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NOODLE LOOP
Spence Basin Trail System.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Spence Basin trails are well signed |
The trek debarks from the Spence Springs trailhead located just a few miles northwest of Downtown Prescott.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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/
