Black Canyon National Recreation Trail: Emery Henderson Segment

BLACK CANYON NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL: EMERY HENDERSON SEGMENT

New River Mountains seen from Black Canyon Trail

The Emery Henderson trailhead on New River Road is one of the most convenient points of access to the Black Canyon National Recreation Trail from the Phoenix area. 

Looking north on the Black Canyon Trail

The 100+-mile historic route runs north from Carefree Highway to the Verde Valley roughly parallelling Interstate 17 along its rugged course.  

Saguaros are a key attraction on the hike

The second leg in the trail, the Emery Henderson segment

straddles desert flats and floodplains between the freeway and the Agua Fria River that spills into Lake Pleasant in the northwest Valley. 

The Emery Henderson trailhead

Its 4-mile length wanders through the last vestiges of neon and industry before ducking into mountainous backcountry, but not before delivering one of the best trips through saguaro cactus country anywhere. 

Some old trail posts are still standing along the route

But, before it gets to the good stuff, hikers must trudge through a half mile of bland terrain, cross the North El Paso Gasline Road and listen to  firearms noise from a nearby shooting range. Sucking up these minor annoyances pays off quickly, though.

An impressive specimen in the Agua Fria floodplain

Following a rocky two-track the trail soon departs the “Sahara of the Suburbs” and tucks into shadeless plains of cholla and creosote surrounded by mountain ranges.  The distinctive mound of 2,980-foot Gavilan Peak dominates the eastern horizon while band of mesas including 2,857-foor Wild Burro Mesa bolster the western skyline. Where the route begins an easy descent into the floodplains of the Agua Fria River, desert flora, led by majestic saguaros, clutters runoff channels and crumbling foothills. 

New River Mountains to the northeast

Dead saguaros are havens for wildlife

Gigantic saguaros sprout from an earthen stew of white quartz chunks, basalt blobs, assorted metamorphic stones and sediments. This complex show of  geology belies the area’s rich mining history.

But it’s the saguaros that are the segment's signature feature.  They huddle in masses around gullies, stand as lone sentinels over pebbly flats and show up as contorted,zoomorphic forms begging to be named. Even the dead ones live on as havens for wildlife and subjects for detail-driven photographers. A smattering of ironwoods and Palo Verde trees sink roots deep into the major drainages that the trail crosses, providing what little shade the trail has to offer.

Desert icons on the Black Canyon Trail

Name that saguaro

The segment ends where the 3.2-mile Boy Scout Loop takes off.  Hikers may turn back here for a moderate 7.6-mile trek or loop around for a long 10-miler. Either way, Arizona’s most iconic cacti are constant trailside companions.

LENGTH:

7.6 miles roundtrip to the loop and back

10.4 miles roundtrip with loop

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 1,858  1,989

1,850-1,974 feet to the loop

1,850- 2,315 feet with loop

GETTING THERE:

Emery Henderson Trailhead:

From Phoenix, take I-17 north to exit 232 (New River Road). Turn left and follow New River Road for 3 miles and look for the Emery Henderson Trailhead turn off on the right. The roads are paved all the way to the trailhead where there are restrooms (out of order at this writing), hitching posts, covered picnic areas and plenty of parking and an occasional site host.

INFO & MAPS:

https://bctaz.org/

 

 

Twisted Sister-Big Sister Loop

TWISTED SISTER-BIG SISTER LOOP

View of Red Mountain from Big Sister Trail

See this story on AZCentral: https://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/arizona/hiking/2024/12/13/hawes-trail-system-twisted-sister-trail/76888922007/

With its big bends, sharp declines, tight edges and hairpin turns, the Twisted Sister Trail embraces its bike-borne heritage.

Salt River Valley seen from Twisted Sister Trail

The rollercoaster-like trail is part of the Sonoran Desert (Hawes) Trail System in Tonto National Forest.  Located between the Salt River and Usery Mountains in Mesa, the system has several access points along Usery Pass Road and Bush Highway.

The Big Sister Trail is all about rocks.

 

Four Peaks viewed from the Twisted Sister Trail

The collection of looped singletrack paths began its evolution from from old livestock and mining trails with the development of the (unofficial) Hawes Trail in 1989. 

Vintage aircraft sometimes fly over the area

In 2005, the trail and several formerly unsanctioned connected routes were adopted into the Tonto National Forest system.   With the combined efforts of the forest service and the  Hawes Trail Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to the system’s maintenance, sustainability and future expansion of  the popular recreation hub now has over 60 miles of shared-use routes.

