South Mountain was a late addition to my vacation itinerary in March. Mormon's difficulty appealed most to me after reading about all of the many trails. The parking lot is small but in fantastic shape and just steps from a steep ascent. The trail is in great shape, busy but not crazy, and challenging.
My plan was to head to Fat Man's Pass and follow the loop east for a 6+ mile journey. However, I made a navigational mishap and headed west on the National Trail. This mistake proved great as I thoroughly enjoyed the 7+ mile round trip trek to the Buena Vista Lookout and back.
I will undoubtedly be back to the Mormon Trail in March 2018. Adding to a great day was returning to the pass and seeing my mistake. I will be able to travel my originally planned route and likely return to again journey down the National Trail.