Jester's Trail: Hike To Summit That Offers Beautiful Views

If you have cabin fever from the long, hot summer, there's a place near Telegraph Pass where you can rekindle your spirit and get a good workout.

Jester's Trail in the Gila Mountains east of Yuma wraps around one peak and leads to the top of another through jagged terrain that's home to upland desert plants and wildlife. "This is a really great resource for the community," said Aaron Curtis, outdoor recreation planner with the Bureau of Land Management. "People can drive for about half an hour and exercise in a place where there is no evidence of man around. It's a very primitive, natural place to be."

Jester's Trail was named after the late Dr. Lester "Jester" Olin, an avid hiker and trail volunteer who was instrumental in the trail's development and maintenance, Curtis said. As he talked, his truck rocked and lurched over one of the boulder-strewn washes that crosses the bumpy dirt road leading to the trailhead. The trail itself is very steep and rugged, so you must be in good physical condition to hike it, he said. About 2-1/2 miles long, it's not completely finished or easily distinguishable in some places. "At the very top, it's a rock climb, not a hike," said Laurie Allan, who has hiked the trail four times. "The summit is a narrow ledge that drops straight down." But from there, you'll have beautiful 360 degree views of the Yuma area and its surrounding mountain ranges, Curtis said. You may also find a geocache on the summit.

Geocachers use the Internet and global positioning systems to hide and find geocaches, which are usually waterproof containers that house a logbook and an inexpensive treasure. Protocol is to leave something if you take something from the cache, he said. When you leave the summit, you may find "it's not any easier going down" than it was going up, Curtis said. A round trip on Jester's Trail "is five miles of pretty strenuous hiking," he said. If you're unable to hike the trail, you could take an easier hike at the base of the mountains. Or you could just drive out to the trailhead to picnic, watch the sunset and hear the wind blow. If you're quiet and lucky, you might spot bighorn sheep.

But be cautious, snakes and other venomous creatures also call the area home. Vegetation along the trail includes creosote bushes and palo verde trees that sprout from rocky crags, and saguaros that stand like sentinels in the distance. No restrooms, designated parking areas or trash cans are available. You must carry your trash out when you leave. The area is not handicap accessible.

For more information, visit: http://www.blm.gov/az/env_docs/projects/yuma/AZ-320-2005-002.pdf or call 317-3200. Cars are not recommended. High clearance vehicles are needed to navigate the rough terrain.

How to get there:

From Yuma, go east on Interstate 8 and turn off on Foothills Boulevard (Exit 14). Immediately turn left onto South Frontage Road and continue going east. From where the pavement ends, go 1.3 miles to a fork in the road. Take the right fork, which will take you in a southeasterly direction. Continue on for about another 1.2 miles, until you see the marker that restricts further driving. That's the trailhead. Follow the trail around the peak beyond the marker, to the top of another peak. When to go: Hiking Jester's Trail during cooler months is recommended. Even if you go out early on a summer morning and get sick or injured, you could be in danger of heat exposure while waiting for help to arrive on foot.

Desert survival tips:

-Take plenty of water. When hiking, a good rule of thumb is to drink a liter of water per hour.

-Take a cell phone; there is coverage on the entire trail.

-Wear a hat, long-sleeved shirt and sunscreen.

-Wear sturdy shoes that provide traction and ankle support.

-Always tell someone exactly where you're going and when you expect to be back.

Source: Aaron Curtis, Bureau of Land Management outdoor recreation planner