Blowout Butte

BLOWOUT BUTTE

Blowout Butte viewed from Campus Trail

Situated at the core of the Blowout Wash Recreation Area in Cottonwood, Blowout Butte cuts an impressive silhouette on the Verde Valley skyline of Central Arizona.  

Limestone flanks the Blowout Butte Trail

The conical mound of crumbling limestone in Prescott National Forest puts a shine on the 15+miles of non-motorized trails that swirl about its base. 

Mingus Mountain towers over Blowout Wash Area

The particular slice of forest is a pocket of water-scoured high desert hills and ravines bolstered by a ridgeline of pine-covered highlands that include 7,818-foot Mingus Mountain and Woodchute Wilderness. 

Limestone outcroppings on the Limestone Trail

The singletrack trails take advantage of the area’s undulating space between mountains and valleys with long, edgy traverses interspersed with wash crossings and canyon crawls.

Summit of Blowout Butte

While the site is largely shadeless, a smattering of junipers and rock outcroppings cast just enough shade for comfortable hiking almost year-round.

Crucifixion-thorn shrubs dominate the terrain

 

The best perks of the 15+-mile system are its connectivity and excellent signage. This makes getting around and customizing hikes a cinch.   

For first time visitors and regulars alike, climbing Blowout Butte is a must-do trek.  Getting to the prominent peak involves a short, effortless walk with barely over 100 feet of base-to-summit elevation gain. 

Campus Trail crosses Blowout Wash

From the Blowout Wash main trailhead, the route starts out with a short hike on the Campus Trail 559.  At the half-mile point the route veers right onto the Blowout Butte Trail 556. 

Fenceline Trail at the edge of Prescott NF

The half-mile trail begins with a level swing around the butte before taking on a couple of easy switchbacks that lead to a loop path that circles the high point.  The tiny summit, fringed with Crucifixion-thorn shrubs and cacti, is unremarkable except as a platform for viewing 360-degree vistas.  Views of Sedona’s red rocks, the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, the Mogollon Rim and the vineyards and riparian corridors of the Verde Valley roll out around the pyramid-shaped mound. For the return trip, the trail descends to meet the Limestone Trail 554. After a few yards, the Fenceline Trail makes a 0.3-mile loop detour tracing the post-and-wire boundary of the national forest before reconnecting with Campus Trail.

Verde Valley vistas on Blowout Butte Trail

Here, hikers may head left to get back to the trailhead or consult the maps that are posted at every junction to design longer or more challenging treks.

Map signs at junctions guide the way

LENGTH: 2.5 miles as described here

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 3,713 – 3,932 feet

GETTING THERE: From Interstate 17 north of Camp Verde, take the Cornville Road/County Road 30 exit 293. Continue 17.7 miles west on Cornville Road, which will turn into Mingus Avenue and then Forest Road 493, to the Blowout Wash Recreation Area trailhead on the right. For reference, the trailhead is 1.5 miles south of the Cottonwood airport. Roads are paved except for a short section of rough dirt that’s suitable for all vehicles. There are no fees or facilities at the trailhead.

INFO: Prescott National Forest

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/prescott/recreation/recarea/?recid=84363&actid=50

 

 

Quaky Trail No. 741

QUAKY TRAIL No. 741

Quaking aspens on the new Quaky Trail No. 741

It’s only a mile long, but the new Quaky Trail No. 741 in Prescott National Forest is a handy addition to the Bradshaw Ranger District routes in the Copper Basin Area. 

Quaky Trail traces Aspen Creek

Opened this summer, the new single-track path is located just a few miles from Downtown Prescott and provides connectivity with several popular forest trails like Wolverton Mountain as well as the 51-mile Prescott Circle Trail. 

Quaky Trail connects with popular routes

The fresh-cut Quaky Trail may be accessed from either the Aspen Creek Trailhead or the nearby new Copper Basin Trailhead which will have room for equestrian trailers when completed in late August.

New Copper Basin trailhead offers trailer parking

 Either way, the trail is a beautiful work of construction.  From the Aspen Creek Trailhead, the hike begins with a 0.2-mile walk on Aspen Creek Trail No. 48. 

Butterfly weed blooms May - September

Trail no. 741 heads right following the course of the creek. 

The aspen passage on Quaky Trail

The entire route is shaded by Ponderosa pines and creekside stands of boxelders, locust and oaks with an understory of brambles and wildflowers. 

Ponderosa pines on Quaky Trail

The edgy route twists through the forest dodging boulders and skimming ravines before encountering a gorgeous passage lined with aspen trees.  

