Copper Falls Trail

Copper Falls Trail

Copper Falls cascade over stony shelves.

Chasing winter waterfalls is sort of an unofficial rite of passage for Arizona hikers.

With a few blaring exceptions (hello, Havasupai) most of our state’s waterfalls don’t flow continually.  Experienced hikers know that dark-stained cliffs and jumbled drainages visible along trails hold the potential for spectacular waterworks following episodes of rain and snow melt. Some trekkers even adjust their agendas to sync with the rhythm of the rains.

A rustic corral on the Camp Verde Trail section of the hike.

The spur trail to the falls is a bit of a scramble.

Timing is key to catch the transient desert founts at their best. Pick a day after a storm but pay attention to weather reports and road closures as torrential downpours come with a real threat of potentially deadly flooding.

The tiered flow of Copper Falls.

The fugitive waterworks aren’t hard to find.  

Copper Falls Trail traces a ridge above an ancient lake bed. 

A few famous ones like Encinoso Falls in Sedona’s Oak Creek Canyon, Massacre Falls in the Superstition Wilderness, Grand Falls north of Flagstaff, Bridal Wreath Falls in Tucson and the miles of cascades in Barnhardt Canyon flow reliably along established trails during peak conditions. Others though, reside where you’d least expect them.

One such cascade is the crux of Copper Falls Trail No. 504.  Tucked into a pocket of colorfully-layered sediments that separate the Verde River from Interstate 17, this non-motorized route is the result of grass-roots efforts driven by the residents of nearby Camp Verde.

Following years of working together with Prescott National Forest, the Copper Canyon trailhead project came to fruition with the support of donated materials and volunteer labor.  The roomy, well-outfitted recreation hub officially opened in February 2012.

The new site anchors a popular recreation area south of State Route 260 that’s known for its ATV routes and river-access for fishing and paddling.  Trail No. 504 explores above and within a bowl-like depression of an ancient lake bed where limestone and siltstone deposits disrupted by faults and other geological events have eroded into oddly-sculpted buttes, ridges and gullies.

The trailhead & Verde Valley seen from the switchbacks.

Storm clouds obscure views of Sedona to the northwest.

The 4.1-mile, moderate loop hike begins at a gate in the northwest corner of the trailhead.  Hike a few yards then veer left at a pair of generic trail signs where the route begins a mild 300-foot climb to a crest of a ridge. This scenic segment ascends through a bone-dry landscape dominated by Crucifixion-thorn bushes and acres of cacti.

Crucifixtion-thorn shrubs are common along the trail.

Views of the gaping Verde Valley and the emerald river course backed by the hills surrounding West Clear Creek Wilderness roll out to the north and east. A mile in, the trail tops out on a grassy mesa littered with chalky white stones, a fringe of yuccas and patchy forests of junipers, scrub oaks and pinion pines. 

Water from Copper Falls trickles beside the trail.

The muffled rumble of vehicles traveling on Interstate 17 and views of Sedona’s red rocks mark the beginning of an edgy traverse of the oblong mesa above a deeply furrowed basin.  The airy walk ends with a swift descent on long switchbacks that end at a drainage area where a slim footpath heads into a secluded, stonewalled gorge that hides Copper Falls.

Arizona sycamores thrive in the runoff from Copper Falls.

The 0.2-mile one-way path follows an ephemeral creek cluttered with sycamores, willows, log jams and boulders. Some minor route-finding and scrambling are needed to work your way through to the head of the dead-end canyon where tiered cascades tumble over blocky shelves into shallow drop pools.  

A sycamore leaf floats in a drop pool near Copper Falls.

This leafy oasis stands in stark contrast to the arid high desert that surrounds it.

The return leg of the loop passes through mesquite rangeland

The trailhead officially opened in Feb. 2012.

The trail then briefly traces the fall’s trickling issue before meeting the Camp Verde Trail No. 545. 

Water at the base of Copper Falls.

At the junction that’s marked with only a “504” sign, continue straight ahead passing some old native stone foundations. Soon, the terrain transitions into mesquite-covered rangeland with a rickety corral bolstered by ashen limestone embankments.  Just beyond the corral at the 3.9-mile point, another junction marks the final decision point of the hike.

A plaque at the trailhead recognizes contributors.

Head left for a slightly longer return trip to the trailhead or veer right onto the Saloon Trail No. 9833 (not signed) for a shortcut.

MacDougal's Biscuitroot bloom near the trail.

LENGTH: 4.1-mile loop

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 3190 – 3533 feet

GETTING THERE:

From Interstate 17 in Camp Verde, take the State Route 260 exit 287. Go 1.6 miles east (toward Payson) on SR 260 to Oasis Drive, turn right (south) and continue 0.3-mile to Forest Road 136, turn right again and go 0.8-mile to the trailhead on the right. FR 136 is washboard-rough dirt but is passable by passenger vehicles.

There are picnic ramadas with grills and a restroom at the trailhead.

The trailhead is open year round from dawn to dusk for day-use only. No fees.

INFO:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/prescott/recarea/?recid=80069

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Mesquite Canyon Trail

Mesquite Canyon Trail

White Tank Mountain Regional Park.

Edge-hugging segment of Mesquite Canyon Trail

Towering over cotton fields, citrus groves and an ever-expanding landscape of subdivisions, the White Tank Mountains on the western edge of Metro Phoenix rise to just over 4000 feet.

Mexican gold poppies open in daylight.

For more than 30 million years, tectonic upheavals, volcanic events and erosion have shaped the range into a mass of canyons, ruptured ridgelines and scoured drainages where “white tanks”— depressions in buff-colored granite—retain rain water.  The inhospitable terrain is made approachable by way of the trails within White Tank Mountain Regional Park in Waddell.

Make it a loop with the Willow Canyon Trail if you like.

Poppies galore!

Benches are placed at scenic spots along the first 0.25-mile.

Dainty Desert Hideseed grow in moist clefts.

Excellent views appear in the first mile of hiking.

Complex geology of the White Tank Mountains.

A lone Mexican gold poppy hides among dry grasses.

Long switchbacks ease the climb.

Although the park has many family-friendly, effortless routes, most of its more than 30 miles of trails involve difficult-to-extreme mountain ascents. While challenging hiker-favorites like Ford Canyon and Goat Camp pass through some hazardous sections of loose rock, precipitous edges and steep climbs, Mesquite Canyon Trail rises to equally dizzying heights with fewer obstacles. 

Brittlebush grow along the Mesquite Trail

The route may be accessed at either the main trailhead staging area or at ramada #7.  Starting at the ramada bypasses about a mile of flat, easy hiking and delves right into the uphill trudge.  The first quarter mile follows a roomy dirt track with benches placed at scenic overlooks.

Fragrant desert lavender attracts pollinators.

One of the best features of this trail is that great views can be had after only a short bit of climbing and the vistas continue to improve around every bend. A half-mile in, the lung pumping begins as the trail narrows and takes on a series of long switchbacks that snake up the canyon above a gorge with brilliant white stone at its base and a daisy chain of tanks.  Crowds become noticeably thinner once the path transitions into an edgy traverse of outcroppings of layered metamorphic rocks bent into accordion-like folds and gigantic boulders with peeling veneers.  Tucked among clefts, scree and exposed ledges, springtime wildflowers give reasons to pause on the way up. 

A fresh crop of jojoba fruits ripen on bushes. 

The "white tanks" can be seen at the bottom of Mesquite Cn.

Lush fringes of brittlebush, jojoba and cholla shade patches of Dainty Desert Hideseed, lupine, Emory's rock daisies, globemallow, buckwheat, scorpionweed and bright orange Mexican gold poppies that unfurl when warmed by the afternoon sun.  

Watch for fiddleneck near drainages.

The twisted terrain contains a glut of micro climates that bounce between mossy gullies and parched flats. The varied pockets of shade, sun and moisture foster a vast assortment of blooming plants.  

A scenic point on Mesquite Canyon Trail.

At the 1.8-mile point, you can opt to make an 8.4-mile loop using the Willow Canyon and part of the Ford Canyon Trails, otherwise continue uphill to the trek’s high point and the junction with Goat Camp Trail above Slick Rock Canyon.  This breezy turnaround perch makes for a fine lunch spot before descending among woke poppies.

Globemallow is a common sight in Mesquite Canyon.

Bud on a pink variety of globemallow.

Lupine grow in open areas along the lower trail.

LENGTH: 5 miles one-way from the main trailhead or 4.2 miles one-way from ramada #7

RATING: difficult

ELEVATION: 1540 – 3023 feet

GETTING THERE:

20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road, Waddell.

Construction on Interstate 10 and surface streets in the area may cause detours. Check the Arizona Department of Transportation website for updates. https://www.azdot.gov/home

Follow the main park road to the trailhead staging area or continue to Waterfall Canyon Road and ramada #7. There are restrooms at both sites.

INFO & MAPS:

https://www.maricopacountyparks.net/park-locator/white-tank-mountain-regional-park/park-activities/hiking/

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Massacre Grounds Trail

Massacre Grounds Trail

Weaver's Needle on the horizon seen from Massacre Grds.

It’s curious that even though geologists say that the Superstition Mountains are an unlikely source for rich deposits of gold, myths and legends of finding, loosing and raiding the precious mineral in the unforgiving back country persist. 

Hill 2636 is a distinctive feature along the trail.

From territorial times to the present day, people have been fascinated by the strike-it-rich rumors and tales of ill-gotten gains that ring as loudly and off-key as cymbals in the hands of a restless kid.

Rock pinnacles (L) above Lost Dutchman SP.

Exposure, accidents and violence have claimed the lives of many who followed the lure of greed toward the proverbial mother lode.  For those who believe in ghosts, Massacre Grounds is a good place to find them. 

This rough chute is the most difficult part of the hike.

If you could pick a place to meet your maker, the yucca-studded volcanic mesa surrounded by rolling grasslands, abrupt canyons and sheer cliffs would make for a glorious sendoff.  

The hauntingly beautiful spot at the far northwestern edge of the Superstition Wilderness near Apache Junction is the site of a legendary 1848 ambush where a group of Spanish miners met their demise at the hands of a band of irate Apaches.  Hazy historical accounts suggest that the Apaches took the miner’s pack animals but left the gold—further stoking the quest for hidden treasure.  A good place to tease out the vague, conflicting but always intriguing history of the area’s rough-and tumble past is the Superstition Mountain Museum. The small, but packed space located along State Route 88 not far from major trailheads has regular educational events and exhibits. 

Hikers on the saddle. (R) beneath Hill 2636.

The museum’s new exhibit “The Gold Seekers” uses photos and artifacts to give an overview of the area’s infamous fortune hunters while adding incentive to take a hike into them thar hills.

Gory history notwithstanding, Massacre Ground Trail is a real treat to explore.

Yucca and agaves at the massacre grounds.

View from Massacre Falls

Volcanic structure of the Massacre Grounds site.

Climbing gently along a well-defined path, the route cuts through the remnants of 35-million-year-old volcanic activity. Contorted lava flows, volcanic necks and rugged washes shaded by desert trees and shrubs complement wide-open views of the surrounding wilderness. 

Desert holly grows in  moist drainages on the trail.

The first mile makes a mild ascent of the foothills at the base of craggy mountains. Acres of chain fruit cholla cover the flats that provide a platform for viewing the Four Peaks on the northern horizon and the colorfully layered mounds of the Goldfield Mountains to the west. 

Chain fruit cholla frame views of Four Peaks.

Once past the wilderness boundary fence, the climbing intensifies as the route swings over the saddle of Hill 2636—a dominant conical butte. 

From this point, the distant urban profile of Downtown Phoenix is barely visible to the southwest. 

Four Peaks are visible throughout most of the hike.

Goldfield Mountains on the western horizon.

After a dip into a damp, shady corridor, the trail meets its most difficult challenge—a 0.1-mile slick rock chute. The loose rock and high-steps of this short section look intimidating but getting through isn’t too tough for anybody with nubby footwear and the smarts to take it slow.  

A primitive trail leads to the base of Massacre Falls.

With the climbing mostly in the rear view, the final trudge to the massacre site is a breathtaking journey up a sloping mesa to a junction above a precipice that meets a hoodoo-topped wall of stone. To the south, the signature stone pinnacles of Lost Dutchman State Park appear as giant slabs falling away from the massive cliffs that encompass the Massacre Falls. Dark stains on the rock veneer show where waterfalls cascade over the cliffs after heavy rains. A well-worn path to the right heads down the escarpment to the base of the falls. To the left, a slender footpath traces the edge of the mesa’s broken brim, culminating at the purported location of the miners’ bloody last stand.  Trail’s end is a desolate platform at the cusp of sky and stone with no signs of conflict and no pot of gold.  But the site’s aura resonates in eerie canyon echoes and the calls of ravens passing overhead.

View from Massacre Grounds.

The trail to the massacre site.

LENGTH: 6 miles round trip (including side trip to the falls)

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 2116 – 3185 feet

GETTING THERE:

From U.S. 60 in Apache Junction, take the State Route 88 (Idaho Road) exit 196 and continue 7.5 miles on SR 88 to First Water Road (Forest Road 78) located just past Lost Dutchman State Park on the right.  Go 0.5 mile on FR78 to the signed Crosscut-Massacre Ground Trailhead on the right.  FR 78 is rough dirt passable by carefully-driven sedans.

INFO:

http://superstitionmountainmuseum.org/

Tonto National Forest

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tonto/specialplaces/?cid=fsbdev3_018739

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