Hualapai Mountains Loop in Hualapai Mountain Park, AZ

Hike Hualapai Mountains Loop Hualapai Mountain Park, AZ

Class 3 13.4 miles 4200 gain 5-7 hrs Loop Sep 24, 2022
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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Hualapai Mountain Park hosts several excellent trails, though a few of the trails are actually just old dirt roads. As much as I love my local Spring Mountains, I needed a change in scenery until the weather cools off in Vegas and somehow I forgot the Hualapai Mountains are actually not that far of a drive from home. Despite hiking Hualapai Peak (the high point of the range) a few years ago, it was nice to return and get an updated perspective of this area, plus add on a couple of peaks I neglected earlier. The park requires paying an entrance fee, but I suppose that also means I'd get to enjoy well-marked trails and an official trailhead.

I started along what seems to generally be an unnamed trail, but on maps is labeled "Aspen Peak Trails". This trail wanders through burned trees, affected by the 2021 Flag fire and since restored. I reached the Potato Patch Loop after a few switchbacks and kept to the right, taking the loop portion counter-clockwise. This trail wraps around Aspen Peak and forms a nice loop, but most people don't seem to go much farther than this, I noted as the Saturday crowd diminished significantly. Along the way I could see glimpses toward Dean Peak and into the valley below, the overlooks often framed by pretty granite clusters. I got a nice view out toward Hayden Peak to the south before a short descent where I reached the junction with the Aspen Peak Trail. I took this narrower spur trail, which ascended the southern slope of Aspen Peak and led to a great overlook with a bench, the end of the official trail. Reaching Aspen Peak itself meant continuing past the overlook and ascending on an unofficial trail through some thicker vegetation, though it was by no means a bushwhack. Just below the summit, a small green road sign has been affixed to a tree reads "Peak Way", cute. Some easy route-finding led up a short Class 2 section and then the summit block had a quick Class 3 move over a crack.

I backtracked to the Potato Patch Loop Trail and headed toward Hayden Peak. The signage is a bit confusing here since no trail officially leads to the summit. Most seem to hike along Hayden Peak Drive, a steep dirt road. However, there is a pink-blazed trail labeled "Dinosaur Rock Spur", which leads through the woods and up to a shelter and a well-marked cutoff trail you can use to reach Hayden Peak Drive higher up, avoiding most of the road walk. I definitely recommend doing this instead of just using the road, but I marked both options on my attached map. Hayden Peak includes two summit blocks of similar height, each with a grouping of radio towers. The northern summit is reached via a bunch of metal stairs/ramps and then a Class 2 scramble, while the southern one has a series of human-assembled stone steps and a small tunnel formed by a large boulder, followed by some navigating around wires and structures.

Hualapai Peak was just to the south, so I took a minute to look at how the traverse from Hayden Peak to Hualapai Peak might turn out, but the route appeared particularly cliffy and brushy, particularly below Hualapai, so I didn't attempt it. Instead, I made my way back to the Potato Patch Loop and headed southeast. This section of the trail is just an old dirt road. At some point I noted the junction with the Potato Patch Loop, which leads north. I still had more peaks to get before completing the loop though, so I kept to the dirt road, now labeled the Hualapai Peak Trail. It loses some elevation before ascending to a saddle separating Hualapai Peak from Peak 7720, an unnamed bump that sees little attention. This minor peak was wrecked by the Flag fire, but no tedious thorny undergrowth had sprouted up yet, so I started up the steep slope (Class 2). There are many granitic boulders along the last few hundred feet to the summit, but they seem to just linger around the high point and can mostly be avoided by keeping to the right and side-hilling around them, though the scrambling is pretty fun if you choose to stick to the crest of the hump. The summit block itself requires a Class 3+ move on a particularly large, slabby boulder.

Back along the Hualapai Peak Trail, I made my way up about 800 vertical to the base of Hualapai Peak. At the final switchback before the road/trail ends is a slope that leads to the summit. Going too far along the road would mean instead being beneath the peak's steep cliffs. I headed up the slope on a social trail that seems to have certainly become more well-traveled since the last time I was here, picking its way through brush and with the occasional Class 2 move. The summit block requires a tougher pull move (Class 3+).

I backtracked and continued along the Potato Patch Loop, a bit more scenic than the first half of the loop. I got a view back toward Hayden and Hualapai, as well as toward the hills to the east. There was also an interesting portion of trail carved into base of the northern cliffs of Aspen Peak.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Aspen Peak
8167 ft
647 rise
2
Hayden Peak
8390 ft
350 rise
3
Peak 7720
7720 ft
308 rise
4
Hualapai Peak
8417 ft
4439 rise

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At the trailhead, a view up toward Aspen Peak's cliffy northern face.
At the trailhead, a view up toward Aspen Peak's cliffy northern face.
Hiking through the Flag fire burn area.
Hiking through the Flag fire burn area.
View back as I follow siwtchbacks.
View back as I follow siwtchbacks.
Junction with the Potato Patch Loop.
Junction with the Potato Patch Loop.
There are occasional signs marking named boulder formations along the way.
There are occasional signs marking named boulder formations along the way.
Image 5 from gallery
Looking back at a nice overlook toward Dean Peak.
Looking back at a nice overlook toward Dean Peak.
A short bit of downhill along the Potato Patch Loop, Hayden Peak seen in the center.
A short bit of downhill along the Potato Patch Loop, Hayden Peak seen in the center.
Junction with the Aspen Peak Trail.
Junction with the Aspen Peak Trail.
Along the Aspen Peak Trail.
Along the Aspen Peak Trail.
A cool pinnacle on the east side of Aspen Peak.
A cool pinnacle on the east side of Aspen Peak.
At the end of the official Aspen Peak Trail, but the summit is seen ahead.
At the end of the official Aspen Peak Trail, but the summit is seen ahead.
View north toward Dean Peak at the end of the Aspen Peak Trail.
View north toward Dean Peak at the end of the Aspen Peak Trail.
View at the bench/overlook from the end of the Aspen Peak Trail, just before continuing to the summit.
View at the bench/overlook from the end of the Aspen Peak Trail, just before continuing to the summit.
An unofficial trail continues to the summit of Aspen Peak.
An unofficial trail continues to the summit of Aspen Peak.
Some Class 2 along the way.
Some Class 2 along the way.
Aspen Peak on the left, a green street sign reading "Peak Way" seen right.
Aspen Peak on the left, a green street sign reading "Peak Way" seen right.
Aspen Peak summit ahead, a short Class 3 move over a crack.
Aspen Peak summit ahead, a short Class 3 move over a crack.
Hayden Peak (right), Hualapai Peak (left of center), and Peak 7720 (left).
Hayden Peak (right), Hualapai Peak (left of center), and Peak 7720 (left).
Close-up toward Hayden Peak.
Close-up toward Hayden Peak.
View west from Aspen Peak.
View west from Aspen Peak.
Along the Hayden Peak Drive road option. I recommend taking the Dinosaur Rock Spur Trail instead, because why hike a dumb road when there's a trail?
Along the Hayden Peak Drive road option. I recommend taking the Dinosaur Rock Spur Trail instead, because why hike a dumb road when there's a trail?
Junction with the Dinosaur Rock Spur Trail. Some maps mark this Hayden Peak Trail, but it doesn't actually lead to the summit.
Junction with the Dinosaur Rock Spur Trail. Some maps mark this Hayden Peak Trail, but it doesn't actually lead to the summit.
Some nice views along the way.
Some nice views along the way.
View back toward Aspen Peak.
View back toward Aspen Peak.
Nice granitic features along the way.
Nice granitic features along the way.
At a shelter, and a trail junction. Heading left is a short cutoff to reach the Hayden Peak Drive road.
At a shelter, and a trail junction. Heading left is a short cutoff to reach the Hayden Peak Drive road.
Along the steep road.
Along the steep road.
Stairs to the northern summit of Hayden Peak.
Stairs to the northern summit of Hayden Peak.
View south toward Hayden Peak's southern summit and
View south toward Hayden Peak's southern summit and
View north toward Aspen Peak and Dean Peak.
View north toward Aspen Peak and Dean Peak.
Southern summit of Hayden Peak. Rocks steps on the left lead to the summit.
Southern summit of Hayden Peak. Rocks steps on the left lead to the summit.
Image 32 from gallery
Shot toward the northern summit of Hayden Peak.
Shot toward the northern summit of Hayden Peak.
Along the Potato Patch Loop.
Along the Potato Patch Loop.
Junction with the Potato Patch Loop, which continues north. I stuck to the dirt road.
Junction with the Potato Patch Loop, which continues north. I stuck to the dirt road.
Along the Hayden Peak Trail.
Along the Hayden Peak Trail.
Approaching the saddle, Peak 7720 seen top left.
Approaching the saddle, Peak 7720 seen top left.
Class 2 up Peak 7720.
Class 2 up Peak 7720.
View toward the road up to Hualapai Peak on my way up Peak 7720.
View toward the road up to Hualapai Peak on my way up Peak 7720.
Peak 7720 summit ahead.
Peak 7720 summit ahead.
View toward Dean Peak.
View toward Dean Peak.
View toward Aspen Peak (right) and Hayden Peak (left).
View toward Aspen Peak (right) and Hayden Peak (left).
Peak 7720 summit block seen on the right. Class 3+ move.
Peak 7720 summit block seen on the right. Class 3+ move.
Back along the Hualapai Peak Trail, view back. Peak 7720 seen right, Aspen Peak left.
Back along the Hualapai Peak Trail, view back. Peak 7720 seen right, Aspen Peak left.
Along the Hualapai Peak Trail.
Along the Hualapai Peak Trail.
Hualapai Peak poking out top right.
Hualapai Peak poking out top right.
Just before the end of the dirt road, I headed up this slope using a pretty good social trail.
Just before the end of the dirt road, I headed up this slope using a pretty good social trail.
Class 2, keeping to the right of the blockier stuff.
Class 2, keeping to the right of the blockier stuff.
View back down toward the road, sort of visible center.
View back down toward the road, sort of visible center.
Class 2/2+, then a Class 3+ summit block move (left).
Class 2/2+, then a Class 3+ summit block move (left).
Hualapai Peak summit, view north toward Hayden Peak and Aspen Peak.
Hualapai Peak summit, view north toward Hayden Peak and Aspen Peak.
View north toward Dean Peak (center) and Peak 7720 (right).
View north toward Dean Peak (center) and Peak 7720 (right).
View toward Wabayuma Peak.
View toward Wabayuma Peak.
Along the eastern portion of the Potato Patch Loop.
Along the eastern portion of the Potato Patch Loop.
Some nice views and whatnot along the Potato Patch Loop.
Some nice views and whatnot along the Potato Patch Loop.
Potato Patch Loop, view toward Hualapai Peak.
Potato Patch Loop, view toward Hualapai Peak.
Approaching a nice section of trail that follows the base of Aspen Peak's northern cliffs.
Approaching a nice section of trail that follows the base of Aspen Peak's northern cliffs.
View up toward Aspen Peak along the Potato Patch Trail. I reached the loop trail junction shortly after this.
View up toward Aspen Peak along the Potato Patch Trail. I reached the loop trail junction shortly after this.

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