Elevation change: ~380 ft first section down /last section up
Difficulty: Easy for fit folks, others may struggle with the sandy terrain and the short climb at the end. Also, it’s 100% exposed so avoid when hot, and bring your hats, sunscreen & H20.
The sandy, mostly flat, Wildcat trail loops around West Mitten Butte and provides views of East Mitten Butte, Merrick Butte, and the wider cliffs of Sentinel Mesa along the way. As you enjoy the iconic Southwestern walkabout, you may get lucky as I did with an appearance of local equines. Film buffs will recognize this scenery as the backdrop for many Westerns.
I was super lucky to see a storm here. The golden light was ethereal–it appeared that the magnificent landscape was floating!
Entry Fee: $20/car for up to 4 people, and $6/additional person. No dogs allowed.
Getting there: From Mexican Hat, UT, drive south on HWY 163. You may notice the famous “Forest Gump Hill” where Forest Gump stopped running and decided to return home to Alabama and his love, Jenny. At mile 20, make a left onto Monument Valley Rd and follow it for another 3.3 miles to the Park Entry. The trailhead and sign in are at the far end of the Visitor Center parking lot towards the camping area.
If you’d prefer a car photo safari, there’s a 17-mile, scenic, dirt-road drive through the valley that you can take. Speed limit is 15 MPH.
Route: Grand Canyon Lodge to Cape Royal and Imperial Point
Mileage:~52
Elevation gain: ~3,950ft of climbing at an elevation around ~8000ft
The road sign for Cape Royal says narrow and windy, not recommended for campers so there are no campers on it and very few cars, especially if you get an early start. I defaulted to my gravel bike as I feel a little more secure on it, should I need to suddenly swerve off road. While there isn’t much, if any, of a shoulder most of the time, I felt safe. A road bike would be perfectly fine and a bit faster. Inn my opinon, Cape Royal offers the most dramatic views even though Imperial Point is the highest lookout at 8,800ft. Also, for some reason, the sky was much clearer at Cape Royal. Consider packing some goodies and having your snack at Cape Royal. I was lucky enough to hit it in full wildflower bloom. (My pictures just hint at the incredible views!)
Happy Cycling!
Route: Grand Canyon Lodge to Jacob’s Lake
Mileage: ~41 (1 way)
Elevation gain: ~1,700
A great second day ride in the North Rim, heading back out the park to Jacob’s Lake. Perhaps you have some noncyclist friends who would opt for picking you up in Jacob’s Lake on the way home, or perhaps you’d like to double your mileage for an out and back? Have lunch in Jacob’s Lake and climb back to the rim? Whatever your pleasure, it will be a pleasure. The scenery is lovely to enjoy from a secure shoulder. Some, but not much car traffic, makes for a serene ride. Bison traffic may be a factor if you’re lucky. Keep a safe distance – they can charge 35 mph, (jump 6ft high), and I’ve heard they have a “thing” for bikers. (Recalling my cross-Catalina ride bison encounter.)
Since the North Rim of the Grand Canyon only receives 10% the visitation of the South Rim, it’s quite peaceful with minimal car traffic. Got to love it!
I spent 3 incredibly fun days exploring the Prescott area and covered a fair amount of ground on foot and on bike sampling the local trails.
Downtown, historic Prescott, Arizona is charming, clean, friendly and fun. Lots of historic buildings, galleries, shops, restaurants, hotels and old-time saloons. I’m sure glad my road trip took me here. I had a blast exploring the area—hiking and mountain biking in the nearby Prescott National Forest by day and kicking up my heels on the saloon dance floors by night. As a solo woman traveler, I felt completely safe my entire trip. Nightlife – yes! Live music – yes! Dancing – yes!
Good night’s sleep on the “cheap” – basic, clean, quiet accommodations
Got into town late the first night and just needed a clean, quiet, safe place to stay. Here at the Rodeway Inn, I found friendly staff, a clean room, and comfy bed. Just basic was just right for that night for me. I left before the complimentary continental breakfast, but nice that they offer it.
Prescott Resort and Conference Center
Not quite on the same scale as a California “resort’, but nice enough. It certainly has stunning sunrise and sunset views across Prescott and a wonderful patio where you can enjoy them with a cocktail if you’re so inclined. The rooms were cozy, comfortable and clean and I’m guessing that most have great views too. I ate a decent, inexpensive meal in the casino and was pleasantly surprised by the quality. (The casino restaurant has daily specials so it’s worth checking out the restaurant there compared to the “resort restaurant” if you don’t care about ambiance.) I was traveling solo and had been hiking all day so it was just fine with me.
