11. Laws Spring, Hardy Trestle, and Keyhole Sink, Kaibab National Forest (Fri)

A little more than a half day 8 AM to 3 PM.

Easy to Moderate
 
We will begin the day meeting at the Oak Hill Snow Play area at 8 AM sharp (https://goo.gl/maps/XbXDxJBWNF42). From NAU take I-40 west to exit 178, turn right at top of ramp and then left on to Route 66. Drive about 4 miles west to the Oak Hill Snow Play dirt lot. 
 
Stop 1, Laws Spring Petroglyphs: (https://goo.gl/maps/VmNpkZz6UhR2) It is about a 30 minute drive from the Oak Hill Snow Play area to Laws Spring. The forest roads to Laws Spring require high clearance vehicles. Once at the trailhead, it is a short hike to the water hole. To see the vast majority of petroglyphs it is a scramble along the base of a rocky lava flow. The site contains hundreds of Cohonina style petroglyphs and historic inscriptions associated with travelers on the Beale Wagon Road built in 1858 to 1859. You can learn more about the Beale Wagon Road at https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/kaibab/recreation/recarea/?recid=11675
 
Stop 2, Hardy Hill Trestle Petroglyphs:  After visiting Laws Spring, we will back-track south to park at the junction of Forest Road 74 and Forest Road 703 (https://goo.gl/maps/MBkjQEoofVG2). This is about a 15 minute drive from Laws Spring.  We will take a relatively flat hike west about ¼ mile then scramble into the rocky canyon that is home to the historic Hardy Hill logging railroad trestle. It was constructed around AD 1900 and  there are also several Cohonina style petroglyph panels in this scenic canyon.  
 
Stop 3, Keyhole Sink Petroglyphs:  We will return to the Oak Hill Snow Play area (https://goo.gl/maps/XbXDxJBWNF42) and take a 1.2 mile round trip hike to the Keyhole Sink petroglyph interpretive site. Vandals defaced the petroglyphs with graffiti in 2010 and again in 2013. Since then, Kaibab archaeologists and local high school students have twice successfully removed the evidence of the graffiti. Learn more about Keyhole Sink at https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/kaibab/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=11678&actid=50