Red Mountain stands over the Salt River

When used as part of a loop hike, the Twisted Sister Trail makes for a moderate-rated hike with outstanding mountain vistas and peeks at the leafy corridor of the Salt River. 

Hawes Trails are well signed

The trek begins with a short walk on the Bush Lite West trail to connect with the Wild Horse Trail that’s part of the Valley-circling Maricopa Trail. 

The green corridor of the Salt River from Wild Horse Trail

At the 0.2-mile point, Twisted Sister spins off to the right and begins its undulating run through saguaro-studded desert in the foothills below the Usery Mountains.  Once through a couple of slippery downhills and wash crossings the route trudges uphill, revealing grander views at each turn.  The massive form of 2,832-foot Red Mountain (also known as S-wegi Do’ag in O’odham, Wi:kawatha in Yavapai and Mount McDowell, Fire Rock and Gunsight Butte) is a constant presence on the west side of the river on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community at the confluence with the Verde River.  To the north, iconic Four Peaks hover over the mountains of Tonto National Forest and on the distant west horizon, Camelback Mountain rises above city haze. After just under a mile of steady but not-to-tough climbing, the trail meets a three-way junction.

Saguaros and boulders on Big Sister Trail

Mountains of Tonto National Forest on horizon

For a short loop hike, veer left onto the Big Sister Trail.  Whereas Twisted Sister was all about views, Big Sister is all about rocks.  Clinging to boulder-strewn slopes, the slim path weaves through impressive globs of granite, boulder ridges and natural stone sculptures.  Midway through the 1-mile return leg, the trail gives up the widest-angle views of the Salt River Valley and on lucky days, grazing wild horses and vintage aircraft from The Commemorative Air Force Aviation Museum can be spotted flying overhead. 

LENGTH: 3.6 miles

RATING: moderate for hiking, difficult for bikes

ELEVATION:  1,387 – 1,793 feet

GETTING THERE:

From U.S. 60 in Mesa, take the Power Road exit 188 and continue north (Power Road turns into Bush Highway) to the Wild Horse trailhead on the right between mile posts 23 and 24.

INFO:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/tonto

https://hawestrailalliance.com/

Ridgeline Circuit

SPECKLED RATTLER-CRANKSET-RIDGELINE CIRCUIT

View from the Ridgeline Trail

Summer hiking is Arizona is an endeavor that takes extra effort.  While making long drives to the high country to escape the Valley heat is an ideal solution, road trips to pine-shaded hiking trails are not always feasible. 

View of Golden Cliffs Trail from MUP-A

But hikers got to hike.  By applying a large dose of common sense and doubling down on safety precautions, summer hiking in the desert is doable. 

Trails are well-marked in Paloma Regional Preserve

Of the many safeguards needed to stay alive in summer heat, three are of paramount importance:  timing,  sun protection and, water, water, water.  First, plan to hit the trails early and be done by 8 a.m. or before the dangerous heat kicks in.  

Ridgeline spur to overlook

Many local parks and preserve open at sunrise, so plan accordingly.  One of the most misunderstood elements of desert hiking involves proper attire. 

Knoll with spur trail overlooking the park

An investment in a brimmed hat, long sleeve shirts and long pants made of sun-protective technical fabrics will pay off big time.  These fabrics not only shield against sunburn and insects, but they also act like evaporative coolers to keep moisture on your skin. Yup, you’ll feel cooler in long sleeves than a tank top. Then there’s water.

Paloma Community Park from Ridgeline trail

Bring plenty, more than you think you’ll need. I personally carry nearly a gallon for a 3-hour desert hike.  This includes two 16-ounce bottles that I almost always end up giving away to heat stressed hikers. Dogs will get my extra water first.  

Speckled Rattler Trail junction

And, speaking of dogs—leave then at home. Heat is brutal on canines. Our furry friends suffer burnt paws, heat exhaustion and even death on local trails every year.

Saguaros on the Ridgeline Trail

 

With the objective of being up-and-out by 8 a.m., hikers can maximize the effort by choosing trails with easy access, some moderate challenge, bail out options and fantastic views.  The trails of the Paloma Regional Preserve in Peoria exceed these criteria.  A good early morning summer circuit uses the Multi-Use Path-A, Speckled Rattler, Crankset and Ridgeline trails. 

