West Side Story

WEST SIDE STORY

An alligator juniper on the West Side Story trail

While its name might imply an homage to choreographed gang brawls, the West Side Story trail is likely named for its location west of Prescott’s historic Whiskey Row.

Trail begins in sunny semi-desert grasslands

The 2.75-mile single track route in Prescott National Forest anchors the far west end of a cluster of trails in Spence Basin. Surrounded by wooded subdivisions and tucked between the popular Thumb Butte and Granite Basin Recreation areas on the outskirts of town, the creek-carved basin is laced with paths that can be looped up or tied in with the city-circumnavigating Prescott Circle Trail that connects the area with both the Granite Mountain and Thumb Butte trail systems.

Use trail map signs to customize a hike in Spence Basin

Canyon grapes grow along Spence Creek

West Side Story rumbles (pun intended) through a hilly parcel where views are bookended at the beginning and end of the trail.  Surrounding mountain vistas are swallowed up in the trail’s midsection by a rolling series of gullies, drainages and creek channels.

Granite Mtn. (center-right) seen from hike high point

The first half-mile of the route heads west through sunny scrub and juniper stands before swinging south (go left) at an unsigned junction.  Here, the trail makes its first substantial dip, this one into the water ravaged groove of Spence Creek. Populated with an odd mix of moisture-loving willows, canyon grape vines and desert cacti, the creekside environment soon morphs into a patchwork of pine-oak woodlands and high-desert grasslands. 

Wright's deervetch bloom May - September

Mushrooms pop up in moist areas along the route

The endlessly undulating trail alternates between long flowing lines and tight bends that boomerang around drainages.

A pollinator alights on Spreading sandwort

Narrowleaf penstemon bloom March - September

All told, the furrowed trail chocks up over 800 feet of accumulated elevation change.

Thumb Butte (left) seen from West Side Story trail

The pivotal scene happens on a high ridgeline with the best views of the hike.

Pine-oak woodlands on West Side Story trail

The shadeless platform reveals views of the jumbled mound of 7,295-foot Granite Mountain, the golden plains of Williamson Valley and the rock-ringed Willow Dells. Farther along, the isolated form of 6,440-foot Thumb Butte rises over green woodlands.

A woodpecker photo bombs view of Williamson Valley

The trail ends at the junction with the Waterline, Russ T. Fender and Missing Link trails.  This makes for a good turnaround point, otherwise, use the trail maps posted at most intersections to customize a loop or alternate return route.

 A mixed bag of vegetation along Spence Creek

LENGTH: 5.5 miles round trip

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 5,819 – 5,990 feet (817 feet of accumulated elevation change)

GETTING THERE:

From Courthouse Square in downtown Prescott, turn go north on Montezuma Street (Whiskey Row) and continue 6.1 miles—Montezuma turns into Whipple Street and then Iron Springs Road—to the trailhead access road on the left. There’s a small hiker sign across the road from the trailhead turnoff.

INFO & MAPS:

City of Prescott

https://www.prescott-az.gov/recreation-events/recreation-areas/trails/