FAIN PARK TRAILS
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| Shoreline Trail traces the edge of Fain Lake |
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| A grotto on Lynx Creek |
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| There's much to see and do at Fain Park. |
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| A Great blue heron wades in Fain Lake |
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| Juniper and scrub oaks shade the hillside trails |
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| Observation deck above the dam has great views |
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| Huge cottonwood trees thrive around the water |
Tucked
into a ravine between industrial parks and subdivisions five miles downstream
from Lynx Lake in Prescott Valley, Fain Lake offers a diverse menu of outdoor
recreation opportunities.
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| Lynx Creek Loop is a core route in the 6-trail system. |
The lake is
the center piece of a 100-acre park that’s named for the Fain family—one of the
original settlers in the area—who donated the land to the Town of Prescott
Valley in 1997. The tiny oasis located less than a mile off busy State Route 69
provides easy access to fishing, gold panning, picnicking and hiking while embracing
its multi-faceted heritage and natural resources with educational components. The mineral-rich, creek-side property has
been explored, hunted, mined and homesteaded since prehistoric times.
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| Silverleaf nightshade blooms along the trails |
The discovery of gold in the nearby Bradshaw
Mountains in the mid 1800s brought on a boom of mining activity and several historic
artifacts and buildings from this profitable era are preserved in and around
the park.
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| A restored stamp mill in the park's mining artifact display |
Noteworthy among the many
points of interest is a collection of defunct mining equipment on display along
the Lynx Creek Loop Trail.
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| Old fence on the Calvary Trl frames views of Glassford Hill |
Relics including rusty gears, cogs, jacks and
a magnificently-restored stamp mill---a kind of crushing machine used in the
processing of ore— are outfitted with signs that explain their function in the laborious
pursuit of extracting gold from rock and water. The hills above the 3-acre lake
are outfitted with a convoluted system of loopy trails. Two primary routes—the Lynx Creek Loop and
the Cavalry Trail combine for a 1.6-mile circumference tour while the Canyon,
Chapel, Overlook and Shoreline trails provide scenic detours.
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| A bridge spans a finger cove on Fain Lake. |
Although there
are no official mileages given for the secondary trails, my GPS recorded 3.6
miles for the entire system.
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| A sacred datura plant on the Lynx Lake Loop trail |
The trails
wind among scrubby highlands, slender canyons, leafy backwaters behind the
lake’s dam, calm shorelines, a created waterfall and stony grottos along Lynx
Creek. Although the trails are
well-marked, seasonal flooding and washouts can make certain areas
inaccessible, but the system’s interconnected layout makes it easy to
circumvent the sporadic obstacles.
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| Lush riparian habitats along the Calvary Trail |
The
popular community fishing lake is stocked regularly with rainbow trout (except in July and August) by Arizona
Game and Fish Department. A fishing dock, bridge, dam observation platform,
picnic ramadas, restrooms and a barrier-free lakeside path round out the
family-friendly amenities of this compact gem.
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| View from the Overlook Trail in Fain Park |
LENGTH: 3.6
miles
RATING:
easy - moderate
ELEVATION: 4954 - 5133 feet
GETTING
THERE:
2215 N.
5th Street, Prescott Valley.
From State
Route 69 in Prescott Valley, go 0.1-mile south on Prescott East Highway to 2nd
Street. Turn left and go 0.1-mile to 5th
Street, turn right and continue 0.4 mile downhill to the park. Park hours are 7
a.m. to 10 p.m. October – March and 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. April – September.
INFO:
Prescott Valley Parks and Recreation Dept.
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