Spillway Trail - Usery, AZ

The Spillway Trail is a wide light trail it runs for 1.15 miles from the south Trailhead located at Signal Butte and McClellan Road to its north end, where it intersects with the Meridian Trail. The following description is from south to north. The trail itself connects with Signal Wash, Levee, Channel, Ruidoso Trails, and Meridian. The trail is an excellent way into the center of the trail system in Usery Mountain Park. The route helps avoid the more crowded trailhead located in the main park area and the other popular ones.


The trail itself on the southern end is flat and sandy with little to no shade. As you go north from the southern trailhead will first pass the Signal Wash trail at its southern end and then again at its northern end. As you approach the southern bank of the Levee at the top of the Levee, you intersect with the Levee Trail. You will notice signs asking you to please use the ramps as the traffic erodes the Levee walls.Once on top of the levee, you can pause and enjoy some of the valley. Now you move north and descend into the leveed channel and climb up the ramp on the north side to the intersection with the Channel Trail. From here, the trail narrows some and more Palo Verde, and Ironwood trees line the trail giving you a short shaded break. In this area, you will see more birds, rabbits, lizards, and chipmunks. As you continue north, the next trail intersection is the Ruidoso Trail continues north to the intersection with the Meridian Trail, which is the termination point on the trail's north end. It is a popular way for local runners, hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders to access the Usery Mountain Park trail system.

Note: This trail gets lots of Mountain Bike and Equestrian activity, so the trail can be rutted and also lots of road apples watch where you step.

2011-10-06 BEEBEE