Horseshoe Mesa East Trail

Best Time to Hike This Spur

Since this only makes sense as an add-on to an already long, exposed descent via Grandview Trail, plan around the same cooler-season timing that applies to that full route.

Trail Tips

• Remnants of the copper-mining era that built the original Grandview Trail are scattered around the mesa, though camping and lingering near historic structures is prohibited.
• No reliable drinking water anywhere on Horseshoe Mesa or the trails leading to it.
• Treat this as a mesa-top finish for hikers who've already committed to the Grandview Trail for the day or an overnight, not a standalone destination.

Getting to This Spur

At the fork on the mesa, staying left keeps you on Grandview; heading right puts you on this roughly 1.1-mile out-and-back route to the mesa's eastern point. There's no way off the mesa from this side, so it's a there-and-back walk rather than a loop or connector.

What to Expect on Horseshoe Mesa East Trail

The Horseshoe Mesa East Trail is the eastern spur off the historic Grandview Trail, reached only after descending roughly 3 miles below Grandview Point and passing the backcountry camping area on the mesa itself. Rated intermediate, with about 164 feet of gain and 439 feet of loss along the way to the point, it offers open views into the inner canyon and down toward Cottonwood and Grapevine Creek drainages.