Instagram is one of the best apps to use if you want to gain some ideas on where to go for your next exploration destination. That’s actually where I got more than half of my ideas of where I’d like to explore, aside from finding my hikes on my AllTrails app! There was one place that really “wowed” me upon finding a couple of pictures of it under its location tag and I knew if I came to see this place in my current home state of Arizona, I think it would have proven to be more insane in person and boy, was I right.
Humboldt Mountain, an underrated mountain area with mystifying views of peaks and a lake, is a place that amazed me the second I stepped foot outside of the car to take a good view at it. Upon putting it on my Snapchat, I got about 10 responses right away from friends asking where I was at. Humboldt Mountain is not widely known (or at least not yet) among tourists and even locals of Arizona and there isn’t a whole load of information to be found on it from search engines.
But, it is a well beautiful place to escape to for a quick fresh air of mountain air and to feel like you’re on top of one without the necessary need to hike. When you make it to the nearby lookout of Humboldt Mountain, you can find a wooden ramp situated on the edge of the mountain at an elevation of 5,100+ ft. It is actually a slanted ramp and it is hanging out and overlooking the peaks across. Although, be very careful and cautious when you want to walk on top of that ramp if you do not have the best balance!
The wooden ramp can be scary and gives you the illusion that you may slide down, which I am not saying can’t be possible, but it is not by all means meant to fool around with. An important tip to keep in mind: When you’re on it and if you can’t stand up and walk, crawl down on the ramp on your knees and hands. And do not attempt to walk or stand on it if you do not trust yourself with having good balance. I couldn’t walk on it without the help of my friend to hold my hand and direct me down to the end of the ramp.
Where To Find This Spot of Humboldt Mountain
Humboldt Mountain is actually part of Tonto National Forest, the fifth largest national forest in the country. Learning that this mountain was part of the national forest blew my mind because I only knew of visiting Tonto National Forest as far as east in Mesa by the Superstition Mountains. Humboldt Mountain is located in between the cities of Carefree and Cave Creek.
You can type in “Humboldt Mountain Lookout” on your GPS and it will be your best bet on finding the location of this wooden ramp. Driving through Tonto National Forest and up to Humboldt will require mountain driving skills, so if you believe you can’t drive up a mountain with sharp turns on the narrow roads, try to go with a friend who can be more confident to drive. As you’re driving through the road, some parts of it are very rocky and on dirt that will require you to do some off-roading rather than drive through paved ways. It isn’t until you get closer to the top, it will be paved. So, be careful if you’re driving on your way and take precautions to drive slow.
When you get there, you will see a “golf ball” looking monument. That “golf ball” is actually an FAA radar station as part of the air traffic control system. So not that I am completely right here, but my theory says that this road up to the mountain was mostly built for this purpose rather than a lookout. This lookout, however, does seem to play a fun part of exploring, especially as some people decided to build that wooden ramp.
Anyways, across that “golf ball”, you will probably spot the wooden ramp is slightly below that and across. You can always drive up there to turn around since the roads are very narrow. As much as I love hiking though, who can’t resist just being up on a mountain without the hard work that goes with it?
–Harley King
“May your dreams be larger than mountains and may you have the courage to scale their summits.”
Very cool! I might have to look that up next time I’m in Arizona!
Thank you MB Henry! It is a really cool place to explore for some time, you will most definitely like it when you visit.
That view is absolutely amazing and you got such wonderful weather too…. great pics 🙂
Thanks Celly! I was in love with the views and yeah! During this time, it was perfect weather — not too hot as it usually gets and perfect wind to experience as I was up there.
Great post, fantastic photos and incredibly beautiful scenery, would love to see those amazing mountain peaks with my own eyes one day
Thank you so much, Our Crossings! I hope you get to see them too with your own eyes one day too. 🙂
Why don’t you actually show where the hell this wooden platform is?? Where it is placed in regard with that FAA ball? Showit’s position! Why it’s so hard?