Length: 4.6 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Easy

Wilderness Area: Hell's Canyon Wilderness Area

Journal: "Mad As Hell's Canyon" and "Back Into Hell's Canyon"

**Kid Friendly Hike**

From I-17 North, take the Carefree Highway (SR 74) exit and go left (west) towards the Lake Pleasant Recreational Area. There are two roads to access the recreational area - take the Park Access road, not the Harbor road. At the Park Access, turn left onto Castle Creek Road, which immediately becomes dirt road (passable in sedan). Go past the Lake Pleasant Recreational Area road (located on the right). Continue north until you come to a cattle guard, to the left of which is a Trail sign. Park in the pull-out. The trailhead is located directly across the wash from the cattle guard - look for the pale yellow trail registry.

Trail Description:

The trail begins at the trail registry, just beyond the Hell's Canyon wilderness signs. It begins with a short but steep climb uphill then flattens out. As the trail winds through the desert, you will cross in and out of small washes, and you will also have some spectacular views of the Hieroglyphic Mountains.

Please note: this trail is little used, and as a result is very indistinct. There are cairns along the trail, but a good route-finding skills are a must - and a good map wouldn't hurt, either!

At 1.5 miles, you will come to a gate. Go through the gate - the trail continues on the other side. (About this point, to your left, you will be able to see Lake Pleasant - but it's easier to spot it on the way back!)

At 2.0 miles, you will come to an overlook. From there, the trail begins to descend to the wash. The Spring Valley Trail ends in the wash (there is a cairn marking the end of the trail) - but further exploration is possible by hiking up the wash. Hell's Canyon is located 4 miles from the end of the trail.

Return the way you came.