Today's hike is the Homestead Trail #305. The entire trail is 7 miles in length - one trail-head is on Walker Road just .6 miles south of Highway 69. At the other end, the trail-head is on Banning Mine Road just off Walker Road about 5.1 south of Highway 69. The trail passes by Lynx Lake, but not near the shore - you never see the lake.
I find the southern part of the trail to be the most interesting and gets you away from the campgrounds and generator noise. So I park in the South Lynx Lake Parking lot ($5 per day or use your Prescott National Forest Park pass).
I find the southern part of the trail to be the most interesting and gets you away from the campgrounds and generator noise. So I park in the South Lynx Lake Parking lot ($5 per day or use your Prescott National Forest Park pass).
The trail meanders through the campgrounds for a mile or so but then you are in the forest alone (minus a couple bikers). The trail is a gradual up-slope to the Banning Mine Road - which also means the return trip is mostly downhill! There is a rocky canyon to the East, which is hard to see, but worth a stop and look.
The hike was about 7.4 miles round trip with an elevation gain of over 700 feet. If anyone else is using the MapMyHike App, I have saved the one-way Course as "Homestead #305 South Lynx to Trailhead".
This is a nice hike minus the campgrounds and bikers. I give it a 3 and a half boots.