This volunteer maintained trailhead is very well marked, with multiple benches for enjoying the…read moreviews or the river canyon to the west or the desert to the east and south. We were a bit early for the wildflower and flowering cactus display but did see a nice carpet of yellow ground cover around the healthy looking saguaros. The total loop trail is 1.8 miles and easy to moderate. You can also connect on the southern end to the Black Canyon City trailhead and hike down to the Agua Fria River and, river level permitting, continue west up the hill for an "as long as you want" hike into the foothills. The parking area at the High Desert Trailhead is on the southern end of the municipal park which has restrooms, children's play areas and a ball field. This is a great place to take a break and stretch your legs if you are traveling north on I-17, and it is off the road just enough that tourist do not seem to stop here.

Great place to do easy hiking close to Phoenix. Not a crowded trail. Gets you close to nature and…read morefresh air.

FYI: If you're planning to go during the government shutdown, you can't drive all the way to the…read moreparking lot -- it's about an 8-mile hike (a lot of it on gravel). But honestly, it's worth every step! Just when you think you've reached the falls... you haven't. Keep going! The road in is pure washboard -- about 13 miles of bump city -- so make sure you have a 4-wheel drive and that nothing inside your car is loose. Fossil Creek is absolutely stunning, and bonus -- no permit needed after October 1st. The other thing says this trail is easy. No, it's not to be careful if you're taking somebody elderly over that doesn't have good mobility because there's some rocks you had a climb and what not also make sure you take plenty of water to drink and a little snack everything you pack in your pack. I would also suggest leaving the house by three 330. No later you don't wanna be hiking in the pitch dark.

People really need to be better educated on the permit process and the strict requirements that are…read morenow being enforced. We had our permit that one of our husbands printed for us but since he was not in vehicle, they would not allow us to enter!! Worse than our problem were 2 women in thier turn around lot at thier gate and those 2 women were still stranded in the heat nearly 6 hours later. We the park rangers failed to relay a hugely important message to those ladies about thier spare tire being In the middle of the road 10 miles back !! Again a huge disappointment for those park employees who witnessed these women being stranded, and we feel with 3 employees and 2 trucks could have easily assisted these women or at the very least let them know where thier spare was located ! We were hugely inconvenienced by driving back several miles to pile into one car as the option they offered us, but these poor ladies we believe were clearly suffering unnecessary while not one of those employees told them where thier spare was located or possibly offered to get it for them .

This is a fun lake to explore because there is so much to do here. We came over here to Watson Lake…read morebecause Lynx Lake had to be drained and we couldn't kayak over there. Watson Lake is great for boating, hiking, fishing and day picnicking. Rock climbers like to climb on the large rugged granite rock formations known as Granite Dells. These rock formations make this lake very picturesque. I used to see pictures of it all over social media before coming here. Watson Lake is located a few miles from Downtown Prescott. It is a reservoir that was formed in the early 1900s when a dam was built on Granite Creek. There are two boat launches for canoeing and kayaking. The Prescott Peavine Trail is the area's most popular trail if you want to hike around the lake. You cannot swim in Watson Lake because water quality and algae concerns. Before coming here, just know that there is a small daily fee to park your vehicle at Watson Lake. We enjoyed kayaking here. There were a lot of areas to explore at this lake. The rock formations are fun to kayak around and make for pretty photographs. If you are into bird watching, this is a great place to go because the Watson Woods Riparian Preserve is nearby.

Beautiful and well worth the visit. Scenery is spectacular and tons to do around the lake.read more

If you want to rock hunt and experience a remote mining area with classic high desert landscape,…read more the portion of Black Canyon Trail starting at the intersection of Antelope Creek Rd and Crown King Forest Rd 59 is a great trail. The parking area is easy to access from the I-17 by taking the Bloody Basin exit, driving 3 miles west on a good dirt road, then heading south for 2.7 miles on Antelope Creek Rd (179), take a left at the fork and drive 1.3 more miles and turn left at a stop sign and another immediate left to park at a round water tank and corral. The hike heads across FR 59 following a single track, signed trail to the south. Numerous mountain bike tracks were seen on the trail, though on a Friday we did not see any cyclists or other hikers. There are numerous outcrops of quartz and iron rich rocks that are fun to search through, and excellent views to the Bradshaws and the valleys to the east and south. Walk as far as you like on the easy trail. As you return to your vehicle, take a detour to the old Hidden Treasure Mine a short distance up a Jeep trail. There is a rusted tank, some pipes and an old Adobe structure to look at, though no rock hunting. Give the old talus piles a miss as they have clearly been used to target practice with a lot of scattered glass bottles and rusted tin cans. Before leaving the area walk around the corral to the south where there is a lovely pond with a few old sycamores and water reeds. We did not see a pump, so the water may be from a natural spring.

