Wednesday Burro Group - Circle Trail

About this event

PLEASE NOTE 9:00 START TIME. I'M CHOOSING THIS HIKE FOR TODAY, AS I THINK THAT THE WATERFALL MAY BE IN FULL REGALIA GIVEN ALL THE RECENT RAINS SWELLING MANY WATERWAYS. WE MIGHT BEGIN THIS HIKE WITH THE WATERFALL & PROCEED AFTERWARDS ACROSS THE ROAD TO THE WEST CIRCLE TRAIL, OPPOSITE OF OUR CUSTOMARY ROUTE. THIS WILL BE DISCUSSED BEFOREHAND, GROUP CONSENSUS WILL PREVAIL :) Circle trail is a familiar hike for us, not long in distance, but offering a "punch of a workout" to it! Don't let low mileage fool you, this is a steep & sustained climb up, & relatively steep downhill, but switchbacks make it fully doable without difficulty. REMEMBER; WE MAY SWITCH THE ORDER OF WHERE WE HIKE FIRST, SO THE DESCRIPTION BELOW MIGHT END UP BEING IN REVERSE OF HOW IT'S STATED (I COPIED FROM PRIOR HIKE POSTING RATHER THAN RE-WRITING DESCRIPTION). The West Circle Trail is a 3 mile loop, a short distance, but you'll get a "bang for your buck" in terms of a work-out. We park about 1/2way up Hyde Park Rd, in the Black Canyon parking lot, walk a bit parallel to the road to the Lodge where we cross the street and begin the Loop. The trail is immediately steep and sustained for about 1.5 + miles, up and up and up, to picnic tables at the summit where we will have our rest/snack stop. That's our work-out. Then down about 1 mile or so back to Hyde Park Road. If enough hikers wish, we'll then cross back to the other side of the road, & follow the East Circle Trail, an easy trail to the Waterfall. Then back to the cars for a total of maybe 5 or so miles. Those who've gone to "The Waterfall" often in the past, or simply prefer not to include this section of the hike, can choose to end their hike with the West Circle Loop, a total of 3/3.5 miles. Hikers need to determine their preference prior to leaving DeVargas, in order to carpool accordingly for the length/time they plan to hike. Burro Hikes are for experienced hikers, most of our hikes are moderate in difficulty (by our standards),…