How to Hike Hell's Hole

The Salome Wilderness Area in northern Arizona is home to Hell's Hole Trail. The trail name is fitting for this difficult ten-mile round trip hike. It is not extraordinarily long, and available to anyone who has a car, but not everyone can or should attempt this hike. It is only the experienced hikers that are looking to push the envelope that should take on this hike in the early summer. In the late summer, only those who have trained themselves to be in the heat should try this hike, and then they should start at daybreak.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Start your drive in the wee hours of the morning. Go north from Globe on SR88 to SR288 for 25 miles. Turn into the Reynolds Creek Group Camping area and get ready for an incredible day. This road is passable by car except in the rain, so be sure to watch the weather.
2. Start hiking towards Workman's Creek as soon as there is enough light. The first part of the trail starts off in the lush forest and stays pretty flat. Watching your step for animals is probably the hardest part of this part of the trail. Enjoy the ease of the hike as it doesn't last for long.
3. Hike down the side of the cliff to get to the creek itself. This is where you may start to think that Hell's Hole is a perfect name for this trail, just remember if your are descending, you still must ascend to go home. If you reach the creek that means that you have hiked two miles, that means only three to get to the end.
4. Relax and catch your second wind at Workman's Creek Canyon. Take your shoes off and cool your feet if you are feeling hot and the tootsies are burning. This is a wonderful area to eat the protein bars or lunch that you may have brought. You'll need the energy to finish this hike.
5. Head back to the trail and start the hike to the end of Hell's Hole by starting over a small mountain. This part of the trail is steep and your group may want to take it a bit slower. There are some plateaus along this part of the trail that give you a couples minutes of easy walking. After rains and storms, this area might get rocky so beware of your footing. Be sure to keep hydrated in this desert terrain.
6. Keep your head up for this next and last part of the hike to Hell's Hole. This part of the trail will go down the back side of the mountain that you just hiked up. It is steep and there are very few trees to shade you from the sun. Keep your eyes on the trail as sometimes the thorny bushes tend to grow over the trail.
7. Relax and enjoy the creek at Hell's Hole, you can even give yourselves a pat on the back. Set up and camp and start the fishing for dinner if you are staying the night. If hiking back in the same day, be sure to have plenty of water and protein for the trip back.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen no matter what the season.
• Camping overnight may be in your best interest if trying this in the summer or late spring. This way hikers get an early start into the mountain and out.