Onion Saddle by Bicycle - Velo

< Left Panel Arizona Passes and Summits Areas Tables Maps All Favorites

Main Panel: Main Page Map+Profile Arizona Map

Onion Saddle

Coronado National Forest is comprised of roughly a dozen physically separated sections. These island-like sections are filled with more or less towering mountains above the dessert. One of these areas are the Chiricahua Mountains. The out and back from the top of this saddle is a great vantage point to get an overview on this fascinating land of dense forests and fluted rock formations over the dessert.

1.START-END WEST:jct Az181 - FR42 Pinery Canyon Rd
2.TOP, Onion Saddle, 7600ft
3.jct with Market St to Paradise on left
4.jct with South Fork Rd
5.START-END EAST:Portal
6.START-END EAST ALT:jct State Line Rd - Portal Rd

Approaches

From West. At the end of Az181 a clearly signed intersection forces a choice between a paved road into Chiricahua NM or a gravel road into. Corodando National Forest. The latter has some of the planet's worst washboard surface and the profile takes that route. It takes about 5 miles of shake-rattle-and-roll till the road finally enters the national forest, and the surface improves after that - arguably. From now on it still has moderately large embedded rocks, which make descending slow but riding uphill is pretty good. First comes a long section of dense comforting forest with many camping sites. Not until the road comes close to the summit, does it start to switch back and forth across the final steep ridge, and throws open a far view down Pinery Canyon and its ridges with thick lava cap rocks. The top is a three way intersection with FR42D, climbing to higher and better views.

From East. (described downwards) Looking at the elevation profile on this side, I now realize I really only rode a small part of this approach on this side. Instead my day consisted mainly of exploring the higher out-and-back on FR42D. Unfortunately I don't see a way to come up with a loop in this area, even if the map seems to hold promises. On this side the road turns towards Sulphur Peak and its fluted rock formations. This view is especially good in late light.

Out and back to end of FR42D

Great views wait on the next 500ft of climbing. This road forks again with choices to Rustler Park and Bafoot Park. Rustler Park is a NF campground. A few steps behind passes the crest trail, and just a few steps on it, with the parked bike still in view, deliver a vast view in at least 270 degrees. The map shows this road climbing another 500ft from here, but if it exists, I missed it in the snow and mud.

Slideshow of FR42D out and back

cLiCk on image , arrows , or thumbnails to advance slideshow

Dayride with this point as highest summit:

COMPLETELY UNPAVED:

( < Heliograph Peak(ow) | Massai Point(ow) > )

Onion Saddle x2 : FR42 west side ~5630ft > FR42 east > Onion Saddle <> out and back on FR42D to Rustler Park camground <> separate out and back from FR42D to high point on spur to Barfoot Park >> back to Onion Saddle <> out and back down FR42 east side with turnaround point at 6920ft >> back down west side of FR42 to starting point: 26.2miles with 3820ft of climbing in 4:32hrs (garmin etrex32x m6:24.11.13).