AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Black Top Mesa–Canyon Lake, 7 sights

16.1 mi · ▲ 3,518 ft · 7 hr 8 min

Black Top Mesa–Canyon Lake, 7 sights is a 16.1-mile out-and-back near Tortilla Flat, AZ. The route passes Canyon Lake and La Barge Pool before reaching Black Top Mesa at the turnaround, 8.1 miles in. It climbs 3,518 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade. It scores 76/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi1,677 – 3,356 ft · steepest grade: 26%16.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 33.53545, -111.42274
Nearest town Tortilla Flat, AZ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Black Top Mesa–Canyon Lake, 7 sights

16.1 mi · ▲ 3,518 ft · 7 hr 8 min

Elevation 1,677–3,356 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 33.53545, -111.42274

Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:03 AM · sunset 6:49 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 50 ftPass Canyon Lake.
  3. 450 ftTurn left onto Boulder Canyon Trail #103, heading E.
  4. 2.8 miBear left onto Upper La Barge Canyon, heading S.
  5. 1.3 miPass La Barge Pool.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  7. 0.5 miTurn left onto Boulder Trail, heading SW.
  8. 2.1 miTurn left onto Dutchman Trail #104, heading SW.
  9. 500 ftContinue straight onto Bull Pass Trail #129, heading SW.
  10. 0.5 miTurn right onto Black Top Mesa Trail, heading SE.
  11. 0.7 miReach Black Top Mesa, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 0.7 miTurn left onto Bull Pass Trail #129, heading NW.
  13. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Dutchman Trail #104, heading W.
  14. 500 ftTurn right onto Boulder Trail, heading S.
  15. 2.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  16. 0.5 miTurn left onto Upper La Barge Canyon, heading N.
  17. 1.3 miBear right onto Boulder Canyon Trail #103, heading N.
  18. 2.8 miTurn right, heading N.
  19. 350 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/black-top-mesa-canyon-lake-out-back-8-sights

Trail surface

31% dirt69% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:03 AMSunset 6:49 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 7.6 mi in (~250 min). Leave by 2:19 PM for the 6:49 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:33 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Tortilla Flat, Arizona