East Divide #287

The fabulous views keep coming along all 22 miles of this ridgetop trail. It snakes its way among the highest peaks in the Galiuros and sidesteps the upper reaches of several of the range’s major canyons. From the trailhead in Deer Creek, the East Divide Trail wanders its way along shallow drainages and grassy flats to the upper reaches of Oak Creek. It then follows this drainage to the top of the easternmost of the two ridges, which divide the Galiuros. Once atop the East Divide, the trail follows a ridge line route past Kennedy, Sunset, and Bassett Peaks, offering good views of other prominent points in the mountain range, including Kielberg, Grassy, and Rhodes Peaks, as well as Biscuit, Maverick, and Cake Mountains. A quarter-mile side trip takes you to an even more impressive panorama atop Kennedy Peak, where the views stretch toward all points of the compass. From the high ridge of the Galiuro’s East Divide, the trail drops into the upper reaches of Douglas Canyon, where stands of Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, and aspen provide the scenery. Paddys River, Sunset Canyon, and Redfield Canyon add more drama to the topography, both to the east and the west, as the trail passes its junction with the High Creek Trail #290 and continues to the point where Bassett Peak Trail #287B sets off for the 7,663-foot summit of Bassett Peak, highest in the Galiuros. Here, the East Divide Trail drops off the high ridge and switchbacks down into Ash Creek Canyon, completing the last leg of its long and notable journey.