|
|
|
|
WHAT'S NEW February 12 (thanks to Bob Skaggs): The start of the Dixie Mine Trail outside McDowell Mountain Regional Park is managed by the town of Fountain Hills. Information on changes to that section of trail or the trailhead can be obtained from Fountain Hills Parks & Recreation Department at 480-816-5152 or 480-816-5124. The barrier-free Merkle Memorial Trail at Usery has been installed. Benches and interpretive displays are scheduled for placement in the next few months. February 23: There is a new Agua Fria National Monument, still being planned by the Bureau of Land Management. One trail is available at present. Take I-17 north to Badger Springs exit 256. Just after exiting on the east side, you will see a short dirt road to a trailhead kiosk. The trail heads east, passing the boundary in 250', then descending a wash. At 0.48 mile enter a beautiful area. At 0.63 mile is a short-cut trail on the left to the Agua Fria north. Continue to 0.66 mile where you reach the usually dry bed of the river. Exploration is possible in either direction, but caution is advisable. For some photos, see our photo gallery. For further information on the monument, see the BLM's Web site: Agua Fria Maricopa County has a Web site with useful information and their latest park maps. These can be accessed from their home page: Maricopa County Parks There are a few discrepancies in trail names and spellings from our guidebook and between their text and maps.Additional Web sites of interest for the area of the book: Arizona State Parks (Lost Dutchman, including park map): Lost Dutchman City of Phoenix Parks, Recreation & Library Dept: Phoenix Parks City of Scottsdale (Pinnacle Peak): Pinnacle Peak Phoenix Mountains Preservation Council: PMPC Tonto National Forest (USDA): Tonto Progress note, May 24, 2003: In McDowell Mtn Regional Park the Pemberton Trail distances have been altered by relocation of the section west from the Park Corner to the top of the Stoneman Historical Trail. (More on this soon.) In Estrella Mtn Regional Park there are changes in the names of some of the trails. Relocations of sections of what were called the Spur Trail [D], Spur Trail North [D-1] and the northern section of the Rainbow Valley Trail [A] will be posted here soon. Trail [A-1] no longer exists. The part of [A] around the mountain is being converted to a barrier-free trail and is no longer part of the Rainbow Valley Trail. In Cave Creek Recreation Area the Overton Trail relocation has been completed and is a big improvement. Details soon. In Phoenix, "Squaw" Peak and the Parkway have been renamed by the State as "Piestewa" for the first woman (and Native American) soldier to be killed in the war in Iraq. (This is awaiting approval at the federal level.) The first trail in Lake Pleasant Regional Park, not a part of the guidebook yet, has been measured and will soon be posted here. NOTE July 9, 2004: There's been a delay in adding more news to this site; we hope to complete that soon. |
|
|
Last edited: July 09, 2004 |
