High Desert Trail Hike | 1/18/24

The High Desert Park trail was an easy 1.8-mile, well-maintained and marked trail. It starts at the archway/gazebo, where there is a map to show you the loop. Follow the rock-lined trail and any blue posts, and you’ll go completely around and back to where you started.

The trail is mostly flat and meanders through the Black Canyon with spectacular views of the Bradshaw Mountains. The locals have labeled some of the vegetation so you can learn about the plants in our desert. 

Donna, Pepper and I wanted to do a short hike that wasn’t too difficult as this was the first hike since my 2nd hip surgery and I didn’t want a trail with too much instability!  The trail  headed west and then south. You start to feel like you’ve gone a long way from where you started and that you are in the middle of nowhere. Only a few times do you see or hear the freeway. As you come near the Black Canyon City trailhead parking lot, you will see a sign to follow the loop “HDP north,” and that takes you back to where you started.

The second half isn’t as long as the first. Don’t get confused by the yellow pole as it is just a crossover trail. Stay to the right on the blue path. Throughout the entire trail are benches with awesome views. The loop took us about an hour. 

Then we headed down the street to Rock Springs Cafe where she bought me an awesome (late) Birthday lunch!  Because we had Pepper with us we ate outside at tables overlooking their Event space.  It would be a fun place to host a party!