Ladybug #329

This trail gets its unique name from the fact that it starts near Ladybug Peak, a place where large numbers of these small, orange-colored, black-spotted beetles congregate at various times of the year. The upper trailhead is located in stands of mixed conifers from which the setting changes gradually to oak woodland and eventually to manzanita and desert scrub as the trail drops into Jacobson Canyon at its lower end. Most people choose to travel the trail in this downhill direction because it is quite steep. A good reason to choose to go the other way, however, is if the upper trailhead is snowed in after a winter storm. Scenery along Ladybug Trail includes good overlooks of Jacobson Canyon and views of the Swift Trail (AZ 366) as it snakes its way up the mountain. In the distance, the Gila Mountains and Gila Valley provide a broad and scenic backdrop.

Note: Black bear area