The Mountains of Arizona
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Peak 4500 • Peak 4464 • Peak 4262 • Partnership Hill These four peaks form an almost perfect parallelogram surrounding Patagonia Lake, in southern Arizona near Nogales. Patagonia Lake is enclosed with its eponymous State Park, offering camping, hiking and boating. The lake is formed by a dam on Sonoita Creek and covers about a thousand acres. Interestingly, none of the peaks lie fully within the state park boundaries. The park boundaries run up on their slopes, but the summits all lie outside, either on State Trust land or private land. However, trails within the park allow for reasonably easy access to the peaks. The peaks are rarely climbed. Three of them have just two previous ascents according to Lists of John. A fourth peak, unranked Partnership Hill, has a trail to its top and sees more visitors as a result. Naturally, most people coming to Patagonia Lake are here for the camping and water I left Bisbee at 6:30 a.m., still dark but the sun rising to the southeast, today being the Winter Solstice and the shortest day of the year. I stopped in Sierra Vista for gas and snacks, then drove to highway AZ-82 west past Patagonia the town, going another ten miles or so to the turnoff for Patagonia Lake State Park, the total mileage from home about 85 miles. I paid my day fee — $20 — and continued in. My plan was to tackle the highest peak first, Peak 4500 (its map elevation). This peak lies northeast of the lake. Then I would take on Peak 4464, which lies southeast of the lake. I thought I may be able to do both on one hike.
Date: December 21, 2024
• Elevation: 4,492 feet ✳
• Prominence: 416 feet
• Distance: 4 miles
• Time: 2 hours
• Gain: 770 feet
• Conditions: Cold at first, warming. Sunny and clear
Arizona
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Main
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PB
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LoJ
I rolled into the small (three spots) parking lot for the "Birding Loop" trailhead. I got dressed and packed properly and was walking at 8:20 a.m.. The day was clear and calm, cold for now, but expecting to warm into the 60s and 70s.
The Birding Loop trail wanders through mesquite, cottonwoods and tall reedy grasses that line Sonoita Creek, the trail itself being mowed into the grass directly. I followed it, and after a half mile, came to a couple footbridges that span the creek. Now on the north side of the creek, I was on the "Lower" loop. The cottonwoods were gorgeous, with yellow leaves, towering about 60 feet in the air.
I needed to ascend out of this somehow, but the foliage lining the trail looked hopelessly dense. I found what looked like a game path through deep grass, so I followed it. I could see rocks up above, behind the trees, and hints of desert. I ascended up an embankment, which wasn't easy. Suddenly, I was out of the trees and on the lowest bluffs coming off of the peak. The transition from riparian woodland to desert scrub was sudden, about fifteen feet.
I tied a surveyour ribbon to an ocotillo for my return, then just started hoofing it uphill. The peak rises about 600 feet from where I stood, a big triangular peak covered in low grass, ocotillo and rocks.
The uphill was tedious, and none of the rocks were stable. Literally every step, one would roll from under me. These were granitic rocks ranging in size from golf balls up to basketballs. I generally angled right as I ascended, aiming for a ridge that comes off the summit to the southeast. I had to cross a fence along the way, presumably the state park boundary, although I saw no signs.
Once at the ridge, the top was in view, another 250 feet above. I kept to what I was doing, going slowly uphill and rolling with the rocks, until I was on top. The summit is rocky with a couple of large boulders looking the highest. I found a cairn and a register and signed in. I was surprised to see so many names, so this peak does get climbed. The last signature was over 18 months ago and overall, the register held about twenty names going back twenty years.
The views were very good, especially that of the lake and its surrounding hills, plus the colorful trees lining Sonoita Creek. Looking north, big Mounts Hopkins and Wrightson rose high, colored dark by their forests. It was warming now, probably a good 10 degrees warmer in just the one hour it took to get here.
I inched down the same way, going slow to take care on the rocks. I didn't fall but came close a couple times. I found my ribbon and crept back into the thicket of mesquites, then down the embankment. The embankment was a heap of large rocks covered in leaves. I stepped on what I thought was solid ground. My foot went straight down through the leaves and into a crevice of two rocks. I caught myself, otherwise, I could have easily busted an ankle.
Once back on the birding trails, I walked out, now meeting up with a number of hikers, children and dogs. I was back to my car at 10:20 a.m., a two-hour hike. It wasn't a difficult hike, but it was strenuous given the rolling rocks and the steep grades.
I also determined that hiking Peak 4464 from here would not be feasible. I exited, but stopped at the Visitors Center to get a free day pass for the Sonoita Creek Natural Area, where the latter two peaks were located.
Elevation: 4,465 feet ✳
• Prominence: 323 feet
• Distance: 4 miles
• Time: 90 minutes
• Gain: 1,100 feet
• Conditions: Sunny and warm
PB
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LoJ
This peak is the southeast peak of the quartet, less than a mile from the lake. But accessing it from the lake seemed more trouble than it was worth. Some old roads and tracks cross below the peak and I figured I could use those to access the peak.
I exited the park, but parked almost immediately in a clearing near where a rough track heads uphill, paralleling some power lines. I walked this track, then turned right, going south, on another rough track paralleling another set of power lines. I could not see the peak from here. A smaller peak, Peak 4200, rose in the near distance, completely blocking Peak 4464.
The tracks were in awful shape but I was willing to follow them if they got me close to the peak. It became apparent the track I was on wasn't going toward the peak, so I angled left and aimed for Peak 4200. I had to drop about fifty feet into a ravine and up the other side. I found another track and followed it, but left it and busted straight up to Peak 4200, figuring I can get my bearings from its summit having an elevated view.
