PETS
Camp Creek Falls Told by Kuma & Written by Lorraine Bossé-Smith
Kuma strolls along the Blue Wash trail. (Photos by Lorraine Bossé-Smith)
During the COVID-19 quarantine, many folks have had unusual schedules. My mom wasn’t able to teach fitness classes or provide in-person trainings, so we were out adventuring more. That has meant no rest days for me, but I’m not complaining one bit. My mom’s friend recommended a new place, so off we went to explore. We stayed on North Cave Creek Road and past the Bartlett Lake turnoff. About 3 miles beyond that marker, on our right was the Blue Wash trailhead parking lot that has access With less pollution, you can see for miles.
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85086 | MAY 2020
to Camp Creek Falls. The address is: 43168, 42800 N. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. Parking is free, but it fills up fast. I think only 12 or so vehicles can fit, so many people were parking along the road. We got there just as someone was leaving, so we got lucky. There are designated dirt areas to the side of the road that are safe for parking. Dogs are, of course, welcome, but on leash. Before I get started, I want to share my disappointed in humans. We have never, ever seen so much dog poop on a trail in our entire lives. We have been adventuring in many states, and this was disgusting. Mom says a bunch of city folks weren’t working due to the virus and have zero respect for nature and others. Come on, people! Right is right, and picking up your dog’s poop is the right thing to do. Period. The trailhead does not have a garbage can, so you will have to pack it out. So what? How hard is that? Enough said. Camp Creek Falls is part of an old mining community, and back in the day, off-road vehicles drove into the falls. Once again, humans disrespected nature, destroying terrain for others to enjoy, so they closed it. Now, the only way in is either a 12-mile in and out from the Tonto Forest or an easier route from the Blue Wash trailhead. This route is heavily trafficked because it is shorter, and we did see a ton of people—and poop. I already mentioned that, didn’t I? From the parking lot, we crossed over the metal bar and followed the trail. We hiked down on the front part of this 1.3-mile trail
to the falls. The views were spectacular! Dad said the pollution is gone due to less people driving. We could see for miles and miles! The wildflowers were still out and the grasses tall. Temperatures were perfect with a little cloud cover. The trail becomes somewhat of a wash, and we followed it down until we came to a “Y.” To the left is the easier of two options. The right is slightly steeper, with more rocks, while the left is more of a road. Good thing, because it was like rush-hour traffic! Crazy. I did get to say hello to many of my kind—at least in passing. Most people were good about allowing space, but again, some city slickers were clueless. Those who feel like they want to get off the trail shouldn’t worry. All routes eventually lead to the creek. I started to smell the water underneath us. The Blue Wash was dry on the surface and to the human eye, but my keen sense of smell knows the water is running underground. It is that wash that leads hikers to Camp Creek. The water was flowing, and I had a quick dip. Hikers know they’ve arrived to the creek when when they see the American flag. It is the site of an old mine, for what we don’t know. Right before the creek is a left turn (look for the pile of rocks marking the trail) and we took that to the falls. We followed the creek
Crowds of people get together at the Camp Creek Falls.
