|
| | | |
| |
|
| Hiking | 3.75 Miles |
41 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.75 Miles | 1 Hour 27 Mns | | 2.65 mph |
| 41 ft AEG | 2 Mns Break | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | This is a beautiful and relatively easy, almost four-mile one-way hike winding through Ponderosa pines and oaks, occasionally opening out in meadows studded with a few pines or briefly junipers, such as about a mile into this route. Bird songs provide the soundtrack and on May 10, 2025 I heard woodpeckers and spotted what I believe was a great horned owl. As of May 16, 2025, there didn't appear to be an official route for Williams Peak Trail, so I recorded the entire trail uphill and downhill on May 17, 2025. This is the downhill route starting at the southwest end of Williams Peak Trail at the junction with West Spruce Trail #264 in the Prescott National Forest westsouthwest of Prescott.
Just under a half mile from the start, numerous showy goldeneyes lined the trail and ran uphill and downhill (see photos). A tenth of a mile further is the first of several crossings of Miller Creek, followed by another at 0.8 miles, although both are barely noticeable. The first waypointed crossing of Miller Creek is at about 1.35 miles after a couple of a couple switchbacks that descend the side of the gully or arroyo that contains Miller Creek (when flowing which it wasn't in May 2025). There is an alluvial area between these crossings of Miller Creek with several dandelions and lots of dalmation toadflaxes, only a few of which were blooming. After the second waypointed crossing of Miller Creek at 1.6 miles, the trail follows the right bank for two-tenths of a mile to the final creek crossing and gradually climbs the left bank until it finally turns away at about 1.9 miles. A little ways downstream, Thumb Butte Road runs next to Miller Creek and can be seen often from the trail for the next half a mile. From here until the end, the trail is gently undulating with gradual climbs and descents.
At about 2 miles is a junction with Trail #743 which descends towards and then crosses Dearing Road. At 2.43 miles is an unidentified trail that also descends towards Thumb Butte Road. The orange sign waypoint at 2.66 miles incorrectly states that the small parking lot is on Thumb Butte Road, while the map clarifies that it is Dearing Road, a few tenths of a mile from where the two roads meet. After about three miles, there are views of Thumb Butte to the east, then for a longer period of time, Granite Mountain to the north (see photos from 5/10/25 and 5/17/25).
|
|
Wildflowers Observation Light
Most of the flowers are in the first 1.5 miles with oxeye daisies and especially the first half mile with loads of showy goldeneyes. There were many dalmation toadflaxes, but only a few were in bloom. Also, a half dozen very small Fremont's mahonia with clumps of small yellow flowers and a couple small claret cup cacti just beginning to bloom and a single James' cryptantha. |
|
| _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 
