Southwestern Horseshoe

The Southwestern Horseshoe (SWH) is an approximately 1800 mile (2896 km) backcountry route from Arches National Park to Albuquerque. It passes through three states, five national parks and combines lengthy segments of the Hayduke, Arizona and Grand Enchantment Trails. I pieced together this route as part of the 12 Long Walks journey of 2011/12. It was the ninth hike in the series, and immediately proceeded the calendar Triple Crown, which consists of the Pacific Crest, Continental Divide and Appalachian Trails.

All logistical details have been updated as of February, 2019.

At a Glance

Distance:  1782 miles (2867 km) approx.

Dates:  February 24 to April 29, 2012.

Start :  Tower Arch | Arches National Park, Utah

Finish:  Sandia Crest | Albuquerque, New Mexico

Route / Distance Breakdown :

• As mentioned above, the Southwestern Horseshoe links together large sections of the Hayduke (HDT), Arizona (AZT) and Grand Enchantment Trails (GET), in one continuous horseshoe-shaped route through America’s southwest.

• The HDT and GET sections of the SWH are more “routes” than trails, consisting of extended sections of cross country travel, interspersed with existing footpaths and little used 4WD tracks. The AZT is an established, more well defined pathway.

• The approximate distances for each of the three segments are as follows: 1. 693 miles (1115 km) for the HDT; 2. 476 miles (766 km) for the AZT, and; 3. 683 miles (1099 km) for the GET.

SWH Journal:

• Click here for journal entries (eleven in total) from my Southwestern Horseshoe thru-hike of 2012.

Why the “Southwestern Horseshoe”?

In planning the 12 Long Walks trip (14,342 mi / 23,081 km), I was hoping to experience as much of North America’s incredible natural diversity as I could in the space of 18 months. And one of the areas I was most looking forward to exploring was the Southwest. In particular the otherworldly Colorado Plateau. That being the case, I knew that 600, 700 or even 1000 miles wasn’t going to cut it. Ideally, I wanted something a bit longer in order to really get a feel for the region, and the combination of the Hayduke, AZT and GET seemed to fit the backcountry bill.

A secondary reason for putting this particular trek together was that I liked the idea of finishing the 12 Long Walks with the four longest trails and/or routes. As a lifelong golf and tennis fan, I guess you could say I equated this part of the journey to a “thru-hiking grand slam”! Each of the ambulatory quartet would take multiple months to finish, and to my way of thinking they all represented a distinct part of the US – the Colorado Plateau, the Pacific Crest, the Continental Divide, and the Appalachian mountains.

Southwestern Horseshoe Junctions

Listed below are the three main intersection points of the SWH. Note that the initial Hayduke Trail mileage from Arches NP to South Rim, will vary according to the number and length of alternates taken during that section:

A.    After approximately 693 miles (1115 km), the Hayduke Trail connects with the Arizona Trail at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

B.   The SWH then stays on the AZT for the next 406 miles (653 km), until it reaches Rogers Trough Trailhead (Superstition Mountains), where it overlaps with the GET.

C.  From Rogers Trough to Beehive Well, the AZT and GET are one in the same pathway for 70 miles (113 km). At this point the GET heads east in Putnam Wash, while the AZT continues south. SWH hikers continue on the GET all the way to the finish in Albuquerque.

Below is an overview of planning resources (as of February, 2019) for the three segments of the Southwestern Horseshoe:

Hayduke Trail (HDT) 

Winding its way snake-like way for 812 miles (1,307 km) across the Colorado Plateau, the Hayduke Trail takes place in a one-of-a-kind environment that includes more amazing geological features than any other trail in the world. There are canyons, domes, caverns, hoodoos, rock monoliths, mesas, river narrows, plateaus, caves, natural bridges, slot canyons, and barren badlands. Whew. If you are an experienced backpacker with a love of rocks and wide open spaces, look no further – this is the hike for you.

Resources

• Joe Mitchell & Mike Coronella, The Hayduke Trail: A Guide to the Backpacking Hiking Trail on the Colorado Plateau (2005 edition). The original guidebook from the guys who pioneered the route.

