BLACK
CANYON NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL: WINDMILL VALLEY SEGMENT
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Cactus close in on the Black Canyon trail near Lake Pleasant
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Registering
somewhere between a honk and a howl, the vocalizations of the feral burros that
roam around Lake Pleasant are as gritty and unbridled as the beasts themselves.
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Wild burros roam the Windmill Valley segment
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Sturdily built and resilient, the desert-adapted, North African
imports first arrived in Arizona in the 1600s carrying supplies with Jesuit
priests.  |
Bradshaw Mountain vistas early in the hike
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Valued for their strong backs and hardy work ethic, the burros soon
found additional employment with prospectors. During boom times, they hauled
ore but when the mines went bust, they either wandered off or were released
into the wild where they thrived in the arid territory.  |
Cholla cactus bloom April through May
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Make no mistake, these docile-looking vegetarians
are not to be messed with. Unlike their cousins the horse, these
rough-around-the edges members of genus Equus are hardly the type to stride
elegantly before feathered fascinators at a racetrack.
They can be scrappy and so it’s smart to observe them
from a distance. Hikers can almost bet on seeing the free-roaming wild donkeys,
that average about 350 pounds when full grown, in the Bureau of Land Management’s Lake
Pleasant Herd Management Area which is located 25 miles north of Phoenix, west
of Interstate 17, north of Carefree Highway (State Route 74) and northeast of
the lake.
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Desert snow blooms March through May
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American carrot grows in a fire scar along the route
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Much of the Black Canyon
National Recreation Trail passes through this swath of Upper Sonoran Desert in
the hilly backcountry of the Agua Fria River watershed.  |
Mesquite trees color a wash bright green
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New River Mountains viewed from a high point
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The 3.5-mile Windmill
Valley segment, which is just a few miles east of the lake, is a scenic trek
that winds through prime burro habitat.
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Bladder sage bloom March through June
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The hike begins across the road from the Table Mesa trailhead with an
easy walk among huge saguaros with majestic views of the Bradshaw Mountains to
the north and a flank of flat-topped mesas near the north coves of Lake
Pleasant.  |
Brilliant magenta Strawberry hedgehog cactus
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Table Mesa (far right) seen from the trail
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The trail
quickly descends into a wash area and fire scar. Torched trees and ashen cacti stumps belie an
understory of resurgent shrubs and wildflowers. It’s in this short section of
trail where the most species are found.
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Buckwheat is a common find February through June
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Look for desert marigold, chia, owl
clover, desert snow, scorpion weed, globemallow, woolly daisy, white ratany and
frilly American carrot.  |
White ratany blooms April through October
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Beyond the fire damage, the trail traces a network of
washes, bouncing between ridges and drainages as it gradually climbs 500
feet. High points showcase vistas of the
New River Mountains, Table Mesa and acres of scrubland where springtime color
breaks in colorful cactus blooms, golden brittlebush, buckwheat and rare
specimens of bladder sage.  |
Wide open rangeland on the Black Canyon Trail
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The
remainder of the route twists around stone pinnacles, rolling hills and
rangeland ending at the Doe Springs Segment 7.7 miles (on trail) north of the Emery Henderson trailhead on New
River Road.
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Low growing woolly daisies bloom Feb - May
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While the Doe Springs junction makes for a good turnaround point,
hikers can opt to customize the hike length by way of a car shuttle or tying in
with the popular Boy Scout Loop for a more rigorous out-and-back trek through
burro land. |
Miniature wool star bloom March - June
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LENGTH:
3.5 miles one-way
RATING:
moderate
ELEVATION:
1,921 – 2,450 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. To
reach the start of the hike, walk a few yards farther down Table Mesa Road to
the BCT sign on the left.
Roads are maintained dirt/gravel, suitable for all vehicles.
NOTE: While the Black Canyon Trail is not open to motorized travel or shooting, the surrounding area
is popular with OHV riders and recreational shooters. Dust and noise may
be noticeable.
INFO:
Black Canyon Trail Coalition
https://bctaz.org
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