Clay Mine Trail

CLAY MINE TRAIL

Beautiful mountain and valley views on Clay Mine Trail

In the ubiquitous quest for health and beauty, the promise of a quick fix seduces better than the long game.  For those rare few who won the beauty and longevity genes lottery (I’m looking at you Sophia Loren and Cicely Tyson) having a great face and physical fortitude without investing in a whole lot products is an enviable characteristic.  The rest of us use mud.

Join a ranger-led hike to explore inside the mine

While luxurious, earthy promise-in-a-jar blends available at health-and-beauty counters everywhere from discount stores and late-night infomercials to indulgent destination spas provide a feel-good boost and a surface glow, they rarely cure anything.  Still, dangling carrots endure, and people have made billions selling muddy treatments promoted as healthful and youth-restoring.  Thus, was the case of Leila P. Irish.

Creosote shrubs bloom even in drought conditions

In the 1930s, the entrepreneurial woman saw the potential in marketing a buff-colored clay found among the tailings of an abandoned, dud gold prospect in what is now Cave Creek Regional Park.  For reasons unbeknownst to modern science, Irish envisioned a miracle cure in the otherwise unremarkable, chalky rock.  She transformed the common earth into a marketable gold mine of another type by grinding the soft sediments into a fine, talc-like powder and selling it at premium prices as a calcium, iron and silica rich health supplement and basic elixir for building strong teeth and nails and enriching blood.  The product took off, making Irish and her Pearl Chemical Mine very wealthy.

Clay mine treasure: miracle cure or snake oil?

When Irish’s dreams of further cashing in on the magic muck by establishing a nearby health resort complete with therapeutic mud baths didn't pan out, she sold the claim in 1949 and the mine and its sensational issue of debatable value fell into oblivion. 

Today, the clay mine lives on as a curiosity site in Cave Creek Regional Park.  To get a close-up look at the mine’s innards and learn more about the history and science behind the bizarre bit of Arizona lore, sign up for a tour led by park rangers.  But if you’re fine with just a look in from behind a locked gate that protects the cave, grab a park map and head out on your own. 

Benches are placed at scenic spots on the trail

The 1.5-mile Clay Mine Trail may be accessed from either the Overton or Go John trailheads near the park nature center and can easily be looped into longer, more difficult hikes. 

Big valley views on the way to Clay Mine

Rock outcroppings line the route

As a standalone trek, the route rolls through desert hills and high passes with outstanding views of the Valley and surrounding mountain ranges.  With the ongoing drought, wildflowers are scant this year.  But hearty, desert plants like creosote, brittle bush and desert marigolds have mastered the long game and push through with spots of beauty along the way.

There are many ways to extend the hike

LENGTH: 3 miles round trip

RATING: easy

ELEVATION:  2,000 -2,300 feet

GETTING THERE:

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37900 E. Cave Creek Parkway, Cave Creek.

Take Interstate 17 north to Carefree Highway (State Route 74). Head east (right) and continue 7 miles to the park entrance at 32nd Street.  Follow the main park road to the Overton or Go John trailheads at the nature center.

There are restrooms and water at the trailhead.

PARK HOURS: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

FEE: There’s a $7 daily fee per vehicle.

INFO & MAPS:

https://www.maricopacountyparks.net/park-locator/cave-creek-regional-park/

GO JOHN TRAIL

GO JOHN TRAIL:Cave Creek Regional Park

View of the Cave Creek Mountains from Go John Trail

Situated in a hilly slice of desert just a few miles east of Interstate 17, Cave Creek Regional Park is bordered by an eclectic brew of subdivisions, strip malls, nature preserves and national forest. 

West leg of the Go John loop is part of the Maricopa Trail

Somehow, the seemingly miss-matched adjacencies blend into a sort of extended back yard for North Valley outdoor recreation. Replete with the standard amenities of suburban patio life, the family-friendly park has a nature center, frequent workshops and events, picnic ramadas, restrooms, water, playground, horse staging area and camping. 

Flaky metamorphic rock outcroppings line the route

But beyond the grills and easy interpretive trails, there are also plenty of ways to escape into the wild end of the 2,922-acre site.

Of the eight trails in Cave Creek Regional Park, Go John is the deep-cut classic. As the core loop in the Maricopa County park’s 14-plus-mile trail system, the moderate-rated hike explores some of the most remote and scenic corners of the property.

