Hidden Pasture Trail In The Rincon Mountains — Panorama by kenne
Hidden Pasture Trail is a 6.8 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located off of Mescal Road
on the eastern side of the Rincon Mountains in the Little Rincons.
Hiking to Hidden Pasture provides great Rincon Peak vistas to the west.
— kenne
Panorama Views On The Hidden Pasture Trail In The Little Rincon Mountains by kenne
Images by kenne
There’s a special place on the east side of the Rincon Mountains, named “Happy Valley.”
A primitive road goes past ranches as the terrain and vegetation evolve, creating a picturesque kaleidoscope of nature’s beauty.
The road slowly narrows with several curves lined with large cottonwoods, oaks, and sycamore trees, forming a belt along a fence-line above the trees.
On a previous trip into Happy Valley, we had identified a lone railroad post as a marker on the fence above a grove of trees where we could leave our car. Approaching the marker-post, we hiked the fence-line up through waist-high thorny bushes till reaching the gate to the Hidden Pasture Trail. Located in the Little Rincon Mountains, the trail slowly leads us through a maze of beautiful rock formations and scenic views.
The trail is not heavily used and can be difficult to follow, causing frequent misdirected diversions — not a problem as long as we followed a line parallel to Ash Creek, which snakes up the canyon below North Star Peak.
The views are superb — Enjoy!
— kenne
Desert Phlox Wildflower — Image by kenne
— Lydia M. Child
Panorama View Along The Hidden Pasture Trail — Images by kenne
Images by kenne
Happy Valley is located between the Rincon Mountains and the Little Rincon Mountains. About ten miles from where the dirt road begins in the valley, there is a scenic, but rugged hike through a maze of spectacular granite rock formations, to a perched valley called Hidden Pasture. The trail to Hidden Pasture is challenging 3.5 miles and an elevation gain of 900 feet to Hidden Pasture. Not all the Monday Morning Milers were planning going all the way to Hidden Pasture, but Kristen, Tom and I were out front of the others with out sights set on reaching the perched pasture. We were about two miles or more when Kristen had a fall, twisting her left angle. We proceeded on until reaching a mountain stream area. Although there was not water in the wash, there was some remaining in the deeper holes. The presence of the water caused Kristen to stop and rest with her ankle in the cold mountain water. The rest give her some time ro reassess the situation and decided it might be best to not keep going to Hidden Pasture. Tom and Kristen turned back while I stayed back taking photos of this beautiful granite canyon, before returning.
kenne
![Zographus regalis cuprea [Cameroon]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52783978513_e3da275118_s.jpg "Zographus regalis cuprea [Cameroon]")
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