ICE CAVE TRAIL
Pinetop-Lakeside
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| Porter Creek |
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| Porter Creek |
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| Ice Cave |
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| Turnoff for Ice Cave |
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| Scott Reservoir |
Although alluring images of icicles and dark, stony passages might come to mind when mulling over the name of this celebrated White Mountain trail, it’s best to approach this hike as a journey instead of a destination. That’s because the signature feature-- “ice cave”--is little more than an anticlimactic side trip on an otherwise striking trail. Surrounded by chain link for preservation, the cave is actually a lava tube that spews cool air year-round. As a destination, this dusty sinkhole disappoints, but the beautiful journey picks up the slack. The hike begins on a dirt road that passes by a row of ranch homes before encountering the marshy margins of Porter Creek where profuse clusters of cattails and fragrant grasses populate the dewy cienega that hosts the trail on its way to Scott Reservoir. At the 1-mile point, the route bends away from the water and begins a mild, pine-shaded uphill climb. The ice cave (a.k.a. Blue Ridge Cave) is located a few yards off the main trail near the 2-mile point where the protective fence is barely visible off to the left. The spur path is marked by a low rock wall and two blue diamond markers tacked to a tree. After visiting the cave, hop back on the main route and continue for another 1.5-miles to Blue Ridge Trail #107 junction, the turnaround point for this hike.
LENGTH: 7 miles roundtrip
ELEVATION: 6,700’ – 7,200’
RATING: moderate
DOG RATING: 3 paws
KID FRIENDLY?: moderate
DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 175 miles one-way
GETTING THERE:
From Show Low, go southeast on SR260 (toward McNary) to Porter Mountain Road (FR 45). Go left at the stoplight and continue 1 mile to the trailhead on the right.
INFO: Pinetop-Lakeside Parks & Recreation, 928-368-6700 x 3,
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