Sunset from the Prescott Resort and Conference Center Patio with Thumb Butte in the Distance
Hotel Saint Michael, Downtown/ Whiskey Row, Prescott, AZ
Location, location, location. On my final night in Prescott, I kicked up my heels and checked out the live music and saloon scene on Whiskey Row. If it’s a busy weekend you might need to pick your poison – some interior rooms with a super noisy generator or exterior room with rowdy crowds. Yes, the rooms and bathrooms are super dated – this is a historic (and word has it, haunted hotel – I expected that much. I didn’t expect the roar of the generator. Disclaimer, I’m a “sensitive sleeper”. But the noise was so LOUD, putting pillow over my head didn’t help. They should probably hand out earplugs here. Maybe they’re hoping you’ll come back from Whiskey Row so sloshed that you won’t hear a thing.
It’s a pleasant hike along the miniature creek under the shade of Ponderosa pines and Juniper and Manzanita trees. Some say it’s one of the prettiest trails in Prescott. Keep a lookout for the rock formations. If you’re lucky, and look carefully enough, you might see the “secret waterfall” hidden there. (No water was running when I went.) After a mellow climb, you’ll reach a crest that yields expansive views of the surrounding ranges— the Sierra Prietas, the Bradshaws, and the San Francisco peaks. Here you can retrace your steps or continue on trail 48 to the southwest or explore trail 94115 to the north east. I read some reports that there’s an 11-mile hike that takes you to Thumb Butte. (Sounds like a car shuttle might be in order for that one unless you’re mountain biking or up for a marathon hike.)
Prescott’s dedication to their extensive trail system is admirable. Over my 3 days here, I’ve had the pleasure of exploring a sampler of them by foot and wheel (Thumb Butte, Spruce Mountain, Granite Basin, Goldwater Lake, Petroglyph Trail, Constellation Trails, and the Peavine/ Iron King Trails .) Just beware that the disparate systems, naming conventions and maps can be confusing. People mistakenly refer to trails by the wrong numbers. Different city and national forest websites may provide conflicting information on hike mileage and other details. I couldn’t figure out what the mileage was for this one. Oh and it’s another double misnomer hike – there are no Aspen trees on this trail despite the name and the creek is only a dribble. Perhaps it’s more of a creek in the spring?
Trail details: The first mile of the trail is part of the Prescott Circle Trail – it takes you up to a junction for trail 48 to the southwest or trail 94115 to the northeast. I’d rate it as easy. The Prescott Circle Trail is a network of city and Prescott National Forest trails that combine to make a 54-mile loop around Prescott. I’ll have to investigate more of these trails next time I’m in the area.
Getting there: 20 minutes from downtown Prescott. The Aspen Creek trailhead is on Copper Basin Road ~ 2 miles after it changes from blacktop to dirt. Parking is on the right and the trail head is on the left.
PROS: Cool petroglyphs, mountain peak guide, and panoramic views all the way out to Humpreys Peak in Flagstaff
CONS: You’re surrounded by suburbia—it’s almost a stretch to call these “trails” as they intersect paved roads and housing developments and a golf course are always in sight. (Sigh.)
If you’re into petroglyphs and /or just want to get some epic panoramic views of the area, it’s a must do. (Otherwise, you may not want to go out of your way for this one.) If you do, plan your visit at sunrise or sunset. (I wasn’t able to, but Ill bet the photo op would be epic.)
Sweet single-track trail with Thumb Butte to the left in the distance
The Panorama Trail is a single-track trail that climbs steadily up from the park in the Prescott Lakes housing development towards a mesa. It crosses Solstice Drive and connects with the Petroglyph Trail, taking you to the top of a mesa, where you can find unprecedented views of the entire area and various petroglyphs. There’s an interesting guide to the petroglyph symbols.
Near the petroglyphs, there’s an exceptional etched metal guide to all the peaks you can see in the distance. It lists how many miles away they are and their elevation. I’ve never seen a peak guide so artfully done. Kudos to its creator. A nice surprise and great information.
Despite the inevitable housing development’s encroachment on the natural beauty here, they’ve compensated well with the perks on top of the mesa.
Stay tuned for my top picks of places to stay and eat and for more of my active escapades in and around Prescott.
On the Loose Live 