Popular Prescott
Hiking Trails
Constellation Trail
$3.00
2.74 miles
Easy to Moderate
Moderate to Heavy Traffic
This trail(s) runs through flat and rocky terrain, winding through the boulders with some steep segments; a lot of up and down hiking. There are some trees but they’re not much for true shade on a hot afternoon hike. The Constellation Trail can be done as one big loop or however you’d like as there are multiple trails that branch from within the Constellation Trail Loop.
Historical Fact: Where the Constellation Trail got its name- In 1959 a Lockheed USAF Super Constellation aircraft crashed and exploded in the Granite Dells killing all on board. Near the junction of the Constellation Trails and Walden Farms Trail you’ll find the memorial built in 2011. Next to it lies a stone ring containing pieces of the wreckage. Pieces that are still being found to this day by hikers and left at the memorial out of respect.
Photos From Constellation Trails Trailhead
Watson Lake Trail aka Watson Lake Loop Trail
$3.00 (Free on Wednesdays)
4.5 miles
Moderate Hike
Moderate to Heavy Traffic
Parking for this trail is best at either the Lake View Ramada (up the hill) or the South Parking Area(down the hill).
From the Southern Trailhead it connects to the Peavine Trail running along the Eastern side of Watson Lake, continuing up into the rocks curving around the North end towards the dam before following the Western edge back into the park past the Lake View Ramada, back down the hill to where you started.
Peavine section of the Loop Trail is a heavily trafficked trail.
No motorized vehicles allowed on this trail.
Peavine Trail
$3.00 (Free on Wednesdays)
11.9 miles
23.8 miles round-trip
Moderate
Not loop trail
Moderate to Heavy Traffic
Official Trailhead Parking is outside of Watson Lake Park on Sundog Ranch Rd. just past the Yavapai Humane Society.
Access from Watson Lake Park: Starting at the South Parking Area in Watson Park, take the Discovery Trail segment of Watson Lake Loop over the little bridge and up to the Peavine Trail.
Approximately 3 miles from either trailhead, the Peavine forks left for another 9 miles +/- before ending about 1 mile from Ernest Love Field (Prescott Airport).
Going right at the fork puts you on the Iron King Trail that runs about 4 miles crossing into Prescott Valley to the Iron King Trail trailhead on Glassford Hill Rd.
A lot of people enjoy walking the flattest section of the Peavine along the eastern side of Watson Lake,
Willow Lake Loop Trail
$3.00 (Free on Wednesdays)
5.7 miles
Easy with Moderate sections
Moderate to Heavy Traffic
Willow Lake Loop Trail can be started pretty much anywhere, be it inside the park proper or any of the pull-off parking outside of the park. This is the trail you can see from Willow Creek Rd. and Willow Lake Rd.
Accessing Willow Lake Loop Trail from inside the park: Park at the Boat Ramp Area and jump on the Trail up into the granite formations on the Approach Trail segment of the Willow Lake Trail or take the less rocky route and around the Western side of Willow.
Willow Lake North Trail
$3.00 (Free on Wednesdays)
App. 2.8 miles
Moderate
Low to Fair Traffic
From the Boat Ramp Parking take the Approach Trail (Willow Lake Loop) into the rocks to Canyon Trail connecting to Basin Trail before turning back towards Willow Lake and reconnecting to the Willow Lake Trail south from where the loop started. This trail goes in, through, and over the boulders of the Granite Dells.
Little Granite Mountain Loop / Baby Granite Loop
$5.00 (Free on Wednesdays)
9.6 miles
1,800 ft. of elevation gain
Hard
Parking is just off Iron Springs Rd. This trail is not for beginners. It begins to climb almost immediately and there are not a lot of shade trees. At the junction going counter-clockwise will bring you past Granite Basin Lake which is almost always a nice view. The entire loop is a lot of up and down but brings you to some beautiful views of Granite Mountain, Little Granite Mountain (Baby Granite Mountain), and the surrounding forest. Though Little Granite Loop has an easily accessible trailhead it has considerably less foot traffic than the more popular Watson Lake Tail, Peavine Trail, and Constellation Trail.
Thumb Butte
Trail #33
$5.00 exact change only (Free on Wednesdays)
Hikers Only
2.5 miles
Easy to mostly Moderate
Fair to Heavy Traffic
A little over 3 miles past Whiskey Row is the Thumb Butte Recreation Area. Trail #33 is an almost 2 mile loop with several paved sections (to minimize erosion). While it is a loop trail, the Eastern trail is much steeper than the Western trail and many people prefer to leave the Eastern trail for the decent. There is also a short spur trail to the crest of Thumb Butte. Occasionally there are trail closures while the Peregrine Falcons are nesting. There’s usually signage when this is happening.