Loose boulders, erosion from recent storms closes Phoenix trail

Rain delays repairs on Echo Canyon Trail after loose boulders erode

Echo Canyon Trail on Camelback Mountain has been closed to the public since last month, after recent storms caused significant damage. FOX 10'S Ashlie Rodriguez reports.

PHOENIX - Rain is delaying repairs on a popular hiking trail.

What we know:

Echo Canyon Trail on Camelback Mountain has been closed to the public since October—and there’s no telling when it will open up again.

This week’s wet weather is only making the situation more treacherous after recent storms in September and October caused significant damage to the Echo Canyon Trail. All the rain shifted the soil and destabilized three large boulders.

Big picture view:

Known as one of the most strenuous trails in the Valley, Echo Canyon Trail can attract anywhere from a half million to a million hikers a year.

Many hikers choose to climb its boulders under the cool cover of fall and winter weather, but they will be forced to try other trails for the foreseeable future.

What they're saying:

"One of our park rangers was out there fortunately to hike the trail and noticed that this boulder was no longer as stable as it once had been," Deputy Director of the Natural Resources Division Jarod Rogers said. 

The large, 15-foot boulder had sunlight coming through around its edges. The decision was made in October to shut down the trail and bring in engineers, who discovered the soil stabilizing two other large boulders had also eroded.

"I can tell you I was up there on the mountain myself. When you look at this boulder, it doesn’t look like there’s a lot that would need to happen for it to move on it’s own," Rogers said.

What's next:

The popular trail has been empty for weeks now, and with more rainfall this week and the potential for even more erosion, crews are waiting for drier weather to return to start repairs.

"This was the week that we were intending to go full systems ahead, but we need to slow down a bit to make sure that our workers are safe," Rogers said.

Why you should care:

The danger of these unstable boulders is so high there is no estimation of when Echo Canyon Trail will reopen to the public. It all depends on how well the repair work goes.

Map of the Echo Canyon Trailhead.