Doing another hike today! Going to see how far I can make it this time last time I did 1 mile and 1…read moremile back in so let's see if I can go one mile and a half to two miles okay thank you it will be a great Trail today I like it it's a bright sunny day the trails Mark there's no getting lost all you need is moderate shoes and socks to do this Trail.

My son and I were in town for the Arizona Cup and after he shot we needed somewhere to explore…read more This was close and wasn't supposed to be to hard and only 3.3 miles. Not sure where they started there measurements from but my Garmin watch clocked over 10 miles. The trail is not well marked but we did make going to the right and up and around. The suggestions were to go left but the lack of trail markers and a well defined trail we opted for the clearer path. Great hike. I am over 50 and over weight and made it fine. Bring water and snacks and enjoy a great hike.

Nice designated trails but Super rocky terrain! I didn't have the proper hiking shoes and coming…read moredown was quite the challenge. I would recommend hiking sticks as well.

What a beautiful trail! And such a pleasant/ easy hike. The most effort you put in here is driving…read moreall the way past Cave Creek, other than that, it's such a peaceful & relaxing place. We hiked over to Camp Creek Falls and back. Couldn't have been more than 3 miles round trip. I didn't look at my watch afterwards. During the golden hour it was gorgeous. I fully recommend this place. But please, it's a super clean and well kept trail. Keep it that way. Otherwise I'll regret sharing it on yelp ;)

The kids, dogs, and I spent 3 hours hiking and playing in the AZ desert. It's been a couple of…read moreyears since we've gone. This time of the year, the water is pretty low, but there's water and a waterfall, so the kids and dogs loved it! We had the waterfall to ourselves for a good half hour. My daughter played with her mermaids, and my son enjoyed rock climbing above the falls. It was wonderful being in the fresh AZ nature... until we had to hike back uphill to the car. The top thing to know is to turn LEFT at the American flag. There are some well placed rocks pointing the way. Also, you do have to climb down and over some big rocks... You do have to climb down and over some big rocks. And then back up and over them on the way back. Be sure to save energy for the hike back because it's inclined the whole way. Don't forget sunscreen! Maybe take water shoes if the kids want to play in the water. Stop by Raven's View restaurant on the way home. Enjoy!

I have camped in Prescott before, but never at this lake. I had heard great things about Lynx Lake…read moreand have always wanted to check it out. This lake was formed in the 1960s when they dammed Lynx Creek. It is stocked for fishing and has a campground and hiking trails around it. There are lots of animals that are native to this area like mule deer, osprey and bald eagles. I booked a campsite here during the summer because I own a kayak and wanted to get out on the water. After setting up my site, I headed over to Lynx Lake. I was a little disappointed to see the water so low. I guess in late 2024, the lake was partially drained to fix a mechanical failure in the dam's outlet valve. It has to rely entirely on natural rain and snow to be refilled and could take years to get back to normal. So we just did a hike around the lake and headed back to our campsite. Lynx Campground has around 35 campsites with a picnic table, fire ring and a grill at each site. There are no RV hook-ups, but they do have drinking water and toilets. The campsite is about half a mile directly south of Lynx Lake. We enjoyed our campsite and had a fun time. We had to partially share our site with another family because their giant tent spilled onto our site (which was annoying). But we made the most of it. The nice thing is that the Town of Prescott isn't too far away if you need any food or supplies. As for kayaking, we were able to do that over at Watson Lake. You can book a campsite ahead of time on Recreation.gov.

