Yavapai Point Trail – Kingsnake's Home Den

Lake Pleasant: Just below the summit of Yavapai Point, looking southeast across Ariel Island, towards Black Mountain. The TSMC chip fab, Middle Mountain, Pyramid Peak and Ludden Mountain were clearly visible in the distance. New Waddell Dam is behind Scorpion Bay Marina on the right.

Today’s plan was to hike to the Cholla Benchmark, atop Yavapai Point, in Lake Pleasant Regional Park. 2025 has been the worst flower season since I moved back to Arizona in 2004. Lake Pleasant seems to usually get more rain than Phoenix, so I was hoping that paid off in desert flowers. 🙏🏻

... but these christmas cholla along Cottonwood Trail were the only color I found. I originally thought they were pencil cholla, which have green or yellow fruit, not red. Oh, well, I have Lake Pleasant views to look forward to! — … but these christmas cholla along Cottonwood Trail were the only color I found. I originally thought they were pencil cholla, which have green or yellow fruit, not red. Oh, well, I have Lake Pleasant views to look forward to!

Lake Pleasant does not have a lot of hiking trails, as it is geared more to RV camping and boating. (The ferry to Catalina Island , last September, was the first time I’d been on a boat in five years.) So, I don’t get out to the area very often. There are several short & moderate routes you can take up Yavapai Point:

Cottonwood Trailhead: Out & back is 3.3 miles, 540 ft. AEG (accumulated elevation gain).
Pipeline Canyon Trailhead: Out & back is 4.8 miles, 780 ft. AEG.
✅ North Gate: Out & back is 5.6 miles, 740 ft. AEG.
Cottonwood Short Loop: 1.4 mile, 180 ft. AEG non-summit lasso — which is not worth the long drive from Phoenix. Might as well take a spin around Dreamy Draw, or wherever.

Yavapai Point Trail is hiking only. The other trails — Cottonwood Trail and Pipeline Canyon Trail are multiuse (i.e. for mountain bikes and horses, as well as hikers).

The highlight of my day was encountering this curious critter. Usually, wild burros won't let humans get closer than 50 yds., yet this fella (?) moseyed right up to me. I think it wanted food. — The highlight of my day was encountering this curious critter. Usually, wild burros won’t let humans get closer than 50 yds., yet this fella (?) moseyed right up to me. I think it wanted food. 😆

When I started hiking Cottonwood Trail from North Gate at 9:45 a.m., it was 57℉, but windy & chilly. I spotted burro poo, which is everywhere around Lake Pleasant. My wild burro encounter while crossing Cottonwood Wash reminded me of the one I had with wild horses on the Mogollon Rim last summer.

Cottonwood Trail ends at Pipeline Canyon Trail after 1.2 miles. Left to Cottonwood Trailhead, right to continue. Cottonwood Trailhead has dozens of parking spaces, over twenty picnic cabanas, bear box garbage, dog doo bags, and a mapboard. The restrooms were closed, though four portapotties were available. There’s too many hikers heading up Yavapai Point Trail to duck behind a bush.

I overlayed a 50% transparency of a contemporary satellite photo (~1700 ft. el.) on a topo of Lake Pleasant's pre-1994 fill level (1600 ft. el.) so I could see what mountains New Waddell Dam turned into islands. My route is orange. The yellow signs are trail junctions. The (i) symbols are memorial benches. — I overlayed a 50% transparency of a contemporary satellite photo (~1700 ft. el.) on a topo of Lake Pleasant’s pre-1994 fill level (1600 ft. el.) so I could see what mountains New Waddell Dam turned into islands. My route is orange. The yellow signs are trail junctions. The (i) symbols are memorial benches.

After checking out Cottonwood Trailhead, I hiked Pipeline Canyon Trail for a mere 100 yds., before turning left onto Yavapai Point Trail. The trail began a mild climb, crossing two small washes, before arriving at the William Gerchar bench — this hike’s first decent view of Lake Pleasant.

Helm’s Island’s isthmus (~1694 ft. el.), on the left, whould be covered, or at least wet, if the resevoir was at capacity. Instead, Lake Pleasant’s water level was 1,667 ft. (But up nine feet since bottoming out a month ago.)

After 0.6 miles on Yavapai Point Trail, it intersects with an anonymous connector down to Pipeline Canyon Trail, which constitutes the Short Loop turnaround. The junction is marked by this crazy saguaro.

Bah! Yavapai Point Trail pitches up from this sign, climbing 180 ft. in the final 0.3 miles. Black Mountain in the distance.

I arrived at the Gerber memorial bench atop Yavapai Point after 1h 20m of hiking. Actual movement, not counting photo stops. The badly scarred Cholla Benchmark was easily visible just ten feet past the bench. I spent the next twenty minutes fruitlessly searching for reference marks, then ten minutes enjoying the 240° views. (Blocked only by the higher ridge on the other side of Pipeline Canyon.)

Looking east across Lake Pleasant from the top of Yavapai Point. On the left are Balance Rock Island, Horse Island and South Barker Island (front-to-back). The 1944 B-25 / AT-6 plane crash site is up the inlet directly east of Horse Island's south tip. — Looking east across Lake Pleasant from the top of Yavapai Point. On the left are Balance Rock Island, Horse Island and South Barker Island (front-to-back). The 1944 B-25 / AT-6 plane crash site is up the inlet directly east of Horse Island’s south tip.

I had zero bars Verizon at North Gate, two bars by the antenna on Cottonwood Trail, one bar at Cottonwood Trailhead (aka Yavapai Point Trailhead), and only one bar on op of Yavapai Point. All the folks that left Yavapai Point before me, I passed them on the way down. I bet I jogged a third of the 2.7 miles back to North Gate. Using the Short Loop connector, I made it back in only 45 minutes. 💪

Directions: From Phoenix, head north on I-17. Take exit 223B onto Carefree Highway / AZ-74. Drive west for 11.5 miles. At the top of the climb from the Agua Fria River, turn right on Castle Hot Springs Rd. In 5.6 miles, at the stop sign, turn right on Castle Creek Dr. The day use entry fee is currently $7. There is a small lot just past the gate, which is where I started. Or, for a shorter hike, drive 0.4 miles past the gate, taking the first right onto Cottonwood Ln. Cottonwood Trailhead is in 0.5 miles, at the end of Cottonwood Ln.

Park Map: Lake_Pleasant_Regional_Park_Map

GPS File: Lake_Pleasant_Yavapai_Point

Distance: 5.95 mi.

AEG: 724 ft.

Time: 2h 03m