Quaky Trail spins off Aspen Creek Trail No. 48

The white-trunked quaking aspens (presumably the “quakies” of the Quaky Trail) huddle in tight formation, their canopies rustling in the mountain breezes. 

Quaky Trail is richly shaded

This is a good trail to keep in mind for October autumn foliage hikes.  The trail ends at the Copper Basin Trailhead where hikers may double back or consult forest maps to extend the trek.

Fleabane grows along Aspen Creek May-October

LENGTH:  2.4 miles out-and-back

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION:  6,341 – 6,614 feet

GETTING THERE:

ASPEN CREEK TRAILHEAD:

From Courthouse Square in Prescott, go 1 mile south on Montezuma Street (turns into State Route 89/White Spar Road) to the traffic light at Copper Basin Road.  Turn right and continue 4.6 miles on Copper Basin Road (turns to good dirt after 1.6 miles) to the Aspen Creek trailhead on the right. The hike begins across the road on Trail 48. No facilities.

COPPER BASIN TRAILHEAD:

Located 0.2-mile past the Aspen Creek Trailhead on Copper Basin Road. No facilities.

Copper Basin Road is maintained dirt suitable for all vehicles up to the trailheads. 

 

Granite Mountain Hot Shots Juniper Hike

GRANITE MOUNTAIN HOT SHOTS  JUNIPER HIKE

Granite Mountain Hot Shots juniper

On the Department of Forestry and Fire Management Magnificent Trees Program and the Arizona Magnificent Tree Registry, it’s listed simply as “Tree 4126.”  But the enormous Alligator Juniper has a history that transcends its drab catalog callout.

Riparian trees near Division Well on FR9162U

   Located in

Prescott National Forest west of Granite Mountain Wilderness, the gnarled old tree is best known as the Granite Mountain Hot Shots Tree.

Mountain vista on Upper Pasture Trail

 It’s named in honor of the 20 wildland firefighters who saved it during the June 2013 Doce Fire that burned about 7,000 acres 10 miles northwest of downtown Prescott.  Tragically, 19 members of the team perished in the Yarnell Hill Fire on June 30, 2013.

Gate on FR 9162U

The iconic Yavapai County Alligator Juniper (Juniperus deppeana) stands 52 feet high and has a circumference of 324 inches.  It’s crown spreads to an average of 70 feet. 

The Hot Shots Juniper is over 50 feet tall

There are over 200 Arizona trees on the Arizona Magnificent Tree Registry that includes myriad species sorted into three categories.  

Signs of the 2013 Doce Fire on White Rock Springs

Champion Trees are those that are the largest in the state or nation.  Heritage Trees hold cultural significance such as for a commemoration, and Witness Trees are those that have been growing in the same spot since before Arizona Statehood (1912).

Agaves on the Upper Pasture Trail

The Hot Shots Juniper is recognized as both a state and national Champion Tree.  While its exact age is impossible to pinpoint, the tree is easily over 1,000 years old--some sources estimate it may be more than 2,500 years old--which means it is also an undisputed Arizona Witness Tree.

Upper Pasture Trail junction

Hikers interested in botany, state history or making a pilgrimage to remember the Hot Shots can visit the tree by using roads and trails in Prescott National Forest.

Spring on White Rock Springs Trail

There are several ways to make the trek, but the shortest route begins at the Contreras Trailhead off Iron Springs Road. From the north corner of the parking area, the hike follows Forest Road 9162U for 0.8-mile. The rough, rocky two-track descends to the site of Division Well, crosses a leafy drainage and heads steeply uphill to a gate that marks the beginning of Upper Pasture Trail No.38. 

White Rock Springs Trail junction

Trail 38 is a repurposed horse road constructed in the 1800s. The wide, gently undulating track is largely unshaded, passing through chaparral punctuated with agaves, cacti and spots of pinyon pine and junipers.  Excellent views Big Chino Valley and the distant Santa Maria Mountains dominate the northern horizon, but it’s the hulking presence of Granite Mountain and Little Granite Mountain to the east that really commands attention.  Rising to 7,626 and 7,089 feet respectively, the massifs appear as enormous boulder piles with weather-worn stones spilling down their flanks. 

Boulders line White Rock Springs Trail

On the high ridges, chockstones balance in tenuous poses pierced by scrub oak and manzanita.  At the 1.8-mile point, the route heads north (left) at the White Rock Springs Trail No. 39 junction.  

