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Butcher Jones Trail #463

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Saguaro lake
Saguaro lake
Saguaro lake
Saguaro lake as seen from the Butcher jones trail
Saguaro lake
Saguaro lake
map: Butcher Jones trail
Elevation plot: Butcher jones trail

Location

How to Get There
This hike is located near Fountain Hills, AZ.

To get to the trailhead: from the Phoenix area, take HWY-87 North toward Payson. Turn right onto the Bush Highway and go 3 miles to the well signed turn for the Butcher Jones Recreation Area. After turning towards the Butcher Jones Recreation area, you'll drive about 1.8 miles to the well marked trailhead located at the southwest corner of the parking area. There are restrooms here but no drinking water.

Alternate route: Take Ellsworth road in Mesa North to the Bush Highway. Turn right on the Bush Highway towards Saguaro Lake. Turn right at the well signed turn for the Butcher Jones Recreation Area.
addressone
Saguaro Lake
state
AZ
country
USA
Region
Superstition and Mazatzal Wilderness

Hike details

Distance
5.00 [Miles] Total
Hike Distance- Details
Distance: About 5 miles round trip for the out and back.
Time
2.00 [Hours]
Time-details
Time: It took us about 2.0 hours to get to Burro cove and back.
Elevation Change
200 Total gain/loss [Feet]
Elevation Details
Elevation change: about 200 ft or so.
Hike Trail Type
Out and Back
Special Features
  • Water
  • Wild Flowers

Season

Best Season
  • January
  • February
  • November
  • December
Worst Season
  • May
  • June
  • July
  • August
  • September
Season Details
Time of year: Winter is best, but any time when the weather is cool and there aren't many boats on Saguaro Lake. It is also nice during the spring wildflower season.
Date Hike completed
April 26, 2013

Solitude

Solitude
Medium
Solitude Details
Solitude: Not at first, but after the first 0.5 miles when you leave the fisher folk behind, the solitude is quite good. By the time we got to Burro cove, we were the only ones around. I would expect perhaps 15-30 people on this trail, but 99% of them will be on the first 1 mile.

Difficulty

Difficulty Rating
Easy
difficulty detail
30 yr old Recommendation: This is an especially nice hike in the winter when the boats are gone. Hiking next to water in the desert is always a special experience. This hike is rated Easy.

Permits

Permit Info
Be Aware of: Fee area ($6 as of April 2013) NO PERMITS AVAILABLE AT THE LAKE!

Hike the Butcher Jones Trail #463 near Phoenix, Arizona.

Saguaro Lake is formed by the damming of the Salt River at Stewart Dam and is well loved by boaters and fishermen, especially in the summer months. However, in the winter, the boaters thin out considerably and some nice hiking opportunities open up. The Butcher Jones Trail along the lake edge is an excellent way to experience the area without a boat.

The Tonto National Forest has instituted a parking permit for this area. Unfortunately, you cannot purchase this pass at the trailhead. So if you arrived at the trailhead without a permit, it's about a 20 mile backtrack to get one. So please remember to purchase one in North Mesa before you leave or online (link: http://www.tontopermits.com/). As of April 2013, it is $6 for the tonto pass.

 

The first half mile has a railing and is partially paved. This section is rather crowded by fisherman looking for lake access. Don't worry, because they seldom hike more than 0.5 miles from the trailhead. The rest of the hike you will have mostly to yourself. The trail contours around the various coves of Saguaro lake, providing some nice views of the lake and surrounding Sonoran desert.

After passing Peregrine point, the hike contours around a small bay and starts a climb up to a small hill. This hill provides some nice views before descending again to just above water level. There are several water access points here and the major trail junctions are well signed (JCT 1L and JCT 2L on the map). Continue to follow the signs pointing towards the Butcher Jones Trail #463. After Camper Cove, the trail heads away from the lake into the desert and over a small saddle to good views of the four peaks and Burro cove. You can probably turn around once you see Burro cove, as lake access would be a nasty bushwack and the trail eventually peters out near the lakeside anyway without any decent lake access or views. Best to make this the turn around point and backtrack to one of the lake access points for a nice lunch. 

Map

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