Grief Hill (Camp Verde)

 It was warm when I finished my ride on Quail Springs & Copper Chief, but it was still relatively early - noon-ish. There was another trail in the area I was certain was under construction. I made a quick stop for cold drinks and some calories, then made my way over to Cherry Rd. A short way up I came to the Grief Hill trailhead. I had been here before, it's a new parking area, restrooms, kiosk, even has a rollover gate...to nowhere.

The new trail was somewhere around here, but obviously not linked to the trailhead. I started riding out a dirt road heading east from the trailhead. I rode about a quarter mile and had a feeling I wasn't going to run into the new trail if I kept going. I stopped and scanned the area. Farther up the flanks of the hill there appeared to be a new cut. I figured that was the trail I was looking for, now I had to find where it started.

I rode back to the trailhead and right before reaching the parking lot there was a lesser traveled dirt road behind a gate. I started going up the rugged 2-track and barely 0.1 mile later I spotted a couple of cairns marking the pristine new tread. How far would it go? I guessed not too far, but I had to find out, heat be damned.

Sure looks new, doesn't it?

It was a gradual climb away from the trailhead.

Cool topography it wound around.

I saw no other bike tracks, only footprints and one set of horse tracks.

About a mile and a half in, I started seeing equipment parts. Must be getting close to the end.

What is this?

Air hammer??

It was getting toasty, so I wasn't too disappointed to reach the end.

It was 2 1/4 miles from the trailhead to the dozer and almost 500' of gain topping out a bit over 4000'. The good news? It was slightly downhill back to the car!!

Hand tools for the final tread work.

The trailhead comes into view.

This trail had a real nice routing to it.

The infamous rollover gate to nowhere. Soon though.

When complete - trails in pink - there will be a bunch of options from the Grief Hill TH.

The trail I rode is the righthand side of the bigger pink loop. On the bottom left of the map, you can see where the Black Canyon NRT ties into the system and where it currently ends at the yellow marker. If you like what you see here and on the ground, please consider making a donation to the Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition, VVCC.

There's not much right now, but if you're in the area, check it out.

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