April 21, 2012

COLD SPRINGS-POTTS CREEK-TRAIL 9401J

Prescott

Hikers beware, this Friday April 27 -Sunday April 29, 2012 is the weekend of Prescott’s famous

.  This year, 1,750 mountain bikers have registered and as the route follows busy downtown streets and popular hiking trails alike, you may want to steer clear of the area if you prefer hiking with less traffic.  We hiked a section of the course this past weekend and encountered dozens of athletes practicing for the race.  These trails are part of the City of Prescott’s Circle trail system—a collection of national forest, county and local trails, strung together in a 50-mile loop. From the Aspen Creek trailhead, we began hiking on Cold Springs #393 which starts out with an immediate uphill haul, then flattens out, wandering through a forests of Ponderosa pines with many sunny clearings.  Soon, views of Prescott’s Thumb Butte area pop out over the trees.  Cold Spring–a damp rocky depression—appears on the left just before the trail ends at the Potts Creek #327 trail.  Trail 327 has lots of ups-and-downs, staying close to the stream at first, but soon dives into the woodlands through shady canyons, sun-washed meadows and a short burnt section.  A three-way junction for 327-391-9401J presents many options.  Continue on 327 to access myriad trails near Thumb Butte or (as we did) take trail 9401J (unsigned, but it’s the trail on the left denoted by a path of logs) for a moderately strenuous, mostly exposed uphill haul to Sierra Prieta Overlook

LENGTH: 11.3 miles out-and-back

http://www.cityofprescott.net/events/index.php?year=2012&month=4&id=5657