Fort McDowell, AZ: Valley of the Sun Chapter, Butcher Jones Trail Hike

This hike takes us out of the Valley to one of the nearby lakes. It is an easy to moderate out & back hike that offers beautiful views of Saguaro Lake as it winds around its shore. There is a slight elevation gain and a few patches of rocky terrain. If you need convincing to take this short road trip or to read more about the hike, check out the description on Alltrails or Google the images for Butcher Jones Trail.

And as icing on the cake, after the hike you can enjoy brunch at the Shiprock Restaurant, a short 8 minute (3.3 mi) drive from the Trailhead.

FACILITIES: NO WATER. There are vault toilets at the start.

BRING: Sturdy walking shoes, recommended 2 Liters of water, a hat, leave-no-trace toilet kit, sunglasses, sunscreen, snacks/lunch if desired. Walking sticks are not required but recommended.

NOTE: Butcher Jones is located in the Tonto Nation Forest. Access requires a $8 Tonto National Forest Entry Fee per vehicle, or a National Parks pass.