Tight bend on Ridgeline Trail

From the trailhead, the route follows MUP-A for 0.4-mile to Speckled Rattler and then connects to Crankset. This first 1.57-mile leg is flat, tracing the base of West Wing Mountain with the cut of the Golden Cliffs trail visible on the slopes. 

Valley vistas from Ridgeline Trail

A large map kiosk marks the junction with the Ridgeline trail, where the route begins its climb.  At the top of the first of several sets of switchbacks, the trail splits.  The left arm heads up a craggy knoll for a short trek to an overlook above Paloma Community Park, a nice little diversion.

Green corridor of New River below Ridgeline

 

View from Ridgeline overlook spur

The route then traverses a saguaro dotted ridge, swooping uphill in flowing curves and tight turns engineered to make the going almost effortless.  Views grow larger and more varied as the trail ascends to its highest point.  The green swath of New River fills the valley below while a ring of mountain ranges surrounds the horizon.

Long switchbacks mitigate the climb

The trail then spirals down to its end point at marker 90,the turnaround point for this trip.  To build a loop or shorten the hike, download the preserve trail map and keep an eye on the time, your water supply and how you feel.  The goal is always to get back to the trailhead alive.

 

LENGTH: 5.7 miles (out-and-back, as described here)

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 1,393 – 1,850 feet

GETTING THERE:

297799 N. Lake Pleasant Parkway, Peoria.

From Interstate 17 in Phoenix, take the Loop 303 exit 221 and continue west to Lake Pleasant Parkway.  Turn left and go 1 mile to the Paloma Community Park entrance on the left.  Follow the signs to the trailhead parking area.  There are restrooms near the trailhead. No Fees.

HOURS: sunrise to sunset daily

INFO & MAPS:
City of Peoria

peoriaaz.gov/government/departments/parks-recreation-and-community-facilities/parks-and-trails/hiking-trails

Vulture Mountain Ruins

VULTURE MOUNTAIN RUINS

Vulture Peak viewed from BLM 9052

Surrounded by an eclectic sampling of Arizona’s 194 named mountain ranges, The Vulture Mountains occupy a space rich in natural resources and human history. 

Hieroglyphic and Wickenburg Mountains view

The crescent-shaped range is comprised of a string of mounds 29 miles long and 13 miles wide located a dozen miles southwest of Wickenburg at the edge of Maricopa County.  

Hikers admire a twisted saguaro on BLM 9052

The Hassayampa River, a roughly 100-mile-long desert waterway that originates near Prescott and flows south, mostly underground, to merge with the Gila River, marks the eastern extent of the range. 

Saguaros dot a ravine in the Vulture Mountains

Its highpoint, 3,658-foot Vulture Peak, serves as Wickenburg’s most iconic land feature and the axis around which a cluster of defunct mining operations orbit.  

Hike begins with a crossing of the Hassayampa River

A network of Bureau of Land Management roads that are open to hikers, equestrians, and motorized use, provide access to the mineral-rich backcountry. 

Relics of mine ops in the Vulture Mountains

The main access point for exploratory adventures is by way of Gates Road in the community of Morristown.  The paved part of the road dead ends where Little San Domino Wash spills into the Hassayampa River.  

Relics protected by the Antiquities Act

 

From there, trail users may hike or drive across the usually dry floodplain to a gate where BLM road 9054 serves as entree to miles of dirt roads.  

Packrat middens are plentiful along BLM 9054

The best thing about hiking here is the joy of discovery.  Every road and side trail holds new vistas, natural arches, and points of interest, so there’s no bad plan.  Just pick a road and go.  One outing to try uses the clearly signed roads 9054 and 9052.

From the entry gate at the river, 9054 heads uphill, passing by the first of many optional side trips to an old mine site.  Mountain vistas make their first appearance at the top of a knoll with jaw-dropping looks at the Hieroglyphic and Wickenburg Mountains to the east, the Date Creek and Weaver Mountains to the north and the Bradshaw Mountains on the far northern horizon.

Washes feed into the Hassayampa River

Hikers trek BLM 9052

As the undulating route delves deeper into the boondocks, the distinctive forms of Vulture Peak and 3,044-foot Caballeros Peaks stand out to the northwest standing high above a cholla and saguaro studded landscape. 

