Hike Maple Peak Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, AZ

Oct 16, 2024 — Maple Peak is most commonly accessed from the south via the Wildbunch Trail (#7) or from the north using the Charlie Moore Trail (#307). I chose the latter because I read that road conditions might be better. In fact, the road is passable by any vehicle up until the AZ/NM state line, where a makeshift barbed wire gate marks the start of the rougher road. From this point, you'll need a vehicle with some clearance and decent tires. I was able to drive my crossover SUV comfortably to the last good pull-out before the road degrades significantly. More capable vehicles can reach this point (33.36422, -109.08292), which is where the Charlie Moore Trail begins. The route I took is also labeled as the Grand Enchantment Trail on maps. You may notice that the red trail line for the Grand Enchantment Trail on my attached map doesn't match my track because the map is wrong.

At the end of the road, make sure to keep right to stay on the trail. Don’t continue left, where the road descends. The trail is in pretty poor condition, as I had expected given the remoteness of Maple Peak. The trail gradually gains elevation but can be hard to follow at times, especially lower down, where it is marked only by occasional cairns. Although I had no trouble following it at first, it was very unclear at around 7400'. There were occasional views of the surrounding hillsides and Whitewater Baldy in the distance. The trail ascends a ridge to the north of Maple Peak, just below a minor summit called Charlie Moore Mountain, before reaching a junction with an old trail marker sign listing various dilapidated trail options.

I veered left onto the Horse Canyon Trail (#306) and continued toward Maple Peak. The trail descends slightly to a scenic ridgeline and then stays just below the ridge, following a barbed wire fence for a time to the base of the peak. It then meanders up a few switchbacks on the peak's northeast slope before reaching the south ridge. While the switchbacks have some significant overgrowth, I didn’t have trouble staying on the trail. From the ridge, a faint trail leads almost to the summit, adjacent to a barbed wire fence. Be cautious of abandoned coils of barbed wire. There is a break in the fence near the summit. Although the views were pleasant, this was my second peak of the day where I questioned my decision to hike overgrown green hills along the obscure border of New Mexico and Arizona. The summit block and register were almost completely covered in ladybugs.