Lake Pleasant to Crown King

Cow Creek Road leading into the Bradshaw Mountains. Follow this old west toll road named the "Phoenix to Prescott Toll Road" in the 1890's. In the above photo Crown King is beyond the furthest mountain and located at a higher elevation. No toll required these days.

There are actually several ways to get to Crown King from Lake Pleasant. The trip outlined here is by far the most popular route and thought by many as the only possible way. This trip is commonly done during late fall, winter or early spring when desert temperatures are more pleasant.

Travel this route as a group for safety. 





This back road adventure should always done as a group activity for safety reasons. The most common vehicle used is an ATV, but jeep clubs also follow this route.

Jeep club traveling together.

Either way a high clearance 4x4 vehicle is required. If you are traveling by jeep you can choose two other common routes back to Phoenix.

•  Follow the Senator Highway to Prescott. This will require more then a day so plan to camp out or stay in Crown King. 

• Take the Crown King Road east from Crown King to I-17. 

• ATVers will need to return the way they came.

Jeep nearing ghost town site of Oro Bella. 


Plan for an all day back road adventure typically starting at sunrise and ending at sunset. You will be tired and dusty by the end of the day. Consider spending the night at Bradshaw Mountain Guest Ranch in Crown King.

http://www.crownking.com/

This will give you an opportunity to explore the ponderosa forest, Horse Thief Basin, Towers Mountain and other areas. Below is simply a pictorial review of this trip. I have included mile references under each image and on the Google map at major points. There are a couple of good books that outline this trip if you want more details.

At 15 miles spectacular views of Lake Pleasant and Phoenix.

What I like about this trip
For me this is a difficult trip to make because I need to leave the Bradshaw Mountains and drive all the way to Phoenix, then back up to Lake Pleasant. For people living in Phoenix it is a nearby adventure. Groups have asked me several times through the years to join them and I've always used my ATV for travel. I have patrolled this route many times through the years as well as helped on rescues in this area.

Old mines along the way.


One thing I have noticed is that on weekends during cooler times of the year it can be very crowded. When I was a kid my family would explore ghost towns on this side of the Bradshaws and many were still in amazing shape including Oro Bella. But over the years the crowds have made off with all the relics.

• Old mines
• Ghost towns
• Historical Crown King
• Good hamburgers at the Crown King Saloon
• Wildlife viewing opportunities... but better during the week
• Indian ruins, seldom visited
• Difficult at times to navigate road
• Flowing Humbug Creek
• Fun group activity
• Camping is an option but cold if not prepared

Crowded on weekends. 


What I don't like about this trip

• Very crowded on weekends
• Be careful on blind corners for fast traveling ATV's
• Some areas becoming trashed out by travelers

Be careful around corners with speeding ATV's.


Trip stats
Miles... 27 one way
Elevation change... 4000 feet
Time needed... All day with breaks along the way and lunch at Crown King.
Fuel... bring your own or pay high prices at Crown King.
4x4 needed.... Yes
Temps... warm below and cold on top. Dress for it.

Slippery icy roads at about the 23 mile point.


Warnings
Don't attempt this trip after a good snow in the Bradshaws. On top it can be dangerous and one can slide off steep slopes. Once this trail begins to melt the snow becomes compact from all the off road traffic it receives. At night it freezes making for a icy / slippery road in shadow areas.

Crown King area after a fresh snow. 



A photo Review of the Trip.

Unloading at the official ATV staging area on Cow Creek. 

Follow the Cow Creek Road. Photo 3 miles above starting point. 

Bring a camera. On the crown King Trail near the forest service boundary. 15 mile point.

Forest Service Boundary and a good place for a break. Here the Crown King Trail first intersects Humbug Creek. 17 mile point.

Al Francis home nick named Fort Misery. 18 mile point. We recommend this as a break point coming back down the mountain. 

Nearing Ghost town site of Oro Bella. Small creeks to cross. Try to stay dry as its going to get colder as you continue to climb. 21 mile point.

Oro Bella water towers. 22 mile point.

Oro Bella stone walls. Good place for a break. 22 mile point. 

Tricky spot at Oro Bella. 22 mile point.

The road improves above Oro Bella for a bit. 23 mile point. 

Old mines along the way 23 mile point. 

Nearing the Senator Highway. 25 mile point.

Crown King Saloon. 27 mile point. 

Welcome to the Crown King Saloon. In the 1800's a brothel operated upstairs. 

Crown King store, gas station (one gas pump)  and post office. 




On the way back stop by the nearby Bradshaw City Ghost town site. 

 Return the way you came. 


Google Map
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=209862872930327478900.0004dd3f7a24b3130f10c&msa=0&ll=33.95105,-112.302504&spn=0.043431,0.097589

Please forgive errors in grammar or spelling as we type from our phones.

Senator Waterfall

    First waterfall on this hike. 

Below the Senator Mine, near the ghost town site of Maxton, are 3 waterfalls along the Hassayampa River. They are all within 1/4 mile of each other.

This short hike leads you down hill into the Hassayampa River. There is private property further downstream so respect that as well as mining claims along this stretch of the Hassayampa River.

Trail Info

• Beautiful small stream hike to three waterfalls.
• Do not take this hike during high water periods.
• About 1 1/4 miles round trip.
• No trail to follow.
• Some bushwhacking and rock scrambling required. 

To reach these waterfalls, follow the Senator Highway south out of Prescott to the ghost town site of Maxton. See our Google Map below.

