Doe Mountain Trail Preview

Should you hike Doe Mountain? What the film settles

A short, steep climb, then a flat top with no fences.

The climb is short and steep. After a flat approach the switchbacks begin at 4:30 on uneven stone steps. At 8:40 there is broken rock where a hand on the wall helps, and the steepest turns, close under the rim, come at 12:50. The guide covers the climb.

The notch is the crux, and your way home. At 14:55 the trail climbs into a cleft in the cliff, with hands useful on the last rock steps through it at 17:00. Note where you came up: there are no signs on top, and the notch is easy to miss from above.

The top is open and unfenced. From 21:10 the film is on the flat mesa, and at 24:40 it reaches the rim at sunset. There is no fence and no sign, and the edges are real; read the rim before you bring children. It is fully exposed with no water, so go early or late.

Pick something else if uneven rock steps are a problem for you, or you have small children who cannot be kept away from edges. Is Doe Mountain the right short hike?

What the full film shows, chapter by chapter

Timestamps read from the full 25:20 film. Owners can jump straight to any chapter.

1. 0:00 Doe Mountain trailhead The steps, the sign and the flat start; about 4,630 ft.
2. 2:25 The flat approach Easy walking to the base of the mesa (0.1 mi).
3. 4:30 The switchbacks begin The trail turns up the slope on rocky steps (0.2 mi).
4. 6:35 Rocky steps Uneven stone steps on the lower turns (0.25 mi).
5. 8:40 Loose rock and the first hands-on step Broken rock where a hand on the wall helps (0.3 mi, about 4,790 ft).
6. 10:45 Slickrock ledges with the view east Bare rock ledges; the valley opens behind you (0.4 mi).
7. 12:50 Upper switchbacks The steepest turns, close under the rim (0.5 mi, about 4,900 ft).
8. 14:55 The notch below the rim The cleft in the cliff the trail climbs through (0.55 mi).
9. 17:00 Through the notch Hands useful on the last rock steps (0.6 mi, about 4,925 ft).
10. 21:10 On the mesa top Flat and open; the trail fades into the junipers (0.8 mi).
11. 24:40 The rim at sunset 0.9 mi and about 5,055 ft on the overlay: the unfenced edge and the view. The film ends here; the rim loop and the descent are not shown.

Not in the film: the rim loop and the descent through the notch.

Planning the real hike? Read the full Doe Mountain trail guide for difficulty, parking, permits and route-finding details.