Cane Springs Canyon to the Red Bird Mine

Park at the Bath Tub!

Directions: Take Highway 87 North towards Payson to Forest Road 26, which is on the right, about a half mile past Milepost 229. Your only going to be on FR 26 for a short distance, when you reach a parking area with a concrete water tank. There's a gate in the barb wire fence, go through gate, stay to the right to avoid tons o' cat claws. There's a short steep trail to the canyon.

Dog Friendly: Yes. The only cacti are prickly pear and there was flowing water. I'm not sure if it runs year round. There were some places that we had to scramble over rocks.

Cane Spring Canyon is another great day hike option if you're looking for

Howlie Swimming

something close to the valley and away from the crowded and popular hiking spots. There wasn't much of a trail but you can make your way at the bottom of the canyon with only a couple of spots where you have scramble up and down rocks. All three of my dogs handle them easily but Howlie, the youngest, took some coaxing in the steepest places. There was plenty of water flowing in the canyon creating some pools deep enough for the dogs to swim and stay cool. I was surprised because a lot of the creeks we've hiked recently were dry.

Where's the Road?

After you hike through Cane Spring Canyon, you can explore Corral Creek or brave the old mine roads from the Red Bird Mine, in the foothills of Mount Ord. The Red Bird was a mercury mine, worked in the 1960s. The roads are over grown and collapsing in places but they do offer some great views that hiking in the canyon didn't provide. There wasn't much left of the mine beyond some rusty old metal. It's always inspiring to see how nature reclaims itself.