Even though hiking in Arizona is wildly popular elsewhere, perhaps there is just too much else to do in this Western enclave. Winter hiking in Wickenburg is clearly a hiker’s dream with no crowds on the trails; only wildlife and spectacular scenery await.
Locating Wickenburg
Located just an hour or so northwest of Phoenix, Wickenburg is a town with a wild west history that residents are proud of. Between horseback riding, gold mining, roping events and ATV activities, there’s few people walking the trails that crisscross the town’s Sonoran Desert setting.
Wickenburg is perched on the edge of the Sonoran Desert, high enough that evenings are substantially cooler than the greater Phoenix area, and day time winter temperatures that are inviting for outdoor activities.
Desert Hiking in Wickenburg
Dana Burden’s Desert Hiking (Pathfinder Publishing, 2004)is an indispensible guide for finding interesting, often challenging trails in the area. Burden’s book is arranged by areas: Southwest, Box Canyon-Red Top Complex, Blue Tank Wash, Middle Hassayampa, Wickenburg Mountains and Weaver Mountains. In addition, there’s a section on short hikes and a section on desert hiking in general: what to take, what to wear, hazards, etc.
Hikes range from two to eleven miles, and Burden includes many sights to look for that hikers might not otherwise notice, like rare rock formations, old mine tailings and geological information.
Wickenburg Hiking Vistas
Most hikes have spectacular vistas at some point along the way. Perhaps the most famous of these hikes is Vulture Peak Trail which ends on a dome affording views to the far edges of Phoenix.
Some hikes are simply spectacular from start to finish, and those in the Box Canyon-Red Top Complex are among these. Hikers are often astounded to find that rocks on one side of the canyon may be billions of years old, while those on the other side are a mere million years of age.
Many hikes pass mines and the remains of mining towns. (Care should be taken when approaching mine shafts as many, unfortunately, are unmarked.) Indeed, the Rich Hill Trail takes one up a slope where it is reputed that once gold nuggets the size of potatoes were found.
Horses Invited on Wickenburg TrailsToo
There are often cows meandering these trails, and occasionally one might encounter horseback riders, but all critters share the trails peaceably. More often than not one can hike all day and not see another sign of life other than small desert inhabitants, astounding saguaro cactus, desert tortoises and scurrying little lizards.
There’s a hike for every ability level in Wickenburg – some hikes are even in the town itself, such as the Ocotillo Loop Trail. For desert hikes that are astounding in every respect, a trip "Out Wickenburg Way" is worthwhile.
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