Date Creek and Weaver Mountains to the north

At the two-mile point, this trip heads left onto road 9052, gaining and loosing elevation steadily.  At the 2.9-mile point, road 9052 veers left at a large white tank, then heads downhill and crosses a couple of washes before heading up yet again to meet an array of roadside mining detritus.  These minor prospects might have been the spawn of a nearby major mine operation.  The Vulture Mine and its companion Vulture City community was the hub of gold and silver extraction from 1863-1942. The core operation and a smattering of pick-and-shovel prospects mined the surface gold that was easily extracted by hand from exposed late Cretaceous pluton of quartz porphyry that shed bits of precious minerals in flakes, nuggets, and dust. 

Serial misfortunes including mismanagement, low gold prices, and high overhead caused sporadic closures and ownership changes until production in the area dribbled to a halt 1942. Some residual mineral extraction happened during World War II and limped into the 1960s when lingering deposits of copper, gold and lead were pulled from tailings and open shafts.

The abandoned Vulture Mountain mine sites had names that underpin their mysterious pasts. Details of the yields and histories of the Newsboy Mine, Montezuma Mine, Queen of Sheba Mine, El Tigre Mine, et al are buried in dusty boxes full of decades old claims.  

Artifacts near a mine prospect

Only the

Vulture Mine retains a semblance of its former glory. The site is now a privately owned tourist venue that preserves the dream of pulling riches from the desert. The lesser wildcat strikes live in comparative obscurity along ragged dirt roads in the hills above the Hassayampa River.  There’s little left to mark many of the small prospects.  Discarded cans, rotting wood planks, rusty nails and tailings scattered among chunks of quartz and metamorphic rocks crusted with brilliant blue green chrysocolla, a soft mineral associated with copper ore.

Gate at the Hassayampa River

When visiting historic sites, it’s important to help protect them. Federal law states that it is illegal to remove any artifact 50 years-old or older from public lands  (36 CFR 800,Title 18: Theft and Destruction of Government Property, the 1906 Antiquities Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966). An artifact is defined as anything made, modified, or used by humans. That would include cans, bottles, bricks, nails, tools, weapons, etc. When in doubt--leave it!  The historic artifacts link below helps identify common sightings.

Vulture Mountain scene on BLM 9054

At a spot along road 9052 that was probably a favorite lunch break hangout, dozens of rusted cans, crumpled metal, and sun-bleached wood litter a hillock overlooking the expanse of the Hassayampa Basin. To the southwest, the silhouette of the Harquahala Mountains rise to 5,681 feet above the flatlands filling the skyline.

Enjoy the discovery, but leave as is.

It’s easy to see why work wary miners would choose this serene locale to kick back with a can of beans after a long day of digging leaving behind relics for us to ponder.

LENGTH: 8.3 miles (to the lunch miner lunch spot and back)

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 1,767– 2,229 feet (1,225 feet of accumulated elevation change)

GETTING THERE:

From Phoenix, go north on Interstate 17 to State Route 74 (Carefree Highway).  Take SR 74 west (toward Wickenburg) for 30 miles to U.S. 60. Turn left and go 0.8-mile on U.S. 60 to Gates Road at milepost 121, turn right and continue 2.3 miles to the trailhead at Little Domingo Wash. Do not park within a quarter mile of the livestock water tank and respect private property in the area. Access roads are paved.

FUN HISTORY & SCIENCE:

http://docs.azgs.az.gov/OnlineAccessMineFiles/S-Z/VultureMaricopa273-2.pdf

HISTORIC ARTIFACT IDENTIFICATION GUIDE:

https://www.ntc.blm.gov/krc/system/files?file=legacy/uploads/22015/HistoricArtifactIDGuide.pdf

Maricopa Trail to Camp Creek Falls

MARICOPA TRAIL SEGMENT 22

BARTLETT DAM ROAD to CAMP CREEK FALLS

Camp Creek in Tonto National Forest

Over its 315+-mile course, the Maricopa Trail unfurls its tendrils to link county regional parks, suburbs, urban public spaces, canals, historic paths, and remote stretches of national forest.  To hike the full loop is tantamount to a walking tour of the Valley’s multi-faceted landscape. 

Mountain vistas on the Maricopa Trail

The epic non-motorized route that circles the Valley broke ground in 2007 in the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area, and the main loop was completed in 2018. 

Hikers in the Camp Creek Falls grotto

The trail continues to improve, evolve, build connectivity, and add length as it adapts to accommodate growing community interest and enthusiastic hiker, biker, and equestrian users.  Built to encourage hikers of every ilk to get outdoors, the route’s many trailheads and neighborhood access points make it simple to hop on and off the trail from anywhere in the Valley, with two notable exceptions: the Spur Cross to Bronco and Bronco to Granite Mountain segments. 

