PINE LAKES TRAIL #316
PINE LAKES TRAIL
#316
Thumb Butte
North Trails
Pick a day
following a good monsoon soaking to hike Pine Lakes Trail #316. That way, you�ll have the best chance to see
the tiny waterfalls that tumble over logs and rocks in Willow Creek.
Arguably the
most ecologically diverse route in the north segment of Prescott�s Thumb Butte
Recreation Area, trail #316 packs a lot of interesting elements into its short
length. The first half-mile of the trek moves through an exposed landscape of
juniper and oak under the imposing pinnacle of Thumb Butte.
The trail climbs
easily to a point where the Bradshaw Mountains peek out from behind the butte
before beginning its descent into the riparian corridor of Willow Creek.
As the trail switchbacks down into the gorge,
the vegetation makes an abrupt shift from sparse scrub and cacti to rich
greenery shaded by arching oaks and soaring Ponderosa pines. The creek trickles
in lazy bends with multiple drainages emptying into its course. Over the next
mile, the trail stays close to the water crossing it several times. A pleasant
mist laced with the earthy aromas of pine needles, wildflowers and mushrooms
drifts through the air. The creek itself is a mix of rapid flows, mini
waterfalls, standing pools and rivulet-carved sandbars decorated with critter
footprints.
This is an excellent place to take in the wonders of nature's ecosystems and micro climates.
Plants found within this moist passage couldn't survive well just a couple hundred
feet above on the dry chaparral. And although the distance from ridgeline to creek is minimal, temperatures along the waterway are noticeably cooler. The trail makes one last creek
crossing before heading back up to the lip of the gorge where the bare rock
mound of Granite Mountain can be seen in the distance. From this point, you can
retrace your steps for an out-and-back trip or use the map available at the
trailhead to create your own circuit.
LENGTH: 1.5 miles one-way
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 5800�
� 5600�
GETTING THERE:
From the courthouse in downtown Prescott (Gurley
St. and Montezuma), travel 3.4 miles west on Gurley Street (turns into Thumb
Butte Road) to the Thumb Butte Recreation Area. To find the trailhead, hike or
dive another 0.1 mile up the paved access road and look for the sign across
from the restrooms.
HOURS: Summer hours (May- Sept) 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
FEE: There�s a
$5 day use fee per vehicle. Bring exact change for the self-serve pay station.
INFO & MAPS:
#316
Thumb Butte
North Trails
 |
| Pine Lakes Trail flanks Willow Creek |
Pick a day
following a good monsoon soaking to hike Pine Lakes Trail #316. That way, you�ll have the best chance to see
the tiny waterfalls that tumble over logs and rocks in Willow Creek.
 |
| Canyon grapes grow along the creek |
Arguably the
most ecologically diverse route in the north segment of Prescott�s Thumb Butte
Recreation Area, trail #316 packs a lot of interesting elements into its short
length. The first half-mile of the trek moves through an exposed landscape of
juniper and oak under the imposing pinnacle of Thumb Butte.
The trail climbs
easily to a point where the Bradshaw Mountains peek out from behind the butte
before beginning its descent into the riparian corridor of Willow Creek.
 |
| A post-monsoon mini waterfall |
As the trail switchbacks down into the gorge,
the vegetation makes an abrupt shift from sparse scrub and cacti to rich
greenery shaded by arching oaks and soaring Ponderosa pines. The creek trickles
in lazy bends with multiple drainages emptying into its course. Over the next
mile, the trail stays close to the water crossing it several times. A pleasant
mist laced with the earthy aromas of pine needles, wildflowers and mushrooms
drifts through the air. The creek itself is a mix of rapid flows, mini
waterfalls, standing pools and rivulet-carved sandbars decorated with critter
footprints.
 |
| Mushrooms thrive in the moist creek corridor |
This is an excellent place to take in the wonders of nature's ecosystems and micro climates.
 |
| A crossing of Willow Creek |
Plants found within this moist passage couldn't survive well just a couple hundred
feet above on the dry chaparral. And although the distance from ridgeline to creek is minimal, temperatures along the waterway are noticeably cooler. The trail makes one last creek
crossing before heading back up to the lip of the gorge where the bare rock
mound of Granite Mountain can be seen in the distance. From this point, you can
retrace your steps for an out-and-back trip or use the map available at the
trailhead to create your own circuit.
 |
| Thumb Butte |
LENGTH: 1.5 miles one-way
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 5800�
� 5600�
 |
| Granite Mountain in distance |
GETTING THERE:
From the courthouse in downtown Prescott (Gurley
St. and Montezuma), travel 3.4 miles west on Gurley Street (turns into Thumb
Butte Road) to the Thumb Butte Recreation Area. To find the trailhead, hike or
dive another 0.1 mile up the paved access road and look for the sign across
from the restrooms.
HOURS: Summer hours (May- Sept) 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
FEE: There�s a
$5 day use fee per vehicle. Bring exact change for the self-serve pay station.
INFO & MAPS:
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