Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GETTING OUTSIDE
Prescott is situated on the edge of a wide expanse of high plains with the pine forests of
Prescott National Forest
at its back. Within the national forest are lakes, campgrounds,
and many miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. My favorite hiking and biking
areas in the national forest are Thumb Butte (west of town) and the Granite Mountain
Wilderness (northwest of town).
Thumb Butte,
a rocky outcropping that towers over the forest just west of town, is
Prescott's most easily recognizable natural landmark. A 1.2-mile trail leads nearly to the top
of this butte, and from the saddle near the summit, there's a panoramic vista of the entire
region. The trail itself is very steep but paved much of the way. The summit of the butte
is a popular rock-climbing spot. An alternative return trail makes a loop hike possible.
To reach the trail head, drive west out of town on Gurley Street, which becomes Thumb
Butte Road. Follow the road until you see the National Forest signs, after which there's
a parking lot, picnic area, and trail head. The parking fee is $5.
The Granite Basin Recreation Area provides access to the
Granite Mountain Wilder-
ness.
Trails lead beneath the cliffs of Granite Mountain, where you might spot peregrine
falcons. For the best views, hike 1.5 miles to Blair Pass and then on up the Granite
Mountain trail as far as you feel like going. To reach this area, take Gurley Street west
from downtown, turn right on Grove Avenue, and follow it around to Iron Springs Road,
which will take you northwest out of town to the signposted road for the Granite Basin
Recreation Area (less than 8 miles from downtown). There is a $5 parking fee here.
Both of the above areas also offer mountain biking trails. Although the scenery isn't as
spectacular as in the Sedona area, the trails are great. You can rent a bike and get maps
and specific trail recommendations at
Ironclad Bicycles,
710 White Spar Rd. (
&
928/
776-1755;
www.ironcladbicycles.com), which charges $24 to $48 per day for mountain
bikes. This shop also rents bikes at
Encore Performance & Fabrication,
2929 N. Ariz.
89 (
&
928/778-7910
), near the Peavine Trail (see below).
For maps and information on these and other hikes and bike rides in the area, stop by
the
Bradshaw Ranger Station,
344 S. Cortez St. (
&
928/443-8000;
www.fs.fed.us/r3/
prescott).
North of town 5 miles, on Ariz. 89, is an unusual and scenic area known as the
Gran-
ite Dells
. Jumbled hills of rounded granite suddenly jut from the landscape, creat-
ing a maze of huge boulders and smooth rock. In the middle of this dramatic landscape
lies
Watson Lake,
the waters of which push their way in among the boulders to create
one of the prettiest lakes in the state. On the highway side of the lake, you'll find
Watson
Lake Park,
which has picnic tables and great views. Spring through fall (weather permit-
ting), from 8am to 3pm Thursday through Sunday, you can rent
canoes and kayaks
($15-$20 for the first hour and $10-$15 per hour after that) at the lake. Reservations
aren't accepted, but you can call
Prescott Outdoors
(
&
928/925-1410;
www.prescott
outdoors.com) to make sure they'll be at the lake with their boats.
For hiking in the Watson Lake area, I recommend heading to the scenic
Peavine
Trail
, which is one of the most gratifying easy hikes in the state. To find the trail
head, turn east onto Prescott Lake Parkway, which is between Prescott and the Granite
Dells, and then turn left onto Sun Dog Ranch Road. This rails-to-trails path extends for
several miles through the middle of the Granite Dells and is the best way to fully appre-
ciate the Dells (you'll be away from both people and the highway). Although this is a
fascinating, easy hike, it also makes a great, equally easy, mountain bike ride that can be
extended 7.5 miles on the Iron King Trail. Also accessible from this same trail head is the
495
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