Prescott Circle Trail ADVENTURE

by Blake Herzog

For the last three years we’ve published a monthly feature about a trail readers can explore in the Greater Prescott area; now we’re finally getting around to the longest of them all.

We’ve written about many of the trails that form segments of the Prescott Circle Trail, which was assembled over the course of 25 years out of existing trails and new segments maintained by the City of Prescott and Prescott National Forest, but never provided an overview of the entire captivating loop.

The Prescott Circle Trail, also known as the PCT, has 15 trailheads as it circumnavigates the city it was named after, guiding hikers, mountain bikers and equestrian users through the habitats found in our remarkably diverse region.

People with the time and stamina can devote one or two days to completing it in one fell swoop, but the majority break it down into smaller bites.

Explorers of this great loop will see, as they travel counterclockwise from the Peavine trailhead parking lot:

* The majesty of the Granite Dells and beauty of Watson and Willow lakes, with broad trails views that continue through Pioneer Park and Williamson Valley.

* The Granite Basin section with peerless views of Granite Mountain, denser vegetation and narrower trails that may provide more of a challenge.

* Thumb Butte’s western base, with more tree cover and the bustling activity that surrounds this iconic landmark.

* The White Spar area’s thick ponderosa forest and panoramic vistas from the Sierra Prieta Overlook and Quartz and Wolverton mountains, plus enchanting Goldwater Lake.

* Explorers then zigzag down from the forested slopes and over P Mountain, down past Prescott Gateway Mall and the auto dealerships on Prescott Lakes Parkway and back up to the Peavine trailhead.

Since many different trails and junctions are used along the route it’s important to watch for PCT signs to keep you on track. The trail has an overall 6,000-foot elevation gain but doesn’t include any particularly steep sections outside of the White Spar peaks, but you can branch off onto many more challenging side trips.