Segment 22 of the MT is wide and well signed

Where the northernmost segments of the trail pass through Tonto National Forest, there’s an average of 13 miles between drive up trailheads. And, for seasoned, well-prepared trail users, that’s where the best stuff resides.  Segment 22 which runs for 16-miles from the north border of Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve to the Bronco trailhead in Tonto National Forest was among the last passages to be completed. 

The trail heads downhill on brushy foothills

Rugged terrain, scoured washes, nasty back roads and stubborn rock contributed the difficulty encountered by trail construction crews. Then, in September and October 2020, the 15,000+-acre Sears Fire took a toll on several miles of the segment located roughly 20 miles northeast of Cave Creek.  

Hazy Mt. Ord (center horizon) viewed from the trail

Within months, work crews restored the damaged trail, fixing drainages and stabilizing eroded slopes.  While the moderately difficult entire 12.6-mile Segment 22 hike can sound intimidating for some, there’s an option for an out-and-back day hike that includes a visit to one of the Valley’s most beloved natural wonders.

Morning vista on the Maricopa Trail

Beginning along Bartlett Dam Road, Segment 22 heads north through a shadeless expanse of catclaw and saguaros.  The path briefly traces a powerline, but then veers east into wash-riddled backcountry with unobstructed mountain views.  The rocky domes of Kentuck Mountain (5,013 feet), Maverick Butte (4,870 feet), Humboldt Mountain (5, 204 feet)and St, Clair Mountain (3,252 feet) populate foreground with Mount Ord (7,128 feet) and the cloud bumping Mazatzal Range standing high over the Verde River Basin in the distance. 

The Maricopa Trail crosses sandy Blue Wash

The trail twists downhill, clinging to foothills and stony edges landing hikers at the sandy corridor of Blue Wash at the 3.4-mile point. 

Where the MT crosses Bartlett Dam Road

From a barbed wire and wood gate, an American flag planted on a prominent knoll with a Fresco Mines claim sign across the wash marks the beginning of a side trip to Camp Creek Falls. 

Interesting rock formations throughout the hike

The side trip veers left from the Maricopa Trail and follows the glassy slip of Camp Creek to a box canyon where a perennial stream of water spills about 20 feet over solid rock into a shallow plunge pool.  Desert waterfalls are rare enough, but this one in its tiny grotto fringed by cottonwoods, willows and reeds is a real gem.

Camp Creek leads to a desert waterfall

 

Flag (center) on knoll marks the falls side trip

The spring-fed fount is a critical water source for the deer, javelina and myriad little critters that live in the surrounding desert and makes for a scenic stop over for both long-distance treks and short day hikes on the Maricopa Trail.

The spring-fed waters of Camp Creek Falls

SUPPORT THE TRAIL:

If this wild and wonderful segment of the Maricopa Trail has inspired you, please consider supporting the effort by attending the Prickly Pedal Bike Race, the trail’s main fund-raising event.

Prickly Pedal on the Maricopa Trail will run 36 miles from Cave Creek to Lake Pleasant in Peoria.

The annual event is produced by Aravaipa Rides to benefit the Maricopa Trail + Park Foundation which funds trail building and maintenance projects.

Heads up that trail closures will be in effect along the racecourse.

RACE: 8:30 (pre-registration required)

EXPO & AFTER PARTY: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Public is invited to enjoy the finish line party with beer garden, exhibitors, music, and fun.

https://pricklypedal.com/

 

LENGTH: 7 miles round trip, out-and back to the falls

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 2,833 – 3,303 feet (793 feet of elevation change)

GETTING THERE:

SOUTH TRAILHEAD

BARTLETT DAM ROAD-WILDCAT HILL OHV PARKING:

From Loop 101 in Scottsdale, take the Pima/Princess Drive exit 36 and go 13 miles north on Pima and turn right on Cave Creek Road.  Continue 4.1 miles to Bartlett Dam Road, turn right and go 0.4-mile to a dirt road on the right 0.1-mile past the Tonto National Forest ranger station.  Turn right and park along the dirt turn outs. Follow the Maricopa Trail signs to cross Bartlett Dam Road and continue north.

TONTO NATIONAL FOREST CAVE CREEK RANGER STATION:

40202 N. Cave Creek Road, Scottsdale.

May be closed on weekends and holidays.

Use the 0.2-mile connector that starts at the big Maricopa Trail kiosk.

INFO & MAPS:

https://www.maricopacountyparks.net/park-locator/maricopa-trail/