Elephant Mountain in distance

Downtown Phoenix visible on the distant horizon

Scaly rock formations at Gunsight Pass

The beautiful thing about loop hikes like this one are the continually-changing views and Go John delivers the goods in far-reaching vistas, cloistered passages, a variety of geological features and rich plant communities. To get the major climbing done first, begin the loop at the north trail sign where the route dives right into the zig-zagging western leg of the loop that’s also part of the Valley-circumnavigating Maricopa Trail that connects all 10 county parks.

Long switchbacks mitigate the climb on Go John Trail

Quartz deposits appears along the route

The ascent is mitigated by long switchbacks cut from foothills that swing around desert trees and saguaro-cluttered bends. The first big views are revealed after less than a mile of uphill trudging. Sloping canyon walls frame hazy patterns of Downtown Phoenix and the jagged silhouettes of the Hieroglyphic Mountains west of the Valley.  The west leg tops out at a saddle where the first of several benches offers a place to enjoy glimpses of the Cave Creek Mountains and the distinctive pachyderm profile of Elephant Mountain appear to the north.

Continually-changing vistas are key features on Go John Trl

A large clearing on the saddle makes for a good spot to regroup and take a breather before continuing on the less steep segments that complete the loop.  The route dips and climbs through shaded drainage areas, washes and ridges lined with outcroppings of vertically-tilted metamorphic rocks that shed in thin sheets, coating the ground in glinting tile-like scales. 

Palo verde and mesquite trees thrive in drainage areas

Creosote is a common shrub along the trail

Adding to the park’s interesting geology are deposits of white quartz that show up as scattered pebbles and artfully-veined boulders near defunct mining operations.  About halfway through the hike, Gunsight Pass, a high point with bizarre blade-like rock pinnacles on the loop’s east leg, hovers above golf communities and ranches backed by the commanding form of Black Mountain and the distant Superstition Mountains. 

Part of theeast leg of the hike traces a drainage gorge

A final swing on cliffs above a deep gorge leads hikers through sunny rangeland where the Quartz and Jasper Trail spin off for optional geology-themed side trips or a shorter loop for young kids.

Cholla cacti frame views of the Cave Creek Mountains

LENGTH:  5.8-mile loop

RATING: moderate-difficult

ELEVATION:  2,088 - 2,520 feet

FEE: $7 daily fee per vehicle

GETTING THERE:

37900 E. Cave Creek Parkway Cave Creek.

From Carefree Highway in Cave Creek, go 1.5 miles north on 32nd Street to the park entry gate.  Follow the main park road to the Go John trailhead.

INFO:

https://maricopacountyparks.org/cave-creek

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SLATE –QUARTZ-GO JOHN LOOP

SLATE –QUARTZ-GO JOHN LOOP

Cave Creek Regional Park

Slate Trail

The site of Cave Creek Regional Park has a storied history. 

Cactus sprouts

Before there were hiking trails, campgrounds and picnic ramadas, the park and its surroundings were used by the ancient Hohokam people, mine operations, farms and ranches.  The park’s relics of human endeavors are transient compared to its geological features.  Although the 2,922-acre site has been picked over by prospectors in search of gold deposits that never quite materialized, the peaks, gullies and bizarre curiosities borne of earth’s disruptive forces remain basically unchanged since before humans arrived. 

Jasper and Quartz

Taking a moderate-rated loop stroll on the Slate, Quartz and Go John trails reveals a wonderland of rock while staying (mostly) away from the park’s busiest routes.

