The Pine Canyon Trail hike starts at the Pine Trailhead, just south of the town of Pine, at the western end of the Highline Trail.
My vehicle is the only one at the trailhead. It proved to be a quiet hike as I encountered no one else on the trail.
The fuzzy leaves of Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) still wet with the morning dew.
In just a short distance the Pine Canyon Trail splits off from the Highline Trail and heads north.
The Pine Canyon Trail gently climbing through juniper/oak/ponderosa woodlands.
Skunkbush (Rhus trilobata) aka Three-Leaf Sumac.
The Pine Canyon Trail heading generally north through the forest with Milk Ranch Point on the left.
Forest clearing is being done in this area with many piles of stacked lumber.
A colorful stump of a recently cut and felled tree, part of the forest clearing project.
Arizona White Oak (Quercus arizonica) alongside the Pine Canyon Trail.
The bark of the Arizona White Oak.
Parry's Agave (Agave parryi) growing amid the pine cones and pine needles on the forest floor.
Close up of the Parry's Agave.
Young agave between a rock and a tree.
Contrasting sides of the trunk of an Alligator Juniper (Juniperus deppeana).
A view to the northwest overlooking the town of Pine as the trail climbs up a ridge.
A wider angle view overlooking Pine.
A view to the northeast looking up toward Milk Ranch Point, a large peninsula of rock extending south away from the Mogollon Rim.
A view to the south overlooking the forests below and out to the Mazatzal Mountains in the distance.
Dripping Springs was just a trickle of water across the trail, but it provided enough moisture to accommodate plants such as this Poison Ivy (Rhus radicans).
Poison Ivy at Dripping Springs. (Don't touch!)
Paintbrush clinging to a hillside at Dripping Springs.
Bigtooth Maple (Acer grandidentatum) leaves at Dripping Springs.
A view of Pine below Strawberry Mountain.
Lichen covered rocks in a small ravine.
An unusually tall Manzanita.
Manzanita bark.
Colorful Manzanita bark.
Lichen
Alligator Juniper growing amid a tangle of Manzanita.
The scarred trunk of a ancient tree.
A view over the forest canopy toward the Mogollon Rim.
Pine Canyon Trail.
A the trunk of large Alligator Juniper
Alligator Juniper.
Alligator Juniper.
Alligator Juniper alongside the Pine Canyon Trail.
A couple tufts of grass in a forest clearing.
Grass seeds.
Close up of grass (almost a mirror image.)
Looking up at the cliffs on Milk Ranch Point.
Red and green spiny leaves of Creeping Barberry (Mahonia repens).
Emory Oak (Quercus emoryi) leaves.
Emory Oak (Quercus emoryi) leaves and bark.
A spire of Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) beginning to bloom.