Little Dry Trail #180

Little Dry Trail #180 is a 10.3-mile one-way hiking route in the Gila National Forest and Gila Wilderness. It starts at the end of Forest Road 196 (Little Dry Creek Road) and climbs to the Gila Wilderness boundary in the first 2 miles, covering about 600 feet of elevation gain.

After reaching the canyon boundary zone, the route follows the drainage upstream for roughly another mile. It then leaves the canyon bottom and starts climbing toward the top of the ridge at Windy Point, before continuing along the ridge and contouring around the north side of Sacaton Mountain.

Route travel is intentionally non-motorized and non-mechanized, and most of the trail stays inside the Gila Wilderness. Plan around strict Leave No Trace expectations for a route that is “almost entirely” within wilderness boundaries.

Past Windy Point / Windy Gap the trail becomes increasingly rugged and can be hard to stay on if you expect an obvious tread the whole way. For experienced hikers doing a long push, it’s worth treating navigation and route-finding as part of the trip plan once you’re beyond that point.

Water is present via springs and streams, but it isn’t tested for quality—treat/filter native water as you go. If you’re backpacking, this supports longer carries, but the route’s wilderness setting means you should manage your water timing carefully.

Seasonality is open year-round and there is no fee for using the trail. The trail is not constructed to be accessible for people with disabilities, so expect a natural-trail experience rather than an engineered grade or surface.

Because this is a wilderness route, plan for conditions that can change after heavy rain: washouts and loose soil are possible, and flooding events can damage tread. Do a quick pre-departure scout (especially after wet weather) and be ready to alter plans if the drainage crossings or tread are unstable.

This route intersects with Holt-Apache Trail #181 at the ridge/contouring area near Sacaton Mountain, making it a practical long-distance connector if you’re building an itinerary around the Windy Point/Sacaton Mountain zone.

More information: Visitor information, Visitor information, Ascent of Sacaton Mountain on 2019-10-23 - Peakbagger.com