Coming in hot with another awesome hike in Arizona you won’t want to miss this month! With the beautiful spring weather that’s not too hot and not too cold, I’ve been sharing all of our favorite places around the valley to get outside and enjoy nature. If you haven’t taken the kids, hiking Hassayampa River Preserve is a must!
About 15 minutes before you hit Wickenburg, you’ll come to the Hassayampa River Preserve. It’s a beautiful hike tucked away off of the 60 West. There are no permits required for this hike, but there is an entrance fee of $5 for adults (kids are free!).
After you park, head to the visitor’s center (a cute, victorian style house) to sign in and pay. Outside of the visitor’s center is a blooming desert garden with lots of beautiful labeled plants and tons of humming birds.
Inside you will also find a small museum, adult and children’s binoