Hassayampa River Preserve — Attraction in Wickenburg

Today we found ourselves out in Wickenburg again to Check out Hassayampa River Preserve. There are seven trails located here. Most a little under a mile, but if you do as we did and do all of them you’re definitely getting your workout in. There are benches throughout and plenty of shade. Definitely bring your water though because it’s already over 90. Hassayampa is home to over 280 species of birds living, nesting or migrating through the area. I wish we would’ve seen one of the many hawks who frequent there, but unfortunately didn’t today. The height of some of the trees and such were crazy. The Cottonwood Trees made it look like it was snowing on some parts of the trails with their cotton like seed/fluff and the Willows were awesome too. We spent hours here. There are spots to sit, listen and enjoy the scenery of the Hassayampa River. Fun fact the 100 or so miles the river flows are mostly underground and can only be seen here where it flows freely. One other thing I really enjoyed was the old payphone strategically placed near one of the trails closer to the water. They called it a wind phone. If you don’t know what that is it’s a disconnected phone often placed in a nature setting where you can “call” a deceased loved one offering a way to help with grief and remembrance. A concept that originated in Japan. What a great way to maybe let out things that were left unsaid. Anyhow this 770 acre preserve is definitely worth checking out. If you have a maricopa county park pass it gets you in...

This place is a a bit far out, however it's a nice oasis-like spot. Once you get there, you don't feel like you're in the desert. There's a lot greenery and trees, and you feel as though you're walking through a forest. I personally would reccomend going on their guided tour- check per the Maricopa Regional County Park website. I did the Bird Watch hike (although I'm no birdwatcher, I went for the hike and exercise). The ranger who led it was great and knowledgeable of the area and the birds. I just wished I didn't look down. The sandy trail leading to the water area was full of huge ants crawling everywhere. Yucky! Other than that, it was a nice cozy easy one hour hike.

Edit: after coming here to visit again recently, I was able to do all their trails. I started with the Lion Trail and River Ramble and then I did the Palm Lake Loop. Also did all the connecting trails plus Lyke Lookout. These trails are perfect for beginner hikers. The trails for the most part are flat and you can also walk across small bridges over streams. Even the Lookout Trail wasn't too bad. It was an uphill climb, but since it's slowly spirals around the hill it's not too bad. The trails took a total of over 2 hours to walk- love how you're able to see all the trails in a day. Also just keep in mind they are only open certain days of the week so make sure you check their website and they do close at...

A wonderful place to walk and watch for birds and other wildlife. Sign in at the nature center (there is a $5 per person fee) and enjoy the displays of the Hassayampa Preserve history and various animals, and then procure a map. In choosing where to hike, several different trails are available featuring varied terrain, such as the river trail with copious cottonwoods and the sparking & clear Hassayampa river. Additionally a "mesquite ramble", a lake trail around a shallow pond surrounded by palms and other trees, and sometimes interesting waterfowl. Choosing to climb to the "lookout" atop a high bluff is also a must-do! All in all a very interesting place to visit and spend some time. There are quality nature-themed items for sale in the nature center, and the rangers are very informative and helpful. A log book is available to enter any animals or birds you have seen. When we were there we saw two javelina scurrying away in the distance, plus many birds and a snake! We spent almost two hours but I am slow and stop to look at everything :) We arrived early on a weekday but the parking lot fills up the later it gets. Additional parking is available. Well...