Prerequisites: get a full tank of gas 25 miles before getting to the park as there are no services after that. Explore the caves with a flashlight. If you must do the 5-mile hike, go with someone who has done the hike before and do it during the winter or early spring. Get a working GPS and trail map. Bring >=1.5 liters water per person.
I started my journey at Bear Gulch and decided to explore Bear Gulch cave.
After exiting I got a good view of Bear Gulch reservoir.
I then took Rim trail to High Peaks trail and walked 1.5 miles. Near the end was a steep series of switchbacks in hot summer weather and this was when a worried feeling started setting in. At the junction with Juniper Canyon trail I continued east another 1.3 miles on High Peaks trail. It was in this stretch of the trail that I felt the most anxiety and ACTUAL FEAR. Walking around the rock formations, every twist and turn was an opportunity to lose one's sense of direction. Signage was sparse, there were almost no people to follow, and at places the trails were not defined well enough. Luckily GPS came to my rescue. The scenery was breathtaking though, given the vastness of the whole area.
But for me, this (the GPS display on my phone and the signage to turn onto Condor Gulch Trail back to the Visitor center) was the best piece of scenery.
By this time it was 4:30pm. I ran into several groups of hikers still going uphill and began encouraging some of them to turn around given the lateness in the day and my recent (mis)adventures.
Trail: High Peaks trail and Condor Gulch trail loop, detouring to Bear Gulch cave at beginning, 6.1 mi
Difficulty: Strenuous (potential to get lost, steepness, heat, extreme heights)
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