Upper Pasture Trail is an old horse road

Now a dirt singletrack, the trail passes remnants of the 2013 Doce Fire. Eleven years on, charred snags and burnt brush are ceding space to new growth.  A lush spring area at the end of a rough-cut drainage sits at the base of a granite wall, surrounded by willows, cottonwoods, buffalo-bur and wildflowers.  A half-mile in on Trail 39, the route crosses a major sandy drainage.  A few yards past the waterway, chunks of white quartz placed in the sand point the way to an unsigned trail that leads to the Hot Shot Juniper.  

The short spur path ends at the tree and a memorial erected under its massive canopy.  

Memorial at the Hot Shots Juniper

Words,  photos, and statistics are inadequate tools for describing the twisted giant.  Hints of its unknowable origins and secrets of its resilience are best expressed in the resinous, ash-tinged mountain breezes that rattle its branches. 

AZ Black rattlesnake on Upper Pasture Trail

Hike starts at the Contreras Trailhead

LENGTH: 4.8 miles round trip (out-and-back hike)

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 5,294 – 5,548 feet

GETTING THERE:

Contreras Trailhead:

From historic downtown Prescott, go north on Montezuma Street (which will turn into Whipple Street and then Iron Springs Road) and continue 10 miles to Contreras Road (County Road 122) on the right.  Follow CR122 for 0.7-mile to the trailhead on the right. Low clearance vehicles park here. Hike begins by walking FR9162U at the north end of the parking lot.  OPTION: High clearance (4x4 recommended) vehicles may be driven 0.8-mile on FR9162U to the Trail 38 trailhead.  Contreras Road is maintained dirt suitable for most vehicles up to the lower trailhead.

INFO:

Prescott National Forest

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/prescott/recreation/recarea/?recid=67471&actid=50

Arizona’s Magnificent Trees

https://dffm.az.gov/arizonas-magnificent-trees

American Forests Champion Tree Registry

https://www.americanforests.org/champion-trees/champion-trees-registry/

Rockin' River Ranch State Park

ROCKIN’ RIVER RANCH STATE PARK

Verde River from the White Cliffs Trail

The thickets shock the eye. Massive tangles of sycamore, cottonwoods, ash, and willows quake with the rustlings of birds making a sweet living above perennial waters at the confluence of West Clear Creek and the Verde River.

Mountain vista on the Buckaroo Trail

A small slice of this watery, woodsy paradise surrounded by mountains at the end of a narrow dirt road is now the domain of Rockin’ River Ranch State Park which opened to the public in February. 

Riparian forest along the Verde River

Located about 90 miles north of Phoenix and 7 miles southeast of Camp Verde, the 209.4-acre site includes a mile of the Verde River, one of only two Arizona waterways designated as part of the National Wild & Scenic  Rivers System (the other is Fossil Creek, learn more here: rivers.gov/arizona).  

Cottonwoods on the White Cliffs Trail

The irregularly shaped waterfront property abuts private lands and both the Coconino and Prescott National Forests.

Pastoral view on the Outlaw Trail

The rich landscape has a long history of human habitation stretching back thousands of years when indigenous hunters and farmers lived off the area’s natural resources. More recently, the property had been a private guest ranch replete with corrals, pastures, living quarters and critical historic water rights.

The new park is physically and intellectually engaging. Its appeal begins with its “out there” territorial atmosphere.  Amenities are delightfully sparse.  Simple trails, a few picnic tables, and benches placed in shady alcoves provide just enough structure for safety and comfort without sullying the wild and scenic spirit.

Winter scene on the Verde River

The day use park is open only on weekends for hiking, picnicking, and fishing. Four miles of wide, well-groomed trails loop through pastures, mesquite bosques and riverside riparian forests.

The park includes a mile of the Verde River

The park’s Central Arizona location means seasonal changes put perpetual spins on the landscape. Summer may be too hot to venture here, but the rest of the year is amazing.

Old building near the White Cliffs trailhead

The bare-branched beauty of winter exposes the arboreal bones of the place backed by snowy mountain vistas. Spring sprouts a pastel palette as cottonwoods and sycamores shower the trail in soft catkins before leafing out in thick green canopies that wind down in autumn with a showy display of golden foliage.  Whatever the season, water remains the park’s central draw and the 1.7-mile White Cliffs Trail, the longest and most diverse of the park’s 6-trail hiking menu, is the best way to explore along the Verde. Beginning near an old ranch building that now serves as a maintenance office, the trail heads straight for the Verde River and follows it for about half of its length.  The jungle-like approach to the river crackles with an avian cacophony.

