Meet: O'Leary Peak Trailhead (North of Flagstaff) @ 9:00AM
Total distance: ~9.6 miles Strenuous
Elevation gain: 2014 ft starting at ~7000 feet
Time: 5-6 hours with stop for lunch (BYOL)
Hike leaders: Darryl & Kathleen Toupkin
This is a wonderful opportunity to train for your fall Camino (or relive it) and beat the heat! The out and back hike to O'Leary Peak Lookout begins on a forest road with gradual elevation gain. The trail is open and surrounded by lava field. We will get off the forest road between two summits and hike 6 switchbacks to the tower on the Peak. The peak is O'Leary's western summit. This is the most difficult part of the climb. The tower sits at 8,916, and offers fantastic views. You can see into the Inner Basin of the San Francisco Peaks, into the crater of Sunset Crater and to the north you can see the Painted Desert. You will be amazed by the number of cinder cones in the area. For more information read about it inArizona Highways. You can make a day of it and visit Sunset Crater after the hike. While no fee is required for parking at the trailhead, there is a park fee if you choose to visit Sunset Crater.
Meeting place: Oleary Lookout trailhead which is just before you enter Sunset Crater Monuments. The drive to the trailhead is a quarter mile. Plenty of time to join us for the day if you drive up from Phoenix. Check Bonito Campground adjacent to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument if inclined to camp.
Darryl is a member of the Valley of the Sun Chapter Core Team. He and his wife Kathleen have led out of town chapter hikes in the Chiricahuas and in Flagstaff and have inspired others to walk the Camino through presentations throughout the Valley. They walked the Camino Frances and Camino Fisterre in 2022 and the Via Francegina (from Lucca to Rome) in 2024 with part of their Camino family. For their Spain Camino they added an additional 200 miles to the route exploring local points of interest and fulfilling their curiosity and love of history and castles. Darryl was the first to remind us that no one has ever come back from the Camino and said, 'I wish I would spent less time...' They have plans to walk the Camino Portuguese in 2026.
If you are running late or need to reach Darryl about questions the walk, please call him at 602.284.1765.
- Poles
- Hat & Sunscreen
- Plenty of water (at least 2 Liters recommended since no water on hike)
- Lunch, electrolytes.
- Be prepared for abrupt & incliment weather changes as we will be climbing 2014 ft. Weather extremes are not uncommon. Summer days are warm with temperatures in the 80s and afternoon showers are not uncommon..
There is water at the Trailhead.
There is a bathroom at the trailhead.
Please stay home if you are feeling sick.
Call or text your hike leader Darryl @ 602.284.1765 if you are unable to make it or are running late.
No dogs allowed due to chapter liability.
We will share the trail with other hikers and mountain bikers so despite our engaging conversations we will be aware of our surroundings and courteous by stepping off the trail or walking single file when necessary.
Reminders: Our chapter activities are led by volunteers. Donativo contributions (cash only) are greatly appreciated and are used to support future activities. Look for the orange donativo jar by the signup at the beginning of each hike.
We always gather in the spirit of the Camino; therefore the hike leader will maintain awareness of the pace of the group, and will stop periodically at trail intersections to allow all participants to catch up. Hikers/walkers are differently abled and will not finish at the same time. There will be a sweep for larger groups and no hiker will be abandoned. Please review the trail description before signing up to be sure the hike is right for you and your abilities.
From Flagstaff take US 89 north. Turn right on the road to Sunset Crater National Park. Just before entering the park, take a left on Forest Road 545A. Drive this road about 1/4 of a mile, which is paved. Park here and hike the rest of the way to the top. GPS (Map): 35°22'19.9"N 111°32'28.7"W