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Red Mountain Trail #43

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RED MOUNTAIN TRAIL #43 In the space between Lynx Lake Recreation Area and State Route 69 in Prescott Valley, a mountainous back country laced with trails provides a diverse haven for shared-use recreation. View from the switchbacks on Red Mountain Although it’s lodged between two busy areas, the canyons and hills adjacent to the communities of Dewey-Humboldt have a remote feel, rugged character and more appeal than the view from the highway suggests.   Red Mtn. trail traces Green Gulch One of the most scenic hikes in the area is the Red Mountain Trail #43, an internal trail which can only be accessed by way of connecting routes that begin either near Lynx Lake to the west or at the Green Gulch trailhead which provides access to the Blue Hills Trail System at the east boundary of Prescott National Forest.   The less crowded and more direct option is the latter.   From the roomy parking area, begin hiking on the Charcoal Gulch Trail #9419 which is open to hikers, equestri...

Yellow Jacket Trail 524

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YELLOW JACKET TRAIL Prescott National Forest. Mesquite and juniper trees ring Cottonwood Tank The most striking characteristic of the Yellow Jacket Trail 524 is the silence. Located a mere 4 miles from Interstate 17 near the Yavapai County town of Dugas in a hilly corner of Prescott National Forest, the shared-use path cuts through sprawling open spaces where the sounds of civilization are muffled by a landscape of mesas, buttes, creeks and ragged drainages. Estler Peak is a prominent feature along Yellow Jacket trail At first glance, the largely treeless terrain flanked by volcanic bluffs and bald, isolated peaks appears intimidating and harsh. Within a few yards of hiking, though, the trail reveals bucolic rangeland, epic vistas and hidden pockets of greenery. The out-and-back trek begins at a tiny trailhead near the leafy confluence of Little Ash Creek and Yellow Jacket Creek where sycamores and cottonwoods create a conspicuous ribbon of color against the muted tones of desert chapa...

Balancing Rock-Surprise Spring Loop

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BALANCING ROCK-SURPRISE SPRING LOOP Granite Basin Recreation Area, Prescott. Balancing Rock teeters on its host boulder along trail 349 Situated in a pocket of pine-oak woodlands at the south edge of Granite Mountain Wilderness seven miles northwest of Downtown Prescott, Granite Mountain Recreation Area offers over 40 miles of interconnected trails, camping, picnicking and boating. Drainage area near Surprise Spring on Balancing Rock trail Area trails feature incredible views of the craggy escarpments of 7,295-foot Granite Mountain and varied terrain that runs through boulder-strewn back country. Manzanita bloom in sunny spots along the route For a taste of why this easy-access recreation hub is so popular, take a hike on the Balancing Rock and Surprise Spring trails. The circuit uses 3 trails to make a 3.8-mile loop. An oak thicket on Balancing Rock trail Begin at the trail 350 sign behind the pay station, hike 0.1-mile and turn left at the West Lake Trail 351 junction. Hike 0.7 mile ...