Pioneer Park Trail System
Take Willow Creek Road out to Pioneer Parkway. Turn left on Commerce Drive (between Galpin Ford and Tim's Buick/Toyota, etc.), drive about a mile and you'll see a dirt parking area on your left. Don't jump out of your skin when you see the very realistic mountain lion sculpture at the front of the parking lot like I did the first time I saw it.
Acres of easy trails, some hilly, some flat, some wide open, some with piñon pines, some washes though they are usually dry. It's a county property and subject to leash laws, and while I see others with their dogs off-leash, they quickly leash them up when they see you coming. You'll share this trail with runners, cyclists and even horses on some occasions, so maybe don't use your MP3 player so that you hear them coming up behind you. Though surrounded by soccer and softball/baseball fields & housing developments, it's serene and has some great views. You could easily spend two hours out on these trails.
Willow Lake Trails
Take Willow Creek Road out to the entrance to Heritage Park. Turn right, and then make another quick right, as though you're going to the Heritage Park Zoo. You'll see parking right there straight ahead and a bit to your left. You can also find parking if you turn off Willow Creek Road at the Dog Park (Willow Creek Park), and drive back behind the softball field to park.
Winding around Willow Lake, this is an especially good outing if you have a water dog and want to get off the trail for awhile to let him go for a swim. It's favored by birders, too, as there are many water birds and migratory birds on that lake. On the other hand, there are a number of limited visibility areas where you need to watch for cyclists. No one on this trail likes a dog owner who doesn't clean up after their pet, and even though I have seen people hiking with their dogs off leash, the visitors log to the trail indicates that quite a few hikers here are very offended by off-leash pets. Bring your binoculars and pack a lunch as there are nice viewpoints and benches, and the trails connect with a recently developed ramada and boat launch area.
More Prescott Hiking TrailsDid you find a great hike using one of these guides, or do you want to write a review of a specific trail? I'd like to hear from you.
If you see me on a Prescott trail with my dog, Chester, say hi!
- - - - - - - - -
Katie Baird owns Loose Ends, a virtual assistance company, specializing in web development, desktop publishing, and project management. Loose Ends is at www.LooseEnds.net, and Katie's hometown site is at www.AboutPrescottArizona.com.
- - - - - - - - - -
Previous Page >> Prescott is for Hikers
