SMITH
RAVINE
Prescott
National Forest
 |
| View of Prescott Valley from Smith Ravine Trail |
A climb to the top of Prescott’s Spruce Mountain is a standard
bucket lister for Arizona hikers. The usual way up is by using the Groom Creek
Trail that begins at the busy western base of the mountain off Senator Highway.
Although the signature route is a must-do, there’s an alternate, less crowded
way to visit the woodsy mountaintop that’s a favorite summer and fall
destination.
Smith Ravine Trail No. 297 approaches the mountain from the
northeast along ridges and gullies with fantastic views and varying
eco-zones.
 |
| A deep woods section of Smith Ravine Trail |
 |
| The trail hugs the edge of Smith Ravine |
 |
| Manzanita "little apples" shrubs line the lower trail |
 |
| The first half-mile of Smith Ravine Trail is open scrubland |
 |
| The trail ends at FR52A, but you can go on to Spruce Mtn. |
Located a couple miles south of the Lynx Lake Recreation
Area in Prescott National Forest, the moderate-rated trek begins its ascent on
sunny foothills lined with manzanita, scrub oak and yucca. The exposed first
half-mile offers views of Prescott Valley and Glassford Hill to the north and
the green peaks of the Bradshaw Mountains to the east.
 |
| Tall Ponderosa pines shade the trail |
Where the trail begins
its edgy traverse of the slopes above the deep gorge of water-chiseled Smith
Ravine, scrublands gradually merge into shady corridors of Ponderosa pines,
Alligator junipers and Gambel oaks.
 |
| Hints of fall color on Sept. 22, 2019. |
The massive stands of oaks along this trail
put on a gorgeous display of fall color in mid-October. Over its 3-mile length,
the trail gains more than 900 feet, but the gentle grade makes short work of
the uphill trudge.
 |
| An artfully-twisted trunk on Smith Ravine Trail |
The snafu here, though, is that the constant dips and climbs
through gullies and drainages amount to 1,817 feet of accumulated elevation
change. As the trails ascends through deep woods, breaks in the tree cover reveal
ever-expanding vistas that stretch all the way to Flagstaff. About halfway through the hike, the trail
enters a rich zone of water-loving plants and trees like boxelders, Arizona
walnut, berry brambles, Yellow columbine and tangles of wild geranium flowers.
This moist, colorful riparian zone is nurtured by Smith Ravine Spring that
flows intermittently attracting wildlife, birds and swarms of pollinators. You
might encounter the piercing cries of Stellar’s jays and crackling of ravens
swooping above as they warn you to move on from this coveted water source.
 |
| Oak galls contain insect larva---usually wasps |
 |
| A huge Alligator juniper clings to the lip of Smith Ravine. |
Beyond the spring, the slim trail traces the stone-jumbled
head of the ravine before emerging onto a juniper-framed clearing at Forest
Road 52A. This is the upper terminus of Trail No. 297 and the turnaround point
to a moderate 6-miler. To continue on to Spruce Mountain, pass the gate head
left and follow the dirt road 1.4 miles uphill. The short road hike is fringed with pines,
oaks and firs---but no spruce trees. The elegant conifers with blue-green
needles that line the mountain’s flanks are actually white firs that were
misidentified by early explorers.
 |
| Bradshaw Mountains seen from Smith Ravine Trail |
 |
| Optional road hike leads to Spruce Mountain lookout |
 |
| Yellow columbine grow near Smith Ravine Spring |
 |
| The route dips and climbs through several drainage areas |
On the summit, picnic tables, restrooms and the Spruce
Mountain fire tower provide a convenient rest stop. Listed on the National
Register of Historic Places, the 30-foot-high fire tower was constructed in
1936 to keep watch over the Bradshaw Mountains.
The tower is open to visitors when a lookout is on duty, but
even if you don’t get to tour inside the tiny cabin, the cliffs at its base
showcase equally-impressive panoramic views of surrounding mountain lakes and
green valleys.
LENGTH: 6
miles roundtrip or 8.8 miles with Spruce Mountain
RATING:
moderate
ELEVATION:
6004 – 6947 feet or 7,693 with Spruce Mountain
GETTING
THERE:
From State
Route 69 in Prescott, go 5 miles south on Walker Road (toward Lynx Lake) to the
trailhead on the right just past mile marker 5.
INFO:
Prescott National Forest
Posts