Mountain vista on the Outlaw Trail

The cries of blue herons, egrets, ducks, and swarms of tiny sparrows add random top notes to the steady baseline of tumbling water. First up-close glimpses of the river come about a quarter mile in.  The ducks are generally visible, but the supporting cast of elusive river otters and beavers are rare sightings for those willing to make use of one of the strategically placed benches and a pair of binoculars.

Thickets of cottonwoods, ash and sycamores

 The eponymous White Cliffs show up around a half-mile in.  The vertical, buff-colored walls of flood-scoured sediments contain the river’s northeast banks casting long shadows over the waterway that vacillates from raging to trickle with the seasons. 

White Cliffs on the Verde River

Beyond the cliffs, the trail enters semi-arid terrain dominated by prickly stands of catclaw and mesquite.  The White Cliffs Trail connects with most of the park’s trails for easy customization. 

Park trails are wide and mostly flat

All trails are largely flat, simple to navigate, unique in theme and replete with wildlife, mountain vistas and the kind of solitude that comes with a former ranch at the far end of a dirt road. 

LENGTH: 4 miles of trails

RATING:  easy

ELEVATION: 2,962 – 3,016 feet

GETTING THERE:

4513 S. Salt Mine Road, Camp Verde

From Interstate 17 exit 287 in Camp Verde, go 1.6 miles east (toward Payson)  on State Route 260 to Oasis Road on the right just past milepost 220. Follow Oasis around a bend to a stop sign and turn right onto S. Salt Mine Road (not signed) and continue 5 miles to the park. Roads are paved up to the park access road which is maintained dirt and passable by all vehicles.

HOURS: Day use only. 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (last entry at 4 p.m.). Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Holiday hours vary.

FEE:  $7 daily fee per vehicle or $3 per person for walk/bike-in

FACILITIES: Visitor center, picnic areas, restrooms, fishing. There’s no public drinking water, but water bottles are sold in the gift shop.

INFO & MAPS:

azstateparks.com/rockin-river

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noodle Loop

NOODLE LOOP

Spence Basin Trail System.

Wiggly course of Noodle Loop

Wiggly, woodsy, route. Say that three time fast and you’ll get the vibe of the Noodle Loop Trail No. 360. 

There's lots of shade on Noodle Loop

  Living up to this tongue-twister summary and moniker, the short loop in the Spence Basin Trail System in Prescott National Forest, delivers a quick trip marked by lots of shade, abrupt bends and flowing curves.

Spence Basin trails are well signed

 The trek debarks from the Spence Springs trailhead located just a few miles northwest of Downtown Prescott.

Shrub oaks are common along the loop

While the loop is well-signed and synced with a phone app, many intersecting roads and trails including the 50+-mile Prescott Circle Trail can be tempting distractions.

The loop is slick and clear of obstacles

The hub, which sits between majestic 7,626-foot Granite Mountain and iconic 6,440-foot Thumb Butte is beloved for its maze of short, coiled paths that glide through hilly terrain with endless ways to customize day hikes.
Noodle Loop is a perfect choice for warmer days as it stays mostly in a pocket of pines, oaks and junipers. 

Mountain gromwell bloom July -September

Views are sparce but the loop’s string of bumps, bends, and hairpin turns that slingshot hikers over cottonwood-cluttered drainages, ledges and through boulder outcroppings provide plenty of entertainment.  

The loop stays in a shady, wooded basin

The maintained single-track path feels as it was engineered for speed. There are no major obstacles to work around and clear lines-of-sight make it easy to see oncoming bikes and horses that share the trail.

Cottonwoods thrive in a moist drainage

Following the natural contours of the terrain, the trail’s smooth, linguine-like dips and climbs add up to over 700 feet of accumulated elevation change. But the loop’s slick design acts as a silent propellant, whisking hikers through in painless, speedy style.

Mushrooms bloom after monsoon rains

LENGTH: 2.3-mile loop

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 5,514 – 5,676 feet (703 feet of accumulated elevation change)

GETTING THERE:

Spence Springs Trailhead:

From Courthouse Square in downtown Prescott, go 4.8 miles north on Montezuma Street which will turn into Whipple Street then Iron Springs Road (County Road 10) to Spence Springs Road on the left.  This is located just past the turnoff for Granite Basin Recreation Area.  There’s a portable restroom at the trailhead.

INFO:

Prescott National Forest

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/prescott/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=84362&actid=50

City of Prescott

https://www.prescott-az.gov/recreation-area/prescott-circle-trail/