• Hayduketrail.org has a list of Resource links for planning purposes.

• Andrew Skurka, Hayduke Resources Bundle (includes mapset, databook and water information – $25).

• “Buck-30’s” data from his 2013 Hayduke hike. Route notes, water report, GPS info.

• Walking with Wired Hayduke Planning Page: A thorough compilation of resources for all things HDT. The sites author, Erin “Wired” Saver, hiked the Hayduke in 2015.

• Nic Barth Hayduke Trail GPS Track

• Hayduke Trail Facebook Public Group

• Little Package’s Hayduke Trail Mapset – Free Caltopo mapset and general tips on the route from two-time Hayduke thru-hiker, Caroline (aka Puppy).

Arizona Trail (AZT) 

The Arizona National Scenic Trail is an 817 mile (1315 km) pathway that spans the entire length of the Grand Canyon State, from the Mexican frontier in the south to the border with Utah in the north.

Resources

• Arizona Trail Topo Maps – A collaborative effort between the Arizona Trail Association (ATA), Brett Tucker/Simblissity and Postholer.com. Consisting of 129 digitalized color topographic maps (1:28,000). Available in printed or digital format (for AZTA members).

• Arizona Trail App – The official navigation app for the Arizona National Scenic Trail, built through a collaboration of the Arizona Trail Association and the creators of Guthook’s Guides hiking guide apps.

• Arizona Trail Association Facebook Page – Up to date information on all that is happening on the AZT.

• Click here to see an informative, well made video about the people, trail maintainers and gateway communities that help to make the Arizona Trail tick.

Grand Enchantment Trail (GET) 

The Grand Enchantment Trail is an approximately 770 mile backcountry route between Phoenix and Albuquerque. In the words of its founder, Brett “The Water Whisperer” Tucker: “……it connects mountains, deserts, canyons, and places of cultural and historic interest. Beginning in the Sonoran desert, the route meanders eastward, crossing unique and diverse Sky Island mountain ranges, deep and water-blessed desert canyons, the pine-studded Continental Divide, and toward the southernmost Rocky Mountains, where it descends dramatically to the outskirts of Albuquerque at its distant terminus.”

Resources

• http://www.simblissity.net/get/ – Tucker’s excellent website is literally a one-stop shop for all of your GET needs. As of 2019, he offers the GET Topo Map Set download for $30. The guidebook, town guide and water report are all free to download directly from the website.

• Buck 30’s GET Overview: Useful planning notes for GET hikers.

• Grand Enchantment Trail Q&A with 2018 thru-hikers Brian and Alison Ristola (aka Beardoh and Sweet Pea).

• Grand Enchantment Trail Facebook Group – Moderated by the trail’s founder Brett Tucker. Contains up to date information from recent thru-hikers.

Southwestern Horseshoe Q & A

On the off chance that anyone else is interested in doing this route, I thought I’d put together some imaginary questions and answers that may be of help.

How long will it take?

In all likelihood, the majority of folks attempting this hike will have previously completed either the Pacific Crest or Continental Divide Trails. Assuming that the SWH aspirant has a fairly solid backcountry skill set, here are some estimates as to what you might expect mileage-wise in comparison to the aforementioned trails. Note that the figures below factor in rest or zero days, which naturally will drop a hiker’s overall daily average:

• PCT  –  22-23 miles per day
• CDT  –  20-21 miles  ”      “
• SWH  – 17-19 miles  ”      “

I estimate that the average SWH hiker will finish the route in approximately 100 days. Due to the weather windows (see below) being potentially smaller than on the PCT and CDT, my advice would be to get your skates on and not take too much (if any) longer than this estimated total.

How difficult is the SWH? 

How hard you find the SWH, depends on a number of factors including off-trail hiking experience, pack weight, navigation/route-finding and seasonal conditions. It’s definitely a step-up in difficulty over a regular season Triple Crown trail. However, if you are looking for a challenging multi-month hike through some of the most spectacular natural scenery in North America, then the Southwestern Horseshoe is a great option.

Do I need GPS for navigation?

