Easy Flagstaff hike shows aftereffects of Schultz Fire
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Ten years ago, the Schultz Fire was ravaging the eastern slopes of Flagstaff ’s San Francisco Peaks.
The human-caused blaze that ignited from an abandoned campfire on June 20, 2010, burned more than 15,000 acres of Coconino National Forest before it was contained 10 days later.
The fire was followed by one of the wettest monsoon seasons on record, which lead to devastating flooding.
Without trees and other vegetation to stabilize and absorb runoff, heavy rains created rivers of debris that further eroded the terrain, leaving behind a charred moonscape of sludge and an eerie wilderness of torched tree trunks and ashen gullies.
Born of volcanism that began shaping the area millions of years ago, this mountainous parcel in northern Arizona is no stranger to fire. Whether brought on by lightning, lava or human
carelessness, fire drives uneasy cycles of destruction and resurgence that aren’t going away anytime soon.
Ten years removed from the Schultz Fire, the area is in recovery mode, transitioning from what had been thick coniferous woodlands, alpine meadows and forested foothills into a much different, starkly beautiful destination.
The blaze damaged several popular hiking trails including Little Elden, Little Bear, Sunset, Heart and parts of the Arizona Trail. But two outlier routes that suffered the kind of odd, patchy damage to vegetation that melds islands of old growth survivors with resurgent sprouts provide enlightening walking tours of an emerging landscape.
Even before the fire, the Brandis and Deer Hill trails weren’t big-name attractions but instead offered less crowded, easy treks at the base of San Francisco Mountain with no difficult climbs or confusing junctions.
The Brandis Trail, at the edge of a residential area less than a mile from U.S. 89 north of Flagstaff, wanders through the fire scar and is a good path to follow to see how the forest is regenerating.
The 1.4-mile, straight-shot route heads due west toward the peaks beginning with a short hike among unscathed pines. Within a quarter mile, though, views of charred tree trunks that hover precariously over acres of toppled logs deliver a gut-punch to those who recall the woodsy, pre-fire environment.
The upside is that the near-treeless terrain is now replete with unobstructed views of nearby O’Leary Peak, an 8,916foot lava dome volcano and Sunset Crater, a young, 8,042-foot cinder cone and focal point of Sunset Crater Volcano National
Monument.
Interestingly, the now dormant volcano turned tourist attraction was the source of a curtain of fire that disrupted life here about 1,000 years ago.
The Brandis Trail roughly traces a drainage gorge where resurgent shrubs, wildflowers and saplings are encouraging signs of life. Healthy swaths of silvery rabbitbrush, mountain gromwell, penstemons, Rocky Mountain beeplant and Apache plume add color and sink stabilizing roots into the fragile soils while intermittent stands of survivor pines, oaks and junipers stand in testimony to the sometimes bizarre movements of wildfires.
The trail gets a little sketchy where it crosses the winding drainage several times. To stay on track, know that at the crossings, the trail picks up directly on the other side, not down the wash as random footprints might suggest.
At the 1.3-mile point, a livestock gate stands near one of the few shady areas on the trail. Pass through (close it behind you), and continue on to the turnaround point at the Deer Hill Trail junction.
For an optional, longer hike, the left leg heads 4 miles south to connect with the Little Elden and Arizona trails while the right leg goes 1.5 miles north to its terminus at Schultz Pass Road.
Hiking the Brandis Trail
3 miles round trip.
Easy.
6,840-7,212 feet.
From the Interstate 17/40 interchange in Flagstaff, go east on I-40 to Country Club Road (Exit 201). Go 8.2 miles north on U.S. 89, turn left on Brandis Way, and go 0.8 mile to a parking apron at the corner of Brandis Way and Ostrich Lane. The trailhead is at the end of a fenced easement at the end of Brandis Way. Respect private property by not blocking driveways or attempting to drive on the easement.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs /2010-schultz-fire.