Cave Creek Regional Park

Maricopa County maintains a network of 12 regional parks around the Phoenix area. Cave Creek is one of five that have a campground. The park is a great destination for picnicking, hiking, biking, horseback riding and camping. Set in a classic Sonoran Desert environment, the park features large saguaro cacti, cholla, brittlebush and other hardy plants. The brittlebush (Encelia species) is spectacular in its late March bloom of yellow daisies.

Picnic facilities include over 50 individual first-come, first-served picnic sites and four reservable ramadas. Fifteen miles of multi-use trails are available and include a large staging area with room for horse trailers. The nature center has animal exhibits and other educational materials.

The most popular hike in the park is the Go John Trail, a 5.8-mile loop that follows a marvelous path around two of the park’s peaks. The trail also intersects with other trails like the Overton Trail and Quartz Trail to form shorter loops.