As our neighbors started to pack up before their noon check out, we started to saddle the horses, leaving on the trail just before they did. We headed north, having decided to go on the most obvious loop, which included Lower Raptor, to Thumper, to Lime Kiln, about 7 or 8 miles according to my Google Earth-made map. The trail started out rocky and climbing, with a few occasional sandy spots once we reached the plateau. Mostly desert-like conditions, but with truly spectacular views all around. To the north, the red rocks of Sedona were clearly visible, to the south, the town of Cottonwood, to the west, the Mongollon rim with a clear view of Jerome, and old mining city up on a hill, to the east, yet another line of mountains. What a grand view! Each time we turned onto a new trail, though, the terrain changed somewhat. We had a few areas with grassy fields, a couple of areas with bunches of small trees, almost tunnel-like, then the most challenging trail, Lime Kiln, which has a long history and which had been recently restored, with a linear trail leading to another state park 15 miles northeast. This was the trail that was described as for experienced riders and horses only, and we could see why. A few places along the trail were so eroded that the drop was too much, so we had to trace a less-traveled route around it on several occasions, making for a few tricky moments, but overall, the horses did a fantastic job! We took one break about halfway around, stopping for shared apples and drinks for us, before heading back out again. It turned out to be a fantastic ride, we had an incredibly great time! The sun was shining, but a nice cool breeze was blowing, making for perfect weather. Everyone enjoyed themselves tremendously! By the time we got back to camp, our neighbors had cleared out, doing a pretty good job of "leaving no trace," except for their corrals, which they didn't seem to do much cleaning of at all. We decided to keep the horses together in one corral so that we would only have to fill one water bucket at a time, and they enjoy being near each other anyway. A great day, perfect in every way!
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