If you have a good level of proficiency with map and compass and are accustomed to off-trail hiking, then a GPS is not necessary for the SWH. That being said, this is 2019 and the reality is that most (more than 95%) hikers will either have a GPS app on their phone or carry a dedicated unit.

If you choose the GPS option as your principal source of navigation, my only advice is to also bring along paper maps and a compass as well (and, of course, know how to use them). Batteries can die, electronics can fail, coordinates may be off, signals don’t always come through. GPS have their limitations and if you have little to nothing in the way of navigation skills to call on as a backup, then you may well find yourself up poo creek, without a technological paddle.

How’s the water situation?

In a word………dryish. That being said, H2O options on the AZT and GET are generally more frequent and of higher quality than on the Hayduke Trail segment. Indeed, in regards to the latter section, the ubiquitous cow patties around almost each and every water source, led me to conclude that Utah is a legitimate contender for “cow poo capital of the US.” Better start looking over your shoulder, Texas.

Resources

• Check out Buck-30’s water chart from his 2013 hike for the latest info on the Hayduke water front.

• For the AZT, see the Arizona Trail Associations excellent water resources page.

• Finally, for the GET, click here to see the frequently updated water report from Simblissity.net.

Resupply

Once again, the Hayduke is the most challenging of the three sections. Expect at least two or three seven day plus carries.

• Hayduke Trail: For an overview of Hayduke resupply options, see Wired’s Hayduke Planning Page. When it comes to trail beta, this woman is Queen. By her own admission, she’s not too great in the navigation department, but what she lacks in map & compass skills, she makes up for in pre-hike research and perseverance.

• Arizona Trail: 1. One of Seven Project Resupply Guide; 2. Long Distance Hiker’s Resupply Guide. 

• Grand Enchantment Trail: As for the GET, check out Tucker’s Town Guide for an overview of resupply options.

How I resupplied during my SWH hike

Below is a list of my resupply points for the Southwestern Horseshoe. The numbers in brackets represent the mileage and amount of days food I sent via mail drop to each point (i.e. to get me from there to the following resupply). The places in which I purchased locally are noted in blue font:

• Moab – HDT (198 miles / 7 days)
• Hite Marina – HDT (188 miles / 7 days)* (Note: Hite Marina is no longer a resupply possibility. See Walking with Wired’s Hayduke page for alternative options.
• Escalante – HDT (98 miles / 4 days)
• Tropic – HDT (107 miles / 4 days)
• Jacob’s Lake – HDT (102 miles / 4 days) (Note: Jacob’s Lake no longer accepts resupply packages due to storage issues).
• South Rim – AZT (bought at the store)
• Mormon Lake – AZT (bought at the store)
• Flagstaff – AZT (bought at the supermarket)
• Pine – AZT (165 miles / 6 days)
• Superior – AZT/GET (161 miles / 6 days)
• Safford – GET (167 miles / 6 days)
• Gila/Doc Campbells – GET (180 miles / 6 days)
• Magdalena – GET (158 miles / 5 days)

What is the best season for the SWH?

This is definitely a spring or fall trip, with a slight overlap into the beginning or end of summer. Given average conditions and an itinerary of around 100 days, I would suggest an early March start date from Arches NP. Prepare for a chilly first couple of weeks.

If you would prefer going in the other direction, a mid-August beginning from Albuquerque could also work, as long as winter doesn’t come too early and you don’t mind a bit of late summer heat in New Mexico. Aim at getting to Arches no later than the end of November.

Conclusion

Putting together the 1782 mile (2867 km) Southwestern Horseshoe wasn’t exactly rocket science. It’s basically just large chunks of three already established routes/trails joined as one. All of the cartographic heavy lifting had already been done by the founders of the HDT, AZT and GET respectively.

That being said, I think the distance and timeframe required to complete the SWH, hits that multi-month thru-hiking “sweet spot” that many long-distance hikers search for. Something that an 800 to 900 mile (1287 – 1448 km) trip doesn’t always accomplish. When coupled with the fact that it passes through such a wide expanse of one of the world’s most incredible natural regions, for my money the SWH represents an excellent option for experienced thru-hikers that are looking for their next long-distance challenge.