Length: 4.5 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Moderate

Managing Agency: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest

Journal: "Shepoopie" & "Birthday Treasure"

**Kid Friendly Hike**

From the northern junction of US60 and SR260 in Show Low, travel SE on SR260 through Pinetop-Lakeside about 13.25 miles.  Turn left on Burnside Road (now called Buck Springs Road) and drive through the residential neighborhood about half a mile to FR 182.  Turn left and drive 2 miles.  FR182 curves left at this point.  Before the turn is the entrance to a development. Turn right into the development and make an immediate left.  The trailhead is 100 yards down a dirt road.

Trail Description:

This trail is a loop.  We hiked it in a clockwise direction.  Staring from across the road from the trailhead, the trail meanders through open forest.  The vegetation is mostly pine. For the first three fourths of a mile the trail is flat.  It then climbs gently to the flank of Pat Mullen Mountain.  At 1.1 miles, a spur trail goes to the top of the mountain.  The spur trail climbs moderately for .5 miles to the peak. There are some huge alligator pinon along this part.  The peak has some nice views but because of the trees, you do not get quite the panorama.

Back on the main path, the trail now descends gradually to the east.  The trail is wide and easy to follow.  The trail turns south and is flat again.  At approximately the two-mile mark (not counting the spur) the trail crosses FR 185.  At 2.2 miles, the trail turns west at a junction with the Los Burros connector trail.  Follow the trail the last mile back to the trailhead.