PCT: Thumb Butte to Katahn Rd.

Today was my second segment hike of the Prescott Circle Trail, a 54 mile, all dirt, loop around the city of Prescott.

Two weeks ago I hiked segment #3, from Copper Basin Rd. to Thumb Butte. Today, I continued hiking clockwise, from Thumb Butte Recreation Area to the trailhead on Iron Springs Rd., then on to the trailhead on Katahn Rd., northwest of Prescott. 🗺

Segment #2 runs from Thumb Butte Rd. to Iron Springs Rd. Segment #1 from Iron Springs Rd. to the Katahn TH. The southern three miles of each segment are best; the northern two miles of each are blah. In the case of segment #1, it is because the final two miles to Iron Springs Rd. are themselves on a forest road. In the case of segment #2, the final two miles to Katahn TH are rocky single track. It is telling that I saw no one else between Iron Springs Rd. and Katahn TH.

Therefore, your best hiking options are:

1. Hike from Thumb Butte Recreation Area to Spence Springs Rd. and back (6.3 mi., 700 AEG).
2. Hike from Iron Springs Rd. to Trail #346 and back (5.5 mi., 700 AEG).
3. Do the whole thing because you are a completist who enjoys boredom, sunburn and sore feet (10.0 mi., 950 AEG).

Because there is no trailhead where the Prescott Circle Trail crosses Thumb Butte Rd., I started from the Thumb Butte Recreation Area, hiking west for a mile on Thumb Butte Bypass Trail #326 and Miller Creek Trail #367 to pick up the PCT. Just in that first mile, it was obvious that there had been no drop off in the #flowerporn over the past fortnight.

There is space for a few vehicles where the Prescott Circle Trail crosses Thumb Butte Rd., but it is marked by several no parking signs. It would suck to go for a long walk only to return to your trailhead to discover you have more walking — and a hefty fine — ahead of you. 🚫🚙

From Thumb Butte Rd., the PCT follows Javelina Trail #332. The first half mile is old jeep trail, then it is 2.5 miles of shady single track to Spence Springs Rd. In that distance I encountered nine mountain bikers, one hiker, and jillions of flowers. Just before Spence Springs Rd., there is an corral and stone fireplace, obviously the remains of an old homestead.

Javelina Trail #332 continues along Spence Springs Rd., which is mostly crushed volcanic cinders — rare in this area — for the first mile, before gradually transitioning to more common gravel surface. A car could easily drive it and, although there is a gate at Iron Springs TH, I did see a BMW SUV near the utility substation. He must have come in the back way from Deering Park.

Just past the BMW, I saw a mountain biker pushing her ride. I asked if she had a flat, but she said she’d strained a muscle and could not pedal. I offered to stay with her, but she declined. Onward. 🚑

Though I was hiking on a mindnumbing forest road, the Prescott Circle Trail did offer some good views of points east from the old gravel pit a half mile south of Iron Springs Rd. I could see Mingus Mountain, Glassford Hill, Spruce Mountain, Mount Union and, of course, Thumb Butte.

There’s a lot of traffic on Iron Springs Rd. and the speed limit is 55. Run across.

A quarter mile north of Iron Springs Rd., I found a decent place for a break. I sat down amongst a patch of some green plant that resembled a fern, but with much finer stems and leaves. While I aired out my feet and had a snack, I noticed a faintly unpleasant smell. (That was not my feet.) Like old skunk, but not nearly as bad. I figured there must be something dead near by.

After crossing a gulley a half mile north of my break spot, there was very little shade the last four miles of the hike to Katahn TH.

There was little traffic on Granite Basin Rd. For about a half mile north of Granite Basin Rd. there were tremendous views across Granite Basin to Two Rock Mountain, Little Granite Mountain and Granite Mountain. ⛰

Although there were fewer flowers than closer to Thumb Butte a few hours earlier,  there were scads of flowers that reminded me of the Green Bay Packers, because they had small yellow petals around a protruding green middle. There was an cluster of stunning paintbrush flowers just before the Willow Connector Trail #346 intersection.

Just past Trail #346, there is a confusing tangle of trail intersections: Willow Trail #347, itself, continues directly towards the Katahn Work Center (a Prescott National Forest facility). Not sure what the trail surface is like, but it cannot be any rockier than the remainder of the Prescott Circle Trail, which instead follows Ho-Kay-Gan Trail #341. Taking the Trail #347 shortcut will save ¾ of a mile over staying on the PCT. That’s not really much of a shortcut, but your feet will appreciate it if you are not a PCT completist. 👣

About a mile from Katahn TH, I took my second break. I could have kept walking, but I wanted to call my wife for a pickup. I sat in the same sort of fern-ish plants I had on my first break, and smelled the same vaguely unpleasant smell. Rather than a dead thing, or my exposed feet, it must be the plants. 🤔

When I reached Katahn TH, I was glad to be finished: My feet were sore and it was much, much warmer than I expected.

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My regular Prescott-area hiking buddy Prescottstyle, was hosting a cookout at his place at 4:00 p.m., so to cool down, catch up on twitter, and stock up on supplies (beer), my wife and I stopped at Walmart for a few hours. Wally World has a Subway, and about the time I met my wife, I ate there 5-6 days a week for five years. Plus, I really needed a well iced fountain drink. (Part lemonade, part Diet Coke.) 😅

Thumb Butte TH Directions: From Courthouse Square, head west on Gurley St. for 3.5 miles. (Gurley St. becomes Thumb Butte Rd.) At the foot of Thumb Butte, turn right into the Thumb Butte Recreation Area.

Iron Springs TH Directions: From Courthouse Square, head north on Montezuma St. for just over 6.0 miles. (Montezuma St. becomes Whipple St. and then Iron Springs Rd.) Turn left into the Iron Springs TH.

Katahn TH Directions: From Courthouse Square, head north on Montezuma St. for just over 3.0 miles. (Montezuma St. becomes Whipple St. and then Iron Springs Rd.) Turn right on Williamson Valley Rd. In 1.5 miles, turn left on Burnt Ranch Rd. Take the next right on Hozoni Rd., then second left onto Katahn Rd. Park on the right in 0.5 miles.

GPS File: PCT_Thumb_Butte_2_Iron_Springs_2_Katahn

Distance: 10.51 miles

AEG: 966 ft.

Time: 3h 37m

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Hiking Video

Prescott Circle Trail: Thumb Butte to Katahn Rd. from Preston McMurry on Vimeo.