On top of Peak 4200, I could now see Peak 4464 in all its glory, a big hump of a hill with steep grassy slopes and a lightly-forested (in mesquite and ocotillo) summit. Bewteen me and it was another steep drop into another ravine. I wasn't expecting this. I hoped that I could angle wide and maybe bypass these drops, but that did not seem feasible either.
I dropped off Peak 4200 and angled down into the ravine, finding a safe place to drop into it and up the opposite side, now on Peak 4464's slopes. I was looking at about 500 feet of gain from here.
The slope at first was steep but mellow. Then it steepened severely, and stayed like this all the way up. This segment was very loose and the rocks rolled, and even slid in small torrents on occasion. I moved very carefully.
I was soon on the top ridge. I crossed a fence (the park boundary again, I assumed) and walked up the easier slopes to the summit. Surprisingly, there is a very large cairn up here, about five feet tall and big and round, like a beehive. I found no registers. Who built it and why, I have no idea. Maybe someone from when this was all a Spanish land grant?
I snapped a couple images but wanted no part of this peak, and the sooner I was down, the happier I would be. I retraced my route, taking the downslope with extreme care. Multiple times I slid a foot or three as the rocks let go under me. I got down the slope, then retraced my route out via the same ravines, eventually getting myself back to the power lines.
Once on the power line tracks, it was a relatively easier walk out these tracks back to my car. I was happy to be done with this peak but did not enjoy it. It was far more hassle than it was worth. It felt like I was in there for three hours, but I was surprised to see I had only been gone an hour and a half. It was a little past noon now and warming into the 70s.
Elevation: 4,262 feet ✳
• Prominence: 311 feet
• Distance: 2 miles
• Time: 75 minutes
• Gain: 740 feet
• Conditions: Warm
PB
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LoJ
The next two peaks would be accessed via the Sonoita Creek Natural Area, which appends the park but is not part of the park. It is State Trust land that is very minorly developed with an access road and a few backcountry hiking trails.
The road is gated half-closed with a sign saying that entry is only possible with a free permit, which can only be obtained at the Visitors Center, so it's not really free since it costs money to enter the park. Anyway, I got mine so I was legal.
I drove the road in about a mile, circling around Partnership Hill and parking in a lot. There were two other cars here. I was bushed from the last hike so I took a longer break in my car, having something to eat and drink. It was also quite warm, in the mid 70s. This is very warm for the first day of winter.
Next on the agenda was Peak 4262, which is the northwest peak of the quartet, a loaf-shaped mound of rocks and grass rising above the actual dam structure itself. I started walking, following the Blackhawk Trail past a gate. This is an access road for now. The trail soon juts off to the left. I stayed on the road, now rough concrete, as it descended steeply about 120 feet toward the lake's spillway.
The spillway is just a big flat concrete slab, the highest point of the lake, where the water would flow over should it suddenly flood. For now, it was just a lot of concrete and ugly rocks and crud all around. I walked to the opposite side and found a trail. A woman was on the shore, with high-end cameras. I walked around her and tried to stay on the trail, but the trails here were not well marked.
I hiked up a bluff then found the main road again. This then drops toward the dam, which is a big earthen dam covered in big "rip rap" rocks. On the opposite side, I found a meager trail, which I followed until it petered out.
I started directly uphill, up a steep slope of desert grass, rocks and ocotillo (interestingly, no cactus). I found cattle paths which helped, along with their poos, some of it looking fresh. Fortunately, this peak was not as high as the others, and as soon as I started to get tired, I was almost at the top.
The summit is nothing special, a gentle dome of desert and ocotillo. I found a cairn but no register. A lobe to the east looked as high from below, but once here, it was clearly lower (Lidar says by 13 feet). Like on Peak 4644, once I tagged the top, I turned around and started down, no interest to stick around. This is a rarely-visited peak (2 previous ascents at Lists of John, 1 at Peakbagger) and I can see why.
I followed my exact route out and was back to my car, the round trip taking an hour and fifteen minutes. I was happy to have three ranked peaks done but I was tired too. Thus far, I had hiked about ten miles with over 2,600 feet of gross elevation gain, and I could feel it.
Elevation: 4,223 feet ✳
• Prominence: 269 feet
• Distance: 1.4 miles
• Time: 45 minutes
• Gain: 300 feet
• Conditions: Warm
PB
I could have packed it in and headed out now, but this last peak would be the shortest and easiest of the four. It's the only one with a name, Partnership Hill, because of the partnering of the Friends of Sonoita Creek and the Arizona State Parks people.
I lurched out of the car and started up the trail. I went light: no pack, just a bottle of water and one hiking pole. The trail is easy to follow but rocky. It curls around the hill, going all the way around its backside and up to a saddle below the top. The trail then makes a bend left and curls again to the top, all this in 0.7 mile.
The summit is open with grass and a few rocks including a small cairn. A couple of benches with a plaque are alongside the trail, slightly below the top. I wandered up to the top and looked around, and then started back down.
The outbound hike went fast, or slow, since I was moving sluggishly. I was back to my car in 45 minutes, finally done with the long day of hiking. I felt great, but also dead tired. I had hiked 4 peaks in over 11 miles with about 3,000 feet of total elevation gain.
I changed and headed out. The drive home went well. I stopped for a Subway sandwich in Sierra Vista, then took the scenic route home via Hereford Road and state route AZ-92, arriving home about 4 p.m..
The day had gone very well and I was happy with the haul. I was not sure about access for all four of these peaks, but other than the relentless rolling rocks and occasional heavy brush, and a couple of unplanned ravines, I had no trouble with the peaks. Being my first time at this particular park, I thought it was very pretty and would be a good place to camp.
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