View back down the ridgeline.

Elephant Head summit. Little Elephant Head far right, Chino Canyon center.

Close-up toward Chino Canyon.

Back along the Quantrell Mine Trail, a view toward Little Elephant Head.

I backtracked to the junction and headed along a social trail toward Little Elephant Head.

Along the way, a view of both Elephant Heads.

Approaching the base.

Class 2 and a nice social trail lead through the boulders to the summit.

Little Elephant Head ahead, Elephant Head seen in the distance.

The social trail leads to the right, below this small cliff band.

Little Elephant Head summit, view toward Elephant Head.

Little Elephant Head summit, view back along the ridgeline.

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!