I've been to Lynx Lake a few times, and this recent visit was pretty similar to my past…read moreexperiences. I'm giving it a 3-star review mainly because the lake has recently been drained and they want it to refill naturally, so it's unclear when water levels will return to normal. There is also a $5 day-use fee to enter the park. You can pay cash or card. Currently, the park opens at 7:00 AM and the gates close at 5:00 PM. The trail around the lake is about 2.5 miles and offers a few different routes, including at least one path that leads to a small waterfall (or what would be a waterfall if the lake wasn't drained). The west side of the lake is more paved and level, making it easier for walking, while the east side is more rugged with a dirt trail. One thing to add, the bathrooms were clean, but they had smell in them was hard to ignore and really unpleasant. Overall, it's still a nice area for a casual walk around the lake, especially if you're in the area.

When driving around the area I came across these ruins. I decided to park and take the trek up to…read moresee the historical ruins at the top. The hike up to the top is easy (in my opinion), but there is a notable climb to the top which could be more of a moderate climb for some people. While there is an ADA parking spot, the hike itself isn't wheelchair accessible as there are no paved areas of the trail. Everyone's abilities vary but I wanted to provide that call out if there's anyone wondering about wheel chair accessibility. There are nice picnic areas and a restroom that are accessible for anyone using a wheelchair. There were some pretty flowers along the trail and the sights are beautiful.

a really cool spot to check out. It is not a long hike, but there is a bit of a vertical climb to…read moreget to the top. Nothing too crazy, just enough to get your legs working a little. At the top, you get to see what a small Hohokam outpost was like, which is pretty awesome. It is wild to think about people living up there and using that hill as a lookout and settlement area. You can still see the outlines of the old structures and get a real sense of the history. The views from the top are amazing too. You get a great look at the surrounding desert and mountains, which makes the climb totally worth it. If you are into local history or just want a short hike with a payoff at the top, Sears Kay Ruins is definitely worth the visit.

Let me start by saying that before, taking any hike, please take heed to every warning sign that is…read moreposted. I made the mistake of seeing extremely difficult and comparing it to a hike I did in New Mexico that was difficult thinking that this was just slightly higher than the one in New Mexico. I only looked at the distance and did not pay attention to the incline. This trail is 1.47 miles but has a gain of over 1300 feet. It is extremely steep and that is the part that will take you out! No pets are allowed on this trail, which is definitely a wise decision given how steep and narrow it is. Another hiker told us that there are a total of 36 markers along the trail, I made it to marker five, my husband made it to marker seven. By the time I hit marker five I was dizzy and nauseous. I was definitely not ready for how extremely difficult this hiking trail was. I feel like I looked at the warning signs, but didn't quite register what they were saying. It is a beautiful hike, but you definitely have to be accustomed to the incline and the altitude. The views were beautiful, but you absolutely must be careful, I would recommend a hiking stick to help keep your balance, especially on the way down. So my rating of five star is that they 100% accurately described the trail, it was absolutely beautiful, I just failed to register the warnings.

Quality/Quantity - 2-3 hour round trip hike (my guest does this hike in 4 hours, lol). We got here…read morelate, so we only did 1 hour as we did not want to get a $118 ticket for staying past sunset. So we only hiked to marker 8. A fairly steep rocky trail. No shade, but perfect weather for us on this winter afternoon. Beautiful views; see my pictures. Views of Scottsdale and Phoenix. Atmosphere - At the start of the trail there were restrooms, drinking fountain, bike rack, etc. Very limited parking, make sure you pay attention to the street signs. We got lucky and got a perfect space, probably because we got here an hour before closing and most people had already left. Summit - 2,704 feet. Animals - We saw loose dogs, rabbits, etc. Open from sunrise to sunset. Service - Self service. Price - Free. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1960's since The Preservation of Camelback Mountain Foundation.

This is a beautiful trail with a lot of vegetation and scenic variety. We did the trail from the…read moreStrawberry side hiking towards Pine. Park in the lot just east of Ralls Dr on the south side of AZ-87 in Strawberry. The first 1.5 miles wander gently up and down through pine, juniper and manzanita forests with some of the largest junipers and manzanitas that I have seen. The first 1/4 mile is close to the highway, but after that the highway noise dies out. Views of the Rim to the east and also the town of Pine open up after a mile. At about 1.5 miles the vegetation changes to juniper and low growing manzanita with little shade; however in another half mile you come to a pine shaded area and a junction to trails that lead down into the town of Pine. On a weekday in May we only saw one other hiker!

It's a beautiful walk through the Rim Country with lots of wildlife and occasional views.read more