TELEPHONE TRAIL

TELEPHONE TRAIL
Pinal Mountain, Tonto National Forest
FIRE NOTE: As of July 22, 2010, the Mill 2 Fire was still impacting this area. Check with the ranger before heading out!
The least traveled of the four major uphill routes in the Pinals, this one is not to be missed. Traversing both ridgelines with hazy views of the mines surrounding Globe-Miami and heavily-wooded ravines, trail #192 follows an underground telephone line supplying service to the summer cabins and communication towers on the peaks. The trail ends at the Sixshooter Canyon trail #197 junction where you can either return the way you came or instead follow 197 back to the trailhead—the distance is about the same.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Pinal trails are notoriously overgrown and rife with obstacles. In addition, directional signage is sparse, so hikers must have excellent map and route-finding skills in order to safely navigate these trails.
A good map resource is the National Geographic Maps, Salt River Canyon, Tonto National Forest #853.
INFORMATION: www.natgeomaps.com/ti_853



LENGTH: 10 miles roundtrip
ELEVATION: 4,520 – 6,720 feet
RATING: difficult

GETTING THERE:
From Phoenix, take US 60 east to the town of Globe. Once in Globe, watch for the sign that says: “Besh-Ba-Gowah Ruins, Globe Ranger Station”. Leave the freeway here and follow the signs toward the ruins. After driving under the pedestrian overpass, and past the ruins, turn right on Icehouse Canyon Road (Forest Road 112) and go 4.2 miles to the Icehouse CCC campsite where there’s a hiker sign on the left that reads: “197, 192”. If the gate to the campsite is locked, just park in the pullouts along the road
INFORMATION: Globe Ranger District (928) 402-6200, www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/recreation/rogs/hikingtrail/grd/TelephoneTrail192.pdf