39 BUTCHER JONES TRAIL

KEY AT-A-GLANCE INFORMATION

LENGTH: 5 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 175 feet

CONFIGURATION: Out-and-back

DIFFICULTY: Easy

SCENERY: Saguaro Lake, riparian zone, desert, Goldfield Mountains

EXPOSURE: Mostly exposed, but limited shade is available in riparian areas

TRAFFIC: Moderate

TRAIL SURFACE: Gravel, packed dirt

HIKING TIME: 2.5 hours

WATER REQUIREMENT: 1.5 quarts

SEASON: Year-round; hot in summer

ACCESS: Open sunrise to sunset; Tonto Pass and $6 per vehicle required; not sold on site but available in stores and at Forest Service offices.

MAPS: USGS Stewart Mountain

FACILITIES: Restrooms, picnic areas, beach, fishing dock

DOGS: Yes, leashed at all times

COMMENTS: For Tonto Pass info, click www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/tp and for trail information, visit www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/recreation/rec-hiking-index.shtml.

GPS Trailhead Coordinates

UTM Zone 12S

Easting 0452317

Northing 3715003

Latitude N33°34.525'

Longitude W111°30.869'

Directions

From Loop 202: Exit onto Country Club Drive, which is also SR 87 Beeline Highway. Drive 22 miles north on SR 87 and turn east onto FR 204, Bush Highway, toward Saguaro Lake. Proceed 3 miles to the signed Butcher Jones turnoff. Turn left onto FR 166 and follow the road until it ends at Butcher Jones Recreation Site. Pay the day-use fee at the automated kiosk and then park near the beach.

From US 60: Exit onto Power Road. Drive north 20 miles on Power Road, which eventually becomes FR 204, Bush Highway, north of town. The Butcher Jones turnoff is 1 mile past the entrance to Saguaro Lake Marina. Turn right at the signed Butcher Jones turnoff and follow the road to the Butcher Jones Recreation Site.

IN BRIEF

Butcher Jones Trail runs along a section of Saguaro Lake’s northern shore, offering many scenic overlooks of the lake and the surrounding mountains. Burro Cove, this hike’s destination, commands an impressive view of Four Peaks across the lake.

DESCRIPTION

As the reservoir closest to Phoenix, Saguaro Lake draws plenty of visitors seeking summer fun in the sun. Colorful mountains surround the Salt River basin and add a dramatic backdrop to the lake. While most people go to the lake for water sports, hikers can enjoy a scenic trail along Saguaro Lake’s shoreline, especially during the cooler winter months. Butcher Jones Trail 463 provides access to some choice vantage points from which to catch a bird’s-eye view of the lake.

Fairly easy and well marked, Butcher Jones Trail makes an excellent introductory hike for beginners. The trail’s name recalls a 19th-century doctor and rancher whose nickname was “Butcher.” I wonder which of his occupations earned him that gruesome moniker. Snaking along a portion of Saguaro Lake’s 22-mile shoreline, this scenic trail passes through alcoves, rocky slopes, shady riparian zones, and some Sonoran Desert landscape as it cuts across a peninsula in the lake. Many spur trails branch out to provide waterfront access for fishing, camping, or swimming. Encompassing scenic overlooks of the lake and reflections of distant mountains, views along this trail are nothing short of stunning.

Begin the hike from a signed trailhead near Butcher Jones Beach. Though the sign reads “Saguaro Lake Nature Trail,” it marks the correct starting point for Butcher Jones Trail. Diving right into some shady trees, the initial trail segment is paved and has a handrail. Turn right when the first handrail ends. Heading south on the paved Nature Trail next to the water, a few pullouts and benches provide excuses to stop and read the interpretive signs. The paved trail ends at Peregrine Point, where a floating fishing dock protrudes into the lake.

Peregrine Point sits at the tip of a scenic peninsula and is nearly surrounded by water. The Arizona Game and Fish Department stocks the lake with many species of fish, and Saguaro Lake has artificial fish habitats installed on the shoreline near Butcher Jones Trail. Therefore, this fishing dock is a popular destination for anglers seeking walleye, trout, bass, and catfish. It’s worth walking out onto the fishing dock for a view from the lake.

From Peregrine Point pass through a gate and onto a narrow dirt path that hugs the water’s edge. The trail follows the contour of Peregrine Cove inland. At the tip of the cove and under shady cover of thick brush, a spur trail runs north while the main trail curves right and heads back out toward the lake. If you feel adventurous, take a small detour up this faint spur trail 0.1 mile to find a seven-foot-tall dry waterfall. If you manage to climb up this rock crevice and continue up the dry creek bed for another 0.1 mile, you’ll find a small but charming slot canyon carved through large boulders by eons of occasional runoff. The dry creek bed continues another mile, but further bushwhacking fails to produce any additional interesting sights. After visiting the slot canyon, return to the main trail and resume your hike on the Butcher Jones Trail.

As you hike out toward the lake again, the trail begins to climb a moderate hill. In spring look for wildflowers such as owl clover, lupine, and buckwheat along this hilly section. About a mile from the trailhead is a small mound with an excellent view of the lake and Butcher Jones Beach. The view gets even better at another scenic vista 0.3 miles farther down the trail. Situated 175 feet above the water, this overlook is the highest point on the entire hike. You can see the marina across the lake. Lakeside cliffs to your left frame the distant Superstition Mountains and the Flatiron.

After the scenic overlook, follow the trail as it crosses a dry wash and descends toward the lake. There are several side trails leading to the waterfront. Feel free to explore them, and then return to the main trail. Pass the Camper’s Cove junction at 1.7 miles and another signed trail junction at 1.9 miles. Then dip into and cross a large dry wash as you begin to pull away from the lake. Heading inland toward Burro Cove and leaving the noisy motorboats behind, the trail enters a peaceful desert landscape. Saguaros tower over the trail, while chollas, triangle-leaf bursage, and palo verdes dominate the landscape. Immersed in the desert scenery, you might forget that the lake is nearby.

At 2.2 miles, the trail bends north to reveal a head-on view of Four Peaks. Remain on Butcher Jones Trail at the next fork and head for Burro Cove. The lake soon comes into view again, and you realize that the trail’s desert section actually cuts across a peninsula in the lake. At 2.5 miles the trail reaches a large flat mound overlooking the lake, with majestic Four Peaks looming on the horizon. Though a faint and sometimes overgrown trail continues to the left and traces the shoreline, the scenic overlook is the recommended turnaround point on this hike. Enjoy the view here before retracing your steps.

NEARBY ACTIVITIES

Usery Mountain Regional Park south of Saguaro Lake offers many excellent hiking trails including Wind Cave Trail and Pass Mountain Trail. Browns Trail to Four Peaks, Pine Creek Trail, and Ballantine Trail are all accessible from SR 87 north of Bush Highway. McDowell Mountain Regional Park north of Fountain Hills presents hiking opportunities as well. Nearby Salt River Recreation provides a shuttle service and tube rentals for a relaxing tubing trip down the Salt River.