May 24, 2021 Ladybug Trail (Lower) Trail Report

This is a trail report from the SDMB volunteer work weekend held May 22nd and 23rd, 2021. 5 volunteers from Tucson and Phoenix came out to help. The volunteers did a combination of riding to Turkey Flat TH from Round the Mountain Campground and shuttling up to the trail head. The pedal up the Swift Highway from Round the Mountain Campground is formidable but not brutal. It's approximately 6.5 miles and 2200ft to get to the Turkey Flat Trailhead. Water was not yet turned on at Acadia Campground. Bring water and start early to maximize shade both on the ride but also when up on ridges of Ladybug trail. Work was focused on removing brush from the trail corridor and some light tread work in spots where the trail has grown back in. The work took place about 1 mile in from the Turkey Flat Trail Head headed toward Angle Orchard. We cleared about .9 mile of trail. There is about .4 miles of trail remaining to be brushed out. Use caution there are occasional patches of poison ivy in the uncleared area. Use caution if hiking or riding through the brush.

The remaining section to be cleared is about 2 miles in from Turkey Flat or Angle Orchard. This makes it a debate whether to hike in from the bottom or shuttle/ride to the top to enjoy the ride down after working. The tread remains primitive on the trail as a whole given low use. Many of the switchbacks on the trail were designed for hiking. Some corners will need to be walked. Use caution and ride smart if checking it out. We spent the entire weekend on this trail and saw two hikers on Sunday as we were leaving. Check out Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclist website or on Facebook for future work day information. There should be a larger redevelopment plan around Mt Graham trails being announced sometime in 2021. Stay tuned, come help, go explore.

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SDMB.org
Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/sdmb_mtb/
Email: [email protected]