Posts
BLACK
CANYON NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL: EMERY HENDERSON SEGMENT
New River Mountains seen from Black Canyon Trail
The Emery
Henderson trailhead on New River Road is one of the most convenient points of
access to the Black Canyon National Recreation Trail from the Phoenix
area. 
Looking north on the Black Canyon Trail
The 100+-mile historic route runs
north from Carefree Highway to the Verde Valley roughly parallelling Interstate
17 along its rugged course. 
Saguaros are a key attraction on the hike
The second leg
in the trail, the Emery Henderson segment
straddles
desert flats and floodplains between the freeway and the Agua Fria River that
spills into Lake Pleasant in the northwest Valley. 
The Emery Henderson trailhead
Its 4-mile length wanders through the last vestiges
of neon and industry before ducking into mountainous backcountry, but not
before delivering of the best trips through saguaro cactus country
anywhere. 
Some old trail posts are still standing along the route
But, before it gets to the good
stuff, hikers must trudge through a half mile of bland terrain, cross the North
El Paso Gasline Road and listen to distant firearms noise from a nearby
shooting range. Sucking up these minor annoyances pays off quickly, though. 
An impressive specimen in the Agua Fria floodplain
Following
a rocky two-track the trail soon departs the “Sahara of the Suburbs” and tucks
into shadeless plains of cholla and creosote surrounded by mountain
ranges. The distinctive mound of 2,980-foot
Gavilan Peak dominates the eastern horizon while band of mesas including 2,857-foor
Wild Burro Mesa bolster the western skyline. Where the route begins an easy descent
into the floodplains of the Agua Fria River, desert flora, led by majestic
saguaros, clutters runoff channels and crumbling foothills. 
New River Mountains to the northeast 
Dead saguaros are havens for wildlife
Gigantic saguaros sprout from an earthen stew
of white quartz chunks, basalt blobs, assorted metamorphic stones and sediments.
This complex show of geology belies the
area’s rich mining history.
But it’s
the saguaros that are the segments signature feature. They huddle in masses around gullies, stand
as lone sentinels over pebbly flats and show up as contorted,zoomorphic forms begging
to be named. Even the dead ones live on as havens for wildlife and subjects for
detail-driven photographers. A smattering of ironwoods and Palo Verde trees sink
roots deep into the major drainages that the trail crosses, providing what little
shade the trail has to offer. 
Desert icons on the Black Canyon Trail 
Name that saguaro
The segment ends where the 3.2-mile Boy Scout
Loop takes off. Hikes may turn back here
for a moderate 7.6-mile trek or loop around for a long 10-miler. Either way,
Arizona’s most iconic cacti are constant trailside companions.
LENGTH:
7.6 miles roundtrip to the loop and back
10.4 miles roundtrip with loop
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 1,858 1,989
1,850-1,974 feet to the loop
1,850- 2,315 feet with loop
GETTING THERE:
Emery Henderson Trailhead:
From Phoenix, take I-17 north to exit 232 (New River Road). Turn left and follow New River Road for 3 miles and look for the Emery Henderson Trailhead turn off on the right. The roads are paved all the way to the trailhead where there are restrooms (out of order at this writing), hitching posts, covered picnic areas and plenty of parking and an occasional site host.
INFO & MAPS:
