Prescott Hiking

We will be hiking segment 6 of the Prescott Circle Trail for a total of 8.8 miles.

We will begin at the Senator Highway Trailhead and hike on Ranch Trail 62, to Badger Mountain Trail 329, and finish at the Turley Trailhead.

This hike will start on a single track trail, climbing to the ridgeline, above the trees, where we will be able to see amazing views of Goldwater Lakes. We will continue on the single track trail through the forest and into the lower elevations, where we will leave the trees and move to bushes and open spaces.

This is the trail where I saw the biggest horned lizard. It looked like a mini dragon. 😃

Attached are photos and a map of the hike.

Directions to the trailhead where we will park and meet to carpool:

Turn South off Gurley Street onto Robinson Drive.
Turn Left off Robinson Drive onto Hillcrestt Lane. Hillcrest Lane changes into Butterfield Road.
Leave Butterfield Road and travel Southeast onto Wells Fargo Road.
Right before Wells Fargo Road makes a sharp left, the sign for the Turley Trailhead will be on the right. You may pass it if you are not paying attention. Drive slow.
The entrance to Turley Trailhead is a narrow dirt road, passing a cattle guard, that opens up to a big dirt parking lot.

This will be Hike 10 of the Highlands Center 2024 Hiking Spree.

We can carpool from Prescott/PV- put your carpool requests/suggestions in the comments .

Let's get some PIE AFTERWARDS!

Description: The Black Canyon Trail (BCT) is a long distance trail originally used to bring sheep to market. It stretches over 80 miles from Carefree Highway to SR 169. This section of the trail runs through an upland desert scrub ecosystem, where you will see Saguaro, Ocatillo, and Palo Verde. The trail crosses the Agua Fria river at Horseshoe Bend, and there is usually some water, although it is usually possible to cross on rocks. The elevation at the TH is about 2000 feet, and about 1850 at the river. The temperatures will be warmer than in Prescott.

Directions to the trailhead:

TRAIL HEAD DIRECTIONS Distance from Prescott to TH is 55.5 miles. From Courthouse Plaza, drive SR 69 to I17 southbound. Take exit 242 (Rock Springs) and turn right (north). The trailhead access road is immediately on the left.

Attached is a map and a description of the hike as provided by the Highland Center.

https://highlandscenter.org/wp-content/uploads/BCT-Skyline.pdf

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/black-canyon-trail--6

As always, please remember to bring water, electrolytes, snacks, sunscreen and a hat.

We will continue the Prescott Circle Trail, segments 7 and 8, for a total of 8.7 miles.

We will start at the Turley Trailhead and hike on Badger Mountain Trail 329, to Sundog Trail, and finish the hike at the Peavine Trailhead.

These two sections have very little shade, so make sure to wear your hats and sunscreen. Since it’ll be October, weather wise, we should be fine.

As we start from Turley Trailhead, we will be hiking on a single track trail and will pass the infamous “P” for Prescott white rocks, that you can see from Highway 89. If the group wants to take a detour to the “P” sign we can. It’ll add about 0.5 more miles. It’s a very short distance but it’s cool to say you’ve been at the “P.” 😃

We will then go through a tunnel, underneath Highway 89, and start our trek on Sundog Trail toward the Peavine. This area is all brush land with lots of hills. It’s the perfect trail for a beginning mountain biker. Very easy and I find this area peaceful.

Once we get closer to Peavine we will see more trees and all the animals like ducks, geese, and the birds that inhabit Watson Lake.

Attached are photos and maps of the hike.

Directions to the Peavine Trailhead where we will meet and carpool:

From the Prescott Lakes Parkway turn onto Sundog Ranch Road. The Peavine Trailhead will be on the left, in a big paved parking lot.

We did this hike on a Monday in October, but didn't get much of a turnout so we're scheduling it again for a Saturday. This is a really fun and scenic hike, so hopefully we'll get a better turnout this time!

This is an easy-to-moderate "lollipop" hike in the Dells, total of about 5.5 miles. Not much elevation gain, mostly ups-and-downs as we work our way around Eagle Peak. There will be some fun rock scrambling as we finish the loop.

We'll enter the Dells via the Gateway trail to Peavine. A short walk on Peavine takes us to Lower Elizabeth and Boblett trails just past the Boblett cemetery, from which we will access the new (and yet unnamed) trail that loops around Eagle Peak. After a bit of rock scrambling near the end of the loop, we connect back to Boblett trail and back to the cemetery, then return the way we came to the parking area.

Directions from Prescott: From the Hwy 69/Sheldon/Gurley St. "split," Take Hwy 89 north about 5 miles. Just past Granite Gardens Dr., turn right onto Old Hwy 89A and proceed about 1/4 mile to the old 89A bridge and park along the road. The trail begins at the north end of the bridge.