  Senator Highway


Park safely off the Senator Highway and follow the old original now overgrown Senator Highway downhill toward the bottom of the Hassayampa River.

   The route passes by the original Maxton Mill site. Old mining equipment is spread about.                  

   Drop into the Hassayampa River and follow it upstream.


Once in the river, really a small creek at this location, follow it upstream.
About 1/4 mile upstream you will come to the first waterfall, see top photo above.

                                                  Small Cascade.

                                                  

The three falls are all within 1/4 mile of each other. Continuing upstream you soon come to a small cascade, photo above.

Shortly above the cascade is the tallest waterfall. These falls are different as far as waterfalls go. Total height is around 60 feet. It is a three part fall. At the top the water cascades downhill, suddenly turns and falls about 12 feet and makes another quick turn and fall another 20 or so feet into a pool.

The name Senator Falls is only a name I have given it, being so close to the Senator Mine.

                                 Last 20 feet of the Senator Waterfall.

     A photo from above the falls.

Return the way you came or one can carefully pick their way up the mountain back toward the vehicle, but it is steep.

   Return back downstream the way you came. 


Google Map
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=209862872930327478900.0004dbed3a59646c1a0d4&msa=0&ll=34.426233,-112.433803&spn=0.00135,0.00305

Please forgive errors in grammar or spelling as we type from our phones.

Ash Creek Riparian Forest Hike

    Ash Creek hike.

Its nice to see interest in our recommended "Off Trail Hikes". Thank you also for your email comments. 

Recently one reader asked for another "off trail hike" near I 17, similar to the Badger Springs / Agua Fria River hike, that we recommend.  Link below. 

http://bradshawmountainhikes.blogspot.com/2012/12/badger-springs-agua-fria-river.html

I was a bit reluctant to give this one away but have decided to post it, knowing not many will venture into this canyon, only the serious. 

If your looking for seclusion, a beautiful year round flowing stream, filled with native fish, in a lush riparian setting, well consider this hike.

   Ash Creek

 No one hikes this little gem located right next to Interstate 17, but instead speed past it not realizing it is here. This is just one of many unknown drainage hikes, located all over Arizona. 

   Little Ash Creek.

This hike is not located in the Bradshaw Mountains but sits right along Interstate 17 off the Dugas Road. 

   Dry Creek.

This is an "off trail" hike that simply follows a dry wash, Ash Creek, 

that turns into a small flowing stream and connects with another, 

Little Ash Creek, then another, 

Little Dry Creek. 

A sort of big circle is made returning you back to your vehicle. 

Included below is a Google Map to follow. 


What I like about this hike.

• The riparian forest is amazing, 
• Wildlife viewing opportunities. 
• Seclusion
• No foot traffic
• Flowing streams.
• If you have never seen black hawks in Arizona, this is a good location to find them. 

Wildlife

• Mule deer
• Javelina
• Mountain lions
• Bobcats
• Raccoons
• Skunks
• Hawks
• Small birds
• Rattle snakes
• Lizards
• Fish

Lizard.

    Rock art along the creeks. 

Rock art / chipping sites can be found if you have experience in locating these types of sites. This is open range so expect to see cattle / horse disturbance, although there is not much. 
Watch for rattle snakes as they are common. 

   Indian Paintbrush and looking down into Little Ash Creek.

Wildlife / cow trails can be followed at times along these creeks.

Directions

From Phoenix take the Dugas exit off I-17 just past Cordes Junction and turn east for about 1/4 mile. Turn right and follow a dirt road (on map) to the starting point. Don't attempt this hike during rainy periods (flooding). This dirt road turns to slick deep mud. There are two ways back to the vehicle. If you take the short cut, shown on the map it will shave off about 2 miles. 

• Miles... 8 to 10
• Time... take a day or spend the night
• Difficulty... easy
• Elevation... not much

• Notes... don't attempt during rainy periods because of possible flooding. Be prepared to get your feet wet. Watch out for rattle snakes. Cow and wildlife trails can be followed at times. Riparian areas can be thick so be prepared for bush whacking. 

    Rattle snake.

   Tree roots along Little Ash Creek.

This little gem of a hike is around 8 miles. Of course you can turn around at any time and return the way you came.

 Ash Creek.

Hike Directions

Drop into Ash Creek and follow it downstream until it intersects Little Ash Creek, about 3 3/4 miles. Water will appear about 1.5 miles downstream. 

Drop into Ash Creek to begin. Water begins to flow about 1.5 miles downstream.

Pools along Little Ash Creek.

At the Little Ash Creek intersection turn left (east) and follow it up 

stream for about a mile where Little Dry Creek enters on left. 

Also refer to topo maps for more details.

    Here on the left is Little Dry Creek as it enters. Little Ash Creek is on right.

Make a left and follow Little Dry Creek northward until it intersects a road crossing, about 1 3/4 miles. Turn left, northwest and follow the dirt road to a white closed road sign. At the closed road sign, follow this closed road back to the vehicle (2 miles). It is open to foot traffic.

Fish.

Don't hike alone and be careful. If you go let us know what you think .  Photos from a Panasonic point and shoot camera.

Google Map
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=209862872930327478900.0004d97b09e444d3da7f7&ie=UTF8&ll=34.381838,-112.02158&spn=0.04321,0.097589&t=h&z=14&vpsrc=6 

Please forgive errors in grammar or spelling as we type from our phones.