PIVOT ROCK CANYON

FIRE UPDATE AUGUST 24, 2011: Sand Rock Fire Moisture received over the last week resulted in minimal fire activity. If a drying trend occurs, fire managers will re-access and may continue management ignitions. Several Forest Roads within the fire perimeter remain closed for public access, as well as closed to camping. Smoke is noticeable along Highways 260 and 87, especially at night and early morning. Roads Closed: Camping is discouraged and forest roads are closed in the immediate fire area, including 604, 609, 616 from FR 149 out of Pivot Rock Canyon, 9387G, 9384A, 9386F, 9381, 6304 and FR149 from Hwy 87 to FR144. Behavior: Low intensity in ponderosa pine, oak, juniper and some fir understory.   Start Date: July 21 and 28 Resources: 1 Engine, plus additional firefighters; about 10 total. Managed by Mogollon Rim Ranger District. Location: Near junction of Highways 260 and 87. Size: 3600 acres. Possible growth up to 14,000 acres.  PIVOT ROCK CANYON Coconino National Forest This pleasant walk in the forest follows the drainage of Pivot Rock Canyon. Because the area benefits from a year-round supply of water from snowmelt and summer storms, the vegetation is green and abundant. The trail is unmarked, but not too tough to follow. The trickiest part comes at the quarter-mile point where a set of stony stairs leads down to the creek. The next 1.2 miles of the route travel through a beautiful “rainforest” criss-crossing the shallow creek many times on its way to a sun-speckled pasture where log cabin ruins beckon visitors. Beyond the old homestead, the trail becomes very overgrown. However, with basic route-finding skills, bushwhacking and boulder hopping, it’s not too difficult to continue for another 3.5 miles to where the trail ends at Forest Road 142. HIGHLIGHTS: narrow, wooded canyon, shallow stream and cabin ruins LENGTH: 3 miles roundtrip RATING: easy ELEVATION RANGE: 6,900 – 6790 feet DRIVING DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 135 miles one-way GETTING THERE: From Payson, go north on Highway 87 for 32 miles to Forest Road 616, which is located past milepost 284 on the left. Follow FR 616 for 3.3 miles to an unsigned campground downhill on the right. INFORMATION: 928-477-2172 or FIRE UPDATES: www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino