Black Canyon Trail Races Toward the Verde River

CROOK TRAIL No. 64 to BLACK CANYON TRAIL

Red flags mark a fresh cut segment of the BCT south of SR 169

Steeped in scenic beauty, geological diversity and human history, the Black Canyon National Recreation Trail continues to evolve and grow. 

BCT climbs a rocky hill near Ash Creek

The core of the historic 80-mile route which runs from the Carefree Highway north of Phoenix to State Route 69 outside of Prescott, has been expanding northward into the Prescott National Forest. 

BCT is extending into Prescott National Forest

The latest effort involves adding 37 miles of non-motorized trail between the Russian Well segment located near the town of Mayer along Orme School Road to the Verde River at Camp Verde. The new stretch of trail incorporates parts of the General Crook National Recreation Trail, old stock driveways, and sustainable social trails with segments of new construction. It will pass under State Route 260 by way of existing culverts near the Hayfield Draw OHV trailhead.

Cacti cling to rock outcrops on BCT

A rocky ledge overlooking Ash Creek

One fresh-cut section to explore uses the General Crook Trail No. 64 to connect with part of the new trail segment south of State Route 169.

New extension of the BCT will end at the Verde River near Camp Verde

From a roomy trailhead along S. Cherry Creek Road, the hike begins across from the parking area where Trail No. 64 heads east through scrubby rangeland backed by distant mountain vistas.

Switchbacks ease the climbs on BCT

The first few yards of the trail pass through a wash and drainages. The sketchy path soon becomes clear where cairns mark the way.  The undulating historic wagon road glides through largely shade less territory replete with cat claw, yucca and cacti.

A pastoral scene on the BCT

Disrupted by washes and isolated rock outcroppings, the stark expanse was once the realm of sheep flocking from winter grazing lands around Bloody Basin to their summer pastures near Flagstaff and on the Mogollon Rim.  While sheep still pass through this backcountry, hikers these days are more likely to encounter domestic cattle, coyotes and javelina. 

Cairns mark the way on Trail No. 64

At the 1.2-mile point, the route meets the Black Canyon Trail. 

BCT passes through historic livestock driveways

Trailhead on S. Cherry Creek Road

As of this writing, trail signs are not yet installed, and construction is still active in the area.  Trail users should not disturb trail flags, build cairns, or get in the way of workers who may be present. From the junction, head south (go right) and follow the newly forged single track as it bends westward through grasslands and juniper forests. 

Cottonwoods in Ash Creek seen from BCT

Hike begins on Trail No.64 across from the parking lot

The trail swings through and around scoured drainages and sandy washes before it meets a gate at Cherry Creek Road at the 3.3-mile point.  A loopy combination of rough-hewn wood, barbed wire and green-painted metal, the gate has a bike rollover and easy-open access for foot traffic. Be sure to close the gate behind you.  The trail then begins a smooth descent to the cottonwood-lined course of Ash Creek. 

The scrubby course of Crook Trail No. 64

Just ahead, the trail cut is visible ascending a rocky mound.  While it look steep, series of long switchbacks mitigate the effort of climbing the hill’s grassy flanks.  As the close-cropped trail ascends among amazing rock formations and cliff-hanging cacti, bigger and better views unfold in huge panoramic style. At just over 3.5 miles, the trail encounters a scenic overlook above the creek.

Close all gates behind you when hiking the BCT

  Surrounded by lichen-encrusted outcroppings with scrub oaks clinging to cracks in the eroding stone, the breezy high point offers a fresh look at a pristine landscape just a few miles west of Interstate 17 and a perfect spot to take a break before heading back to the trailhead.  

The point where Trail No.64 meets the BCT

Open range land dominates the hike

LENGTH: 7.3 miles round trip as described here

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 4,219 – 4,435 feet

GETTING THERE:

From interstate 17 about 8 miles south of Camp Verde, take the Dewey-Humboldt exit 278 for State Route 169. Turn left onto SR169 and continue 5.5 miles to the Cherry Creek Road intersection past milepost 10. Turn LEFT onto the dirt S. Old Cherry Creek Road/County Road 168 (not signed and shown on some maps as Hackberry Wash Road) and continue

0.4-mile to the trailhead on the right.  Hike begins across the road at the “64” trail post.  Roads are paved up to Old Cherry Creek Road which is good dirt suitable for all vehicles.

INFO:

Prescott National Forest

www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/prescott/recreation/recarea/?recid=67417&actid=24

Legends of Superior Trail: Queen Creek Canyon

LOST: QUEEN CREEK CANYON SEGMENT

Boulders line the upper part of the Queen Creek Canyon hike

Imagine the trip from Phoenix to the Copper Corridor towns of Globe-Miami taking all day. That was the reality back in the early 20^th century before U.S. 60 replaced the old Apache Trail route. While the annual Renaissance Festival traffic might still make the trip feel like a lurching marathon, the highway shaved the 88-mile drive time down to about an hour and a half.

Inside the defunct Claypool Tunnel

The highway’s original, “million-dollar-a-mile” sinuous alignment opened in 1922.  

Ruins of mining equipment visible on the hike

Convicts were used to build parts of the route, including the Claypool Tunnel near the town of Superior, which was blasted from solid rock in the rugged cliffs above Queen Creek Canyon.

Hike follows the 1920s alignment of U.S. 60

 

The current U.S. 60 bridge spans Queen Creek

While known for its fabulous views, the narrow, edge-hugging road with hairpin turns and queasy drop-offs proved just too dangerous for modern travel needs.  So, the route was retooled in 1952 to its safer, current alignment which includes the slick (yet claustrophobic) Queen Creek Tunnel. 

The rough-blasted interior of the Claypool Tunnel

A 1920s-era bridge crosses Queen Creek

But the decommissioned U.S. 60 didn’t just disappear. Its crumbling course, which is now on Resolution Copper property, has been repurposed into a recreational trail that’s part of the Legends of Superior Trails (LOST) system.

Early 20th century masonry work

Picketpost Mountain and the Superior water tank

 Located roughly 65 miles east of Phoenix, the 11.65-mile  LOST system is divided into 5 segments open to hiking, biking and equestrian use.

Sycamores grow in the riparian zone around Queen Creek

Each segment explores a unique slice of Superior’s history and environmental diversity. There’s the stunning riparian corridor of Arnett Canyon with connectivity to the Arizona National Scenic Trail, a walk through the abandoned town of Pinal and an interpretive in-town stroll among artifacts from the area’s rich mining and ranching heritage.  But it’s the Queen Creek Canyon segment that gives a boots-on-the-ground tour of the defunct highway.

Close up of the 1952 Queen Creek Bridge

 

The 4.2-mile out-and-back hike begins on the outskirts of the historic downtown business district.  Following the disintegrating substrate of pavement and gravel, the old highway traces the bed of Queen Creek where bits of old mining equipment and barred-off prospects teeter over the usually dry waterway. 

The Claypool Tunnel was blasted from solid rock

Throughout the hike, a palpable push-pull of old and new defines the mood, beginning with the crossing of a 1920s-era concrete bridge that stands below the gargantuan span of its metal-riveted replacement bolted into vertical cliffs soaring above the sycamore-lined creek. Among eroding culverts, barriers and drainage systems, interpretive signs augment the trek with information on local wildlife, geology and history.  About halfway through the hike, the road swings around a water tank and begins a winding ascent through a geologically complex zone of quartzite, limestone and volcanic tuff--an amazing display 540 million years in the making.

Mineral-rich geology in Queen Creek Canyon

Interpretive signs augment the hike

On its way uphill, the trail unpacks views of 4,377-foot Picketpost Mountain and the remote, chiseled landscape of Alamo Canyon and Tonto National Forest to the southwest.

Abandoned mines are dangerous. Stay on the trail.

The crumbling foundation of old U.S. 60

The trail tops out at the old Claypool Tunnel.  It’s a short, sort of creepy, walk through the rough-blasted stone tube that lands hikers just yards beyond its replacement on the new U.S. 60.  For average-paced visitors arriving from Phoenix, the hike takes about as long as the drive to the trailhead, Fair traffic notwithstanding.

LENGTH: 4.2 miles roundtrip

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 2,807 – 3,485 feet

GETTING THERE:

Magma Avenue Trailhead:

From U.S. 60 in Superior, take the Kearny/Winkelman exit 227 for State Route 177. At the top of the offramp, go left and merge onto Magma Ave. (toward the business district) and continue 0.2-mile to the intersection of Magma Ave. and Heiner Dr. where there’s a dirt parking area. Hike begins at the gate at the north end of the lot.

INFO:

Legends of Superior Trails

https://superioraztrails.com/

 

Stirrup-Saddle Up Loop

STIRRUP-SADDLE UP LOOP

Cockscomb formation viewed from Saddle Up trail

Never hike behind a horse. Besides the obvious chance of being sprayed with a steaming-fresh pile of you-know-what, walking behind a horse on a trail is potentially risky business.

Horses simply see the world differently than people. Things like sudden loud noises, fast-moving objects and surprise encounters can set them off, so it’s smart to know the horse drill before setting out on trails frequented by equestrians. 

Western Gateway trails are popular with horses & hikers

Standard trail protocols dictate that horses always get the right-of-way.  Always. 

A dead juniper frames views of Mingus Mountain

Know what to do when you meet horses on the trail

Hikers and bikers are required to yield to horse traffic. But, it’s not just a matter of stepping aside.  For safety and courtesy, it’s important to know how to behave during horse encounters on the trail.

Here’s what American Trails, an organization that advances the development of diverse, high quality trails and greenways for the benefit of people and communities, recommends you should do when you meet a horse on a trail.

• Be aware of your surroundings. Ditch the headphones and watch for equine trail users.

• Stop and move aside for oncoming horses, but stay within their sight.

• Keep dogs on a short leash and under control.

• Say hello. Soft speaking signals to the horse that you are not a threat.

• Take directions from the rider.  Do not reach out, touch or interfere without permission.  Some horses enjoy interacting while others do not.

• When approaching a horse from behind, slow down and quietly announce (do not ring bells, yell or whistle) your presence and wait for instructions from the rider. A startled horse may kick, spin or bolt putting both rider and other trail uses at risk of injury.

• Wait for the horse to pass or, upon the rider’s okay, slowly walk around.

Town of Jerome visible below snow-capped mountains

These simple rules ensure happy trails for all.

The loop passes through a major drainage

For a chance to apply this course in horse sense, take a stroll on the aptly-named Stirrup-Saddle Up loop in the Western Gateway Area Trails in Sedona. 

The hike debarks from the large Girdner trailhead which has room for trailers.

A walk through a water-ravaged drainage is a highlight of the hike

Follow the Girdner trail for 0.1-mile, then veer right at the Stirrup trail junction.  Shaded by junipers and pinon pines, the easy-rated single track moves north through the riffled watershed of Dry Creek. Wonderful views of the Cockscomb formation, Doe, Bear and Wilson Mountains and the distant profiles of Mingus and Woodchute Mountains rising over the town of Jerome, provide a carousel of eye candy throughout the hike.  About a half-mile in, the trail crosses through a rough-cut drainage of sandstone slabs and red-earth walls with protruding roots exposed by flood waters.  This brief, oddly-entertaining section lands hikers on a ledge over sprawling green gullies.

Wilson Mountain viewed from the Stirrup Trail

 

At the 0.9-mile point, the trail meets the south terminus of the loop portion of the hike at the Saddle Up junction.  Continue north on Stirrup for another 0.7-mile, and pick up the loop at its north junction.  The 1.6-mile Saddle Up trail is rated moderate, although it’s only slightly more hilly than its counterpart. 

Cat claw and cacti populate sunny slopes

High and serpentine, the route passes through acres of thorny, high-desert vegetation. Manzanita, cat claw, yucca and cacti thrive on exposed grasslands favored by scrub jays and ravens.

R-L: Cockscomb, Doe Mtn, Bear Mtn

Where the trail bends south, trail users will catch glimpses of iconic Courthouse Butte to the south and the mighty mound of Capitol Butte looming to the east.

Capitol Butte seen from the Saddle Up trail

The last leg of the hike passes close to several private horse properties and the Gateway system has many equine access points, so stay alert and be prepared to pony up those trail etiquette protocols at a moment’s notice.

Horses always have the right-of-way on trails

  

LENGTH: 4.1-mile loop

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 4,293 – 4,550 feet

GETTING THERE:

Girdner-Cultural Park Trailhead.

From the State Route 89A/179 traffic circle in Sedona, head 4.2 miles west (go left through the circle) on 89A to Cultural Park Way (traffic signal). Turn right and continue 0.3-mile to the Girdner Trailhead on the right. Trailhead has picnic tables and a map kiosk but no restrooms or water.

INFO:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/coconino/

Sharing trails with horses:

American Trails.

https://www.americantrails.org/resources/safe-encounters-with-horses-on-multi-use-trails

 

 

Black Canyon Trail: Little Grand Canyon Segment

BLACK CANYON NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL: LITTLE GRAND CANYON SEGMENT

Agua Fria River pools against cliffs on the Black Canyon Trail

Tucked in the hilly back county between Interstate 17 and the feeder gullies of the Agua Fria River, the Little Grand Canyon segment of the Black Canyon National Recreation Trail, offers easy access to a remote-feeling hike escape.

Big views on the Little Grand Canyon segment of the BCT

The 1.4-mile slice of the 80+-mile route that runs between the Carefree Highway in north Phoenix to the fringes of Prescott National Forest near the town of Mayer, showcases a rugged water-ravaged landscape entrenched by mountains, mesas, washes and mineral-rich foothills just over 30 miles north of downtown Phoenix.

A gate frames mesa views on the Black Canyon Trail

  

Named more for the presence of the Little Grand Canyon Ranch on the banks of the Agua Fria, rather than for its resemblance of the real geological deal to the state’s north, the segment delivers a pleasing rotation of eye-popping vistas served up by way of edge-hugging switchbacks and slinky single tracks.

Indian Mesa (center-left) near Lake Pleasant

Hikers should be aware that the area is also a popular draw for recreational shooting and OHV use.  Hikers can expect to hear a constant the pop-pop of rifles and the rev of quad engines during the first half-mile of the hike. 

New River Mountains viewed from LGC segment

Ironwoods and saguaros near the Little Pan junction

The trail itself is open only to foot, horse and non-electric bike travel, so the noise is soon absorbed in stony clefts and acres of pristine desert.  To find the route from the trailhead, follow the short access path to a “T” intersection, go right and hike past a chain of RV campsites. The trail is well-signed throughout.

Christmas cactus sprout red fruit in winter

Right from the start, mountain views command attention. To the southwest, the distinctive slanted flattop of Indian Mesa stands among stone sentinels at the remote upper finger coves of Lake Pleasant.  As the trail makes an easy descent along a narrow trail cut from buff-colored,

compacted volcanic ash, scaly metamorphic shelves and quartz outcroppings, views of the Bradshaw Mountains to the north peek out over vivid green foothills covered in paloverde trees, creosote, cholla and massive squads of tall saguaros. 

Trail passes by interesting geological formations

At the 1.1-mile point, the trail crosses a major wash with scoured caves and quartz-laced boulders polished smooth by years of rushing water.  To stay on track at this and all wash and drainage crossings on the hike, be sure to locate the trail signs placed on the opposite side before trudging forward.  

Bradshaw Mountains peek over foothills and saguaros

The route then passes a rustic gate and the unnamed junction for the Little Pan loop segment before making a dive into the wide flood plains and chiseled channels of the Agua Fria River. 

Approach to the Agua Fria River on the Williams Mesa segment

At this point, the trail enters its Williams Mesa segment, heading downhill on a loose-rock cliff face to meet a forest of willow and mesquite trees at the river’s edge.  The sandy waterway is  strewn with haphazard deposits of rocks, pebbles and flood debris. 

Signs guide trail users through the Agua Fria flood plains

Water in the Agua Fria River pools below the trail

Water lingers in pools below sheer cliffs and in glassy rivulets flush with spent cottonwood leaves. 

Watch for signs where the trail crosses washes and the river

The route crosses the broad desert stream and picks up where a few trail signs cling precariously to a sheer rock face where the path heads directly up and on for another 3 miles to where it connects with the Cheap Shop segment near the Little Pan staging area on Azco Mine Road. 

Williams Mesa segment climbs cliffs over the river

The river makes for a nice turnaround point for a 4.2-mile trek.  Consult the Black Canyon Trail maps for ways to build a loop or longer-distance hike in this gorgeous pocket of foothills that’s not too far from civilization.

LENGTH: 4.2 miles round trip as described here

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 1,699 – 1,939 feet

GETTING THERE:

Table Mesa Trailhead.

From Interstate 17, 36 miles north of Phoenix, take the Table Mesa Road exit 236.  At the end of the off ramp, turn left, go a few yards and then veer right onto Frontage Road (the unsigned west end of Table Mesa Road).  Continue to the large “Table Mesa West” sign, turn left and continue to the Table Mesa trailhead at kiosk No. 5 on the right, 3.1 miles from I-17.  Roads are maintained dirt/gravel, suitable for all vehicles.

INFO: Black Canyon Trail Coalition

https://bctaz.org