Big Horn Peak, AZ

Hiked: 10/15/2025
Distance: 7.8 miles round trip cross country
Summit Elevation: 3480'
Prominence: 1400'
Elevation Gain: 2325'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.8
Round trip time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 80 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Salome Road
Difficulty: Strenuous

I was in Phoenix for business and looked for an interesting mountain to hike on the way back. AI came up a 4 suggestions, including Big Horn Peak. It was a little north of I-10 and the trailhead was relatively easy to reach. It featured a cross country scramble and looked like a worthy challenge. After breakfast, I drove about an hour west from Phoenix and exited at Salome Road. Google Maps suggested some oddball route, but the exit at Salome was open and provided direct access to the service road for the Central Arizona Project Canal. I added a map below. The road was nicely graded gravel and I parked at the end near a pump station. The canal was fenced, but an unfenced open bridge allowed me to cross into the Bighorn Mountain Wilderness without trespassing. I followed the fence line north about a quarter mile where the fence ended. Then, I went directly toward the somewhat scary looking Big Horn Peak.

Big Horn looks like a sombrero. A lower band of cliffs acts as the brim, with a plateau surrounding the center tower. I followed the lower band of cliffs east until I found a class 2 gully to ascend. There was some minor brush but it was more helpful as holds than a hindrance. The middle plateau was covered in dense cholla. Despite careful steps, I picked up some needles both directions. I left the plateau onto a subtle ledge system with route finding the rest of the way. One ledge might not connect with a higher one and the route then was straight up, though not exceeding class 2. The slope was also loose with lots of gravel. It was slow work.

Salome exit on I-10 and service road

New ride and Big Horn Peak in the background

Skirting the lower cliffs

Ascent gully

Cholla moat

Under the summit
I finally arrived at the base of the crux: 40' of class 3 on good rock. I tried to have the drone follow me on the crux, but due to operator error, I only got a photo at the base. On the summit, I got a few aerial videos. I never found the register, thought it might have been hidden below a rock I didn't move. No benchmark either. I reveled in the views for 15 minutes before heading down. I down climbed the crux facing the rock. When I got back to the plateau, I decided to try to descend the gully since it was more direct. I had enough juice to climb back up if needed. When I reached the band lip, I was cliffed out. However, I saw a chute only 100' over that looked class 3. I climbed up a little to get to the chute. I was relieved it did go class 3 with some brush. The rest of the descent was easy as I merged into my approach path. It had taken me an hour longer than I expected. Big Horn was a great hike and worthy challenge.

Base of the class 3 crux

Looking back on the way down

Plateau. The ascent gully was on the left, the descent gully on the right

Looking back at the descent gully

Mill Peak

Hiked: 10/8/2025
Distance: 2.8 miles round trip on dirt road and use trail
Summit Elevation: 6691'
Elevation Gain: 680'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.5
Round trip time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Recommended water: 24 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Keller Peak Road
Difficulty: Easy

The last stop of the day was Mill Peak (HPS #140). I hadn't done much research on it, but I did read a report where someone had to bushwhack to the summit. I brought my loppers just in case. The trail started at a turnout on Keller Peak Road and descended down a dirt road. The road then climbed up toward Mill Peak which was not visible through the forest. When I came to a fork, I took the upper road. After a mile or so, I spotted a cairn that marked the use trail. The use trail went through freshly cut brush, mostly whitethorn. What encroached on the trail were soft ferns. The brush grew up to twice my height and I didn't see the summit block until I was within 50' of it. The moat of whitethorn around the summit area gave it a very San Sevaine feel. The summit block was easy and a register was in a large plastic jar. Mill Peak was quite popular based on the number of entries. Views were OK, but blocked in several directions by trees. I dug out the loppers on the way out and cut some whitethorn and ferns. I left it a little better than it was, but the people before me had done the hard work. It was an easy but productive day. I checked four HPS peaks off the list.

Start beyond the gate

Use trail

Summit

Keller Peak and Slide Peak

Hiked: 10/8/2025
Distance: 4 miles round trip on road and firebreak
Summit Elevation: 7882' (Keller), 7846' (Slide)
Prominence: 1050' (Keller)
Elevation Gain: 815'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.6
Round trip time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Recommended water: 24 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Keller Peak Road
Difficulty: Easy

It was a circuitous drive from Constance Peak to Highway 330 and Keller Peak Road. The road was paved and pothole free all the way to the locked gate below the summit. I parked at the turnout outside the gate and started another circuitous hike on the road to the back side of Keller Peak (HPS #75) and eventually the summit. I left my pack in the truck for Keller. It was probably less than a half mile as the crow flies from where I parked, but the landscape had been savagely burned. I was in no hurry and didn't want to leave looking like a chimney sweep so I stuck to the road. There were two towers on top that looked roughly the same height. One was a comm tower and the other an abandoned fire lookout. The high point was where the fire lookout was. I jogged up to get a waypoint, but the lookout itself was fenced and signed as no access. It didn't look sturdy enough for people anyway. From Keller, I got to look down on Constance and across to Slide Peak (HPS #77).

Fire lookout

Comm tower

When I got back to the truck, I grabbed my pack and walked a few hundred feet down the road to a firebreak that led to Slide. There was use trail on the firebreak and it looked as if it had been cleared within the last year. A couple of ski lifts ran up to the summit. The firebreak connected with a dirt road that took me the rest of the way to the summit. When I got there, it was clear the ski lifts and runs had been abandoned. A few antennae on the summit were still powered and operating. Behind the boarded up buildings was small pile of boulders that was the high point. After a careful search, I didn't find a benchmark or register. I returned to the truck and prepared for my final hike on Mill Peak.

Firebreak toward Slide Peak

Summit rocks

Constance Peak

Hiked: 10/8/2025
Distance: 1.2 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 6645'
Elevation Gain: 833'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.6
Round trip time: 50 minutes
Recommended water: 16 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Forest Road 1N12
Difficulty: Easy

I had a little work to do in the morning so got a late start. Forest road 1N12 had been closed for over a year due to fire damage so I was relieved to find the gate was open. The road was a good shape with neither high clearance nor 4x4 needed. The trailhead for Constance Peak (HPS #142) was just over a mile up the road at a wide turnout. I got started at 11:15 AM. The trail started directly up a steep slope on the right. It was slightly overgrown with dead weeds, but they didn't impede following the trail. The summit came into view atop the ridge. After climbing a couple of intermediate bumps, I reached the top. The benchmark was stamped GLEN. I also found a metal container with the register, a metal triangle post, and a wooden sign. Views exceeded my expectations, though it was smoggy across the Inland Empire and the Angeles National Forest. Constance sat in the shadow of San Bernardino Peak, blocking views of the long ridge to San Gorgonio. I got a good look north at Keller Peak, my next goal for the day. The descent was uneventful and I drove off toward Highway 330 and Big Bear.

Constance Peak ahead

Keller Peak behind the summit, San Gabriel mountains distant left

Gerhardt Peak (front) and San Bernardino Peak (back)

Santa Ana mountains on the horizon