By Stacy
Where the high desert meets the mountains in the Coconino National Forest. Close to Flagstaff. Far from easy.
En Route
By early November, shorter days and cooler mornings begin to push my runs from mountain trails to the desert. That’s not an entirely bad thing, since it saves a bit of time driving to trailheads and I love desert running anyway. Still, it is hard to not miss alpine mountain running during the snowy months.
Such was my state of mind when trying to decide where to head for this month’s feature trail. I knew I wanted to get in a gulp of mountain running before winter. Since Lisa, my wife, and Joia, our golden retriever, were coming along, I also wanted the destination to offer great off-run amenities and a casual, dog-friendly vibe. Ideally, within 300 miles or so of home. With those objectives established, I consulted the atlas and our destination became immediately obvious: Flagstaff.
Flagstaff is hip, but not painfully so. Smart, outdoorsy and friendly. A college town, a regional hub of industry and health care, and a point of departure for a really great, really big backcountry. That’s Flag.
The abundance of outdoor endurance athletes who call Flagstaff home also made reconnaissance a snap. After doing a little research, I shot an email to Neil Weintraub at NATRA (Northern Arizona Trail Runners Association) to narrow down the options. He was super helpful in recommending a couple of especially good trails among the many available around Flagstaff and invited me to join their Saturday morning group run.
On the Trail
We spent Saturday doing a bit more trail reconnaissance and kicking around town. Sunday was overcast, a little hazy, chilly, and windy. Good running weather.
After driving to the trailhead and gearing up, I started up the Weatherford Trail. This connector to the Kachina Trail is the rugged two-track residue of an old road to the top of the San Francisco peaks. Within just a few minutes I was huffing and puffing the thin air as I made the steady climb from an altitude of about 8,250 feet to 9,000 over the course of about a mile and half.
At that point, I came to an intersection. Following directions meant a quick downhill/cross-slope romp until I saw another sign pointing me toward gorgeous singletrack: the Kachina Trail.
For about the next hour, I meandered up and down along the southern shoulder of the mountain, through dark groves of coniferous trees and the white-out of aspens, and across grassy meadows with wide views of the mountains above and Flagstaff below. Eventually, I emerged from the forest at the parking lot of the Arizona Snow Bowl, where I paused for a minute before returning in the direction from which I had come.
With most of the day’s climbing and photo stops behind me, I picked up the pace considerably on the return trip and made it a half-hour quicker than the run out. From there it was a rush to make hotel checkout, followed by a stop at the Downtown Diner to refuel.
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Where is it in the World?
The Kachina Trail is located in the Coconino National Forest. Access is from the Schultz Tank Trailhead 8.75 miles north of Flagstaff. Directions to the trailhead from the downtown intersection of Highways 66 and 180:
- North on Humphreys Street (HWY 180) for 3.25 miles
- East (right) on Schultz Pass Road (FR 420) for 0.75 miles until pavement ends
- Proceed on unpaved Schultz Pass Road 4.75 miles to Schultz Tank TH
The unpaved portion of Schultz Pass Road is a bit rough, but passable in good weather for typical passenger cars.
Alternative access is from the south end of the Arizona Snow Bowl parking lot. From the Snow Bowl TH, you can run the same route I did in reverse, run just the Kachina Trail as a 9-10 mile out-and-back, or run 7.3 miles one-way with the aid of a shuttle. Most of the trail is in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness Area. There is an opportunity to self-register near the Snow Bowl TH, but no permit is required except during winter.
A number of other great routes can be accessed from the Schultz Tank and other nearby trailheads, including the trails that comprise NATRA’s annual Soustice Race, which is held each October.
Area Map (new window)
Local Knowledge: Northern Arizona Trail Runners Assocation
One of the better trail-specific clubs I’ve come across. Their site has a wealth of additional information, including a schedule of group runs.
Degree of Difficulty
- Technical: Moderate-to-Hard
- Physical: Hard
- Total Distance: 14.6 miles
- Total Ascent: 4,675
- Total Descent: 4,675
What to Expect
Access to the Kachina Trail from Schultz Tank TH is by way of a section of the Weatherford Trail. The Weatherford connector is 100% rocky, rutted, double-track. From the trailhead, it is 1.7 miles and 850 vertical feet to the intersection taking you to the Kachina Trail proper. Tired legs and sketchy terrain are a recipe for a day-wrecking faceplant or twisted ankle on the return trip through this section, so be careful.
Once connected to the Kachina Trail, you will enjoy 100% singletrack with constant grade changes. There are numerous highly technical rock gardens to negotiate, which are a little taxing, but fun. Virtually the entire Kachina trail is at an altitude above 9,000 feet with a high of about 9,350. Unless you are a local or visiting from, say, Colorado, you will feel the altitude. Cool temps are the norm at this elevation year round, although an early start would be wise during the summer. This is a 3-season trail, although it enjoys a bit longer dry season due to its southern exposure.
Playlist to/from Trailhead
The National (Alligator)
Wolf Parade (Apologies to the Queen Mary)
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