Butcher Jones Hiking Trailhead — Attraction in Four Corners States

5 stars all the way.

I hit this one early in the morning and it was exactly what I needed. Few people on the trail, but the parking lot was already halfway filled with sunrise crowd aiming for the lake. You can feel that energy without the chaos if you show up early enough.

The hike itself is easy and peaceful, gaining about 600 feet over nearly six miles round trip. Early on there is a section where it literally feels like you got teleported to another state or even another country. Green foliage, cooler air, everything looks wildly different from the desert scene you expect in Arizona. It was bizarre and beautiful.

Around the lake the views are killer. Saguaro Lake shimmering under sunrise light is something else. Then you drop into some classic Sonoran Desert vistas that remind you why you live here in the first place. Every turn is photo-worthy, and yes, I took way more snaps than I can rationalize.

Trail is maintained, easy to follow, and connects to other paths if you’re feeling ambitious. Weekday parking is a breeze. On weekends it fills up fast, but you can park across the road at Piestewa and walk in. Totally worth it.

Whether you’re hiking or running, it delivers. Just remember to get there early because once the lake crowds show up, it’s picture chaos. Definitely recommend giving it a go if you want desert and lake views without...

Great hike with amazing lake views, lots of shade. We went with a 1 yr old and a 3 yrs old but only hiked about 1.5 miles before turning back.

The hiking trail is at times very narrow so we had several moments where branches from palo verde trees with thorns were in our way. Some ducking will be needed to avoid tree trunks too.

The trail is right next to the lake in some parts so it’s a ledge, and with a narrow trail, you must watch your step or risk falling into the water. Too risky for our 3 year old so we carried him on those parts.

After our hike we took off our hiking boots and waded into the fresh cool water - it’s right in front of the parking lot. The place is popular for paddle boats. The water is not deep for several feet, and little to no waves, great for toddlers.

We were there on Labor Day weekend. Parking lot empty at 6am but completely full at 9:40am...

I can’t remember the last time I have ever stopped so much in pure awe during a hike. Especially in springtime with the verdant greens paired with the snowy peaks in the distance, unparalleled beauty and majesty awaits you on this trek. Although it does get crowded on weekends, the trail is long enough and scenic enough to make up for that con. There is very slight elevation gain over the course of the trail, but generally this is an easy hike and just about everyone of various fitness levels, age, can do well on Butcher Jones. The parking lot can accommodate the crowds easily. I would recommend just waiting to get that required Tonto Pass here ($12 for daily pass), as I wasted a lot of time in the city trying to get the pass at numerous Circle Ks that were on the official pass list. The machine takes debit/credit cards...