Keystone Peak in Sierrita Mountains BLM, AZ

Hike Keystone Peak Sierrita Mountains BLM, AZ

Class 1 8.9 miles 1900 gain 3-5 hrs Out + Back Oct 12, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Keystone Peak GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

Keystone Peak is the high point of the Sierrita Mountain range in Arizona. The peak is most easily accessed via a service road that leads the whole way to the summit. The mountain really not close to pretty much anything, but despite how far it looks on a map from civilization, there's a small town nearby. Reaching the trailhead is easy, and I parked at some water tanks next to the gated road. It doesn't seem to be an issue to do so. I hiked past the locked gate and followed the road as it slowly ascended toward Keystone Peak.

The road curved in and out of major gullies until the final steep approach to the summit, where there were nice views toward the more distant and impressive mountains of the area. On the way back I took a quick detour along a lesser-used dirt road up to Keystone Peak North, and then followed an overgrown dirt road back down to the main road. I headed back the same way. Nice views and good exercise, but not exactly a destination peak.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Keystone Peak
6188 ft
2448 rise
2
Keystone Peak - North
6160 ft
280 rise

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!

I started past the locked gate.
I started past the locked gate.
Boring road walk at first.
Boring road walk at first.
Ascending slowly.
Ascending slowly.
View back.
View back.
A junction, keep right and continue ascending.
A junction, keep right and continue ascending.
Close-up toward Ox Frame Tank below, filled with water.
Close-up toward Ox Frame Tank below, filled with water.
Continuing along the road - you can see it winding on the left.
Continuing along the road - you can see it winding on the left.
View across one of the many gullies as the road winds around the hills.
View across one of the many gullies as the road winds around the hills.
Some pleasant hilly views and good exercise, but it's just a walk on a road to Keystone Peak.
Some pleasant hilly views and good exercise, but it's just a walk on a road to Keystone Peak.
A cabin of some sort just off the road.
A cabin of some sort just off the road.
View back again.
View back again.
Keystone Peak comes into view.
Keystone Peak comes into view.
The road ascends ahead a little more steeply around Keystone Peak's west side.
The road ascends ahead a little more steeply around Keystone Peak's west side.
View back as the road winds around on the west side of Keystone Peak.
View back as the road winds around on the west side of Keystone Peak.
Approaching Keystone Peak.
Approaching Keystone Peak.
View back. There's some spur road on the left, not sure where that came from.
View back. There's some spur road on the left, not sure where that came from.
Summit of Keystone Peak. It was too hazy for any sort of good views, but Wrightson, etc. are visible on clear days.
Summit of Keystone Peak. It was too hazy for any sort of good views, but Wrightson, etc. are visible on clear days.
View across the valley toward the road I ascended on.
View across the valley toward the road I ascended on.
I backtracked for a bit and then located this spur road that would lead to Keystone Peak North.
I backtracked for a bit and then located this spur road that would lead to Keystone Peak North.
Close-up toward Keystone Peak.
Close-up toward Keystone Peak.
Almost up to Keystone Peak North, view back toward Keystone Peak.
Almost up to Keystone Peak North, view back toward Keystone Peak.
Keystone Peak North summit, view east.
Keystone Peak North summit, view east.
Headed down an overgrown road back to the main road. Mount Wrightson is sort of visible through the haze in the distance.
Headed down an overgrown road back to the main road. Mount Wrightson is sort of visible through the haze in the distance.

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!