Here is an excellent opportunity to get out into a wild area while helping to protect it. The Arizona Wilderness Coalition invites you to come hike Longfellow Ridge in the Blind Indian Creek Roadless Area, which is in the Prescott National Forest roughly 15 miles south of Prescott. Join us for a break from the everyday hustle and bustle and enjoy a fine autumn day in this rugged, remote area.

The Hike

From Palace Station (along Senator Highway) we'll be hiking south along Long Fellow Ridge. The hike will begin in Ponderosa pine forest. As we hike south and gain elevation we will leave the pines behind; hiking through chaparral along the ridge will afford stunning views of the southern Bradshaw Mountains as well as the Blind Indian Creek Roadless Area. The hike is moderate in nature, covering roughly eight miles round trip. The trail begins at 5,200 feet in elevation and reaches 6,600 feet. Long pants and boots are recommended, as chaparral can be difficult to travel through.

What it's about

After the federal government signed the Wilderness Act into law in 1964 many wild roadless areas existed that did not initially receive protection. By 1979 the Forest Service had completed its inventory of roadless lands, including recommendations for future “Wilderness” designation, but almost none of the roadless lands inventoried received a recommendation as “Wilderness.”

USFS released some of these roadless areas to “multiple uses” while setting others aside for further study. In 2001, after three years of highly supportive public comments, the Forest Service adopted the Roadless Area Conservation Rule protecting the remaining roadless lands in the United States. The rule essentially prohibited new road construction and timber harvest within 58.5 million acres of inventoried roadless areas on Forest Service lands across the country. This rule protected 1,174,000 acres of Forest Service lands in Arizona. The Bush Administration has yet to implement the Roadless rule and revised the rule in 2005, forcing state governors to petition the Secretary of Agriculture with recommendations for specific management of inventoried roadless areas in their states. This essentially added an additional step for areas that had already received protection under the initial roadless rule. (This was an attempt by the Bush Administration to open up 50 million acres of public lands to extractive industries. In September of this year a US District court found that Bush violated both the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, and it reinstated the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. -Ed.)

Why Wilderness Inventory?

Wilderness Inventory is an evaluation of potential Wilderness and Roadless areas. This evaluation process includes documenting Wilderness characteristics as well as vehicle routes in the area. AWC then uses the documentation collected by volunteers for future Roadless Area proposals, Wilderness proposals, and during Forest Management Planning. Often, the Inventory collected by volunteers is the best documentation the Forest Service receives about a given area. By collecting accurate information we all have a chance to make a positive impact on the way the government manages our public lands in the future.

What to Wear and Bring

-Sturdy shoes; sandals not recommended.

-A hip pack or small backpack to carry your equipment/food.

-A gallon of water in bottles or in a hydration system.

-Sun protection, including sunscreen

-Snacks/lunch

-Rain jacket

Camping

Camping is not necessary for this event, but free camping is available Friday and Saturday nights within the Prescott National Forest. For more information on camping options for this event contact Tim Craig (below). No camping services are available; bring your own water. Pack it in/pack it out.

Directions

Contact Tim Craig for directions, meeting times and for more information: 406-579-9172 or This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it . Your RSVP is helpful for our planning.

Event overview

Saturday, November 11th

8:00am Depart Prescott

9:00am Arrive at trailhead

9:10am Brief introduction and safety talk

9:20am Begin hiking and Wilderness Inventory

12:00pm Lunch break- Q&A about Roadless Areas

4:00pm Arrive back at trailhead

5:15pm Arrive back in Prescott, event concludes.