Slate Trail departs from a paved parking area with restrooms, heading east on an easy-to-follow, wash-addled tread.   During the first stretch, minor outcroppings of vertical-tilted metamorphic rocks –the “slate”—begin to pop up along the trail. Then, just beyond the half-mile point, the scaly gray slabs take center stage. The outcroppings balloon in size running amok on and around the route.   Patches of Palo verde and ironwood trees provide a little shade, but mostly, this hike is open to the sky.
The fin-like rocks form a scrub board surface littered with chunks of milky quartz and blood-red jasper. Some formations jut skyward in shark fin style while others lean in stony waves with tiny cacti sprouting from cracks where splits in the decomposing rock harbor just enough moisture to nurse plants to viability. At the 0.6-mile point, head north on the Quartz Trail for a walk past a gigantic mound of white stone that stands near a bend where a crack in the hilly terrain reveals views of mountains on the western horizon.
This 1.4-mile section follows the contours of several small peaks before it connects with Go John Trail for the return trip. Go John is the longest and most heavily-used trail in the system. Park trails are also used by a nearby horse outfitter that offers guided rides and the swooping, undulating nature of Go John makes it a popular choice for mountain bikers.  So, keep an eye out for speeding bikes and plodding equine parades. Hikers should always yield to horse traffic by stepping off the trail and following the directions of the riders.  From the Quartz-Go John junction, head left, continue 0.9-mile to the Jasper Trail, turn left and hike 0.4 mile back to the trailhead, enjoying the scattered gems and crunchy slate underfoot.

Go John Trail

Quartz Trail

LENGTH:  3.2-mile loop

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 2060 - 2300 feet

GETTING THERE:

From Carefree Highway in Cave Creek, go 1.5 miles north on 32^nd Street to the park entrance. Follow the main road past the visitor center and park at the Slate Trailhead.

INFO & MAP:

https://www.maricopacountyparks.net/assets/1/6/cave-creek-8x112.pdf

OVERTON-GO JOHN LOOP

OVERTON-GO JOHN LOOP

Cave Creek Regional Park

The high point of Overton Trail

Some of the benefits of loop hikes are dynamic, ever-changing scenery and surprises around every bend. An easier, but equally interesting  alternative to Cave Creek Regional Park’s signature Go John loop, this circuit coils around a massif of crumbling schist and outcroppings of milky quartz. Because a local horse outfitter heavily uses this loop, hikers should be on the lookout for "road apples" and respect the equine right-of-way, by stepping aside when riders approach.  The route tops out at a mountain pass with picture postcard quality vistas of Elephant Mountain, Sugarloaf and Skull Mesa to the east and a muddled montage of peaks and valleys rolling out to the western horizon.  Here, a bench beckons visitors to relax and soak in the sights while a collection of artful native rock cairns decorate the trail's official high point. Moving on, the path heads downhill to connect with Go John Trail. With the tough part of the hike completed, veer right and it's all downhill from here.

Geology on Go John Trail

LENGTH: 3.4- mile loop

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 2126' - 2501'

FEE: $6 daily fee per vehicle

FACILITIES: restrooms, water, picnic areas, nature center

GETTING THERE:

37900 N. Cave Creek Parkway, Cave Creek 85331

Take I-17 north to Carefree Hwy (SR74). Head east (right) and continue 7 miles to the park entrance at 32nd Street.  Follow the main park road to the Overton trailhead at the nature center.

A guided horse trail ride

INFO:  Maricopa County Parks & Recreation: 623-465-0431

http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/cave_creek/hiking.aspx

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GO JOHN TRAIL

GO JOHN TRAIL Cave Creek Regional Park Located just minutes from metro Phoenix, Cave Creek Regional Park offers easy access to pleasant desert hiking. Over 11 miles of well-maintained, shared-use trails criss-cross the park’s varied terrain and on most weekends, hikers can expect to encounter horseback riders, trail runners, dogs on leash and mountain bikers. Trailhead signs warn of snakes, but encounters are rare. The Go John loop twists through ravines, washes and ridges with terrific views of the area’s mesas, buttes, ancient rock formations and desert flora. There is little shade along the way. If you get lost on the trail, you are truly an unworthy hiker because junctions are clearly signed and trails are obvious. Its proximity to town makes the trail quite popular with the locals so it’s essential to arrive early and observe trail etiquette -- hikers must yield to uphill traffic and horses, while bikers, who are supposed to yield to all, rarely do. LENGTH: 5 mile loop RATING: easy ELEVATION GAIN: 800 feet GETTING THERE: From Phoenix, travel north on I-17 to the Carefree Highway exit. Head right onto Carefree Highway and continue to 32nd Street. Turn left onto 32nd Street and follow it to the entrance to Cave Creek Regional Park. Once inside the park, follow Cave Creek Parkway to Tonalite Drive. Turn left onto Tonalite and follow the signs to the Go John trailhead. There’s a $5 daily fee per vehicle. Bring the exact change for the self-serve pay station at the park entrance.