March is a great month in the Town of Cave Creek! The weather will be perfect for enjoying all the Cave Creek Rodeo Days events, shopping, dining, and of course our parks and trails. Our trails are one of the crown jewels of the Town.
The Town of Cave Creek maintains a network of multi-use trails that connect portions of Town, providing access to Cave Creek Regional Park, Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area, the Tonto National Forest, and linkages to the 314-mile Maricopa Trail and the Desert Foothills Land Trust properties. These trails offer hiking, biking, and horseback riding. We wanted to let you know about some trail’s dos and don’ts, where the trails are, and the best places to park while you enjoy them.
Trails within the Town of Cave Creek boundaries include:
-Cave Creek Regional Park
-Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area
-Desert Foothills Land Trust
-Tonto National Forest Cave Creek Ranger District
-Maricopa Trail – more than 300 miles of connected trails that encompasses Maricopa County and links to 10 regional parks.
A link to the Cave Creek Trail Network map which will show you all the trails in the Town can be found here: CaveCreekAZ.gov/TrailsMap
The map also points out where you can (and should) park when enjoying the trails. Most have dedicated parking lots. A tricky one for many is the Black Mountain Trail parking. When hiking Black Mountain, please go up School House Road and turn right on Mark Way. There is dedicated parking there. Begin your hike by walking the rest of School House Road to the trailhead.
Each year, several people need to be rescued while hiking in our local parks and preserves. Please follow these basic guidelines that will contribute to you having a safe and enjoyable day.
Here’s a list of Trails Dos and Don’ts to keep in mind:
DO:
Stay on marked and designated trails.
Know before you go – Use maps and know the trails or terrain that you will be encountering.
Pick up your trash.
When you can, leave it better than you found it.
Keep wildlife wild – Leave the wildlife and animals alone.
Share the trail and manage your pet.
Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return.
Carry a fully charged cell phone with you. Do this even though cell phone service may be spotty throughout the Preserve. Turn on Airplane mode to save on the battery.
Carry something to signal with like a whistle, small mirror, and/or brightly colored bandanna.
If you get lost or disoriented and/or suffer any type of hiking injury, call for help right away. Don’t delay the call or wait until it gets dark for assistance.
Hydrate early, often, and remember to bring enough water for you, your children, and pets.
When your water is half gone, turn around and return to the trailhead.
Wear appropriate footwear, clothing, eye protection and sunscreen for your adventure.
DON’T:
Cut through private property to get to a trail.
Use motorized vehicles on any Town trails.
Use trails when they are wet or muddy. Wait for trails to dry before using them. Remember: If you make a track, please turn back!
Start fires.
Overestimate your abilities and/or underestimate the difficulty of the hike. • Hike alone (not recommended).
Equipped with this information we hope you enjoy the Town of Cave Creek trails.
Happy Trails!
Bob Morris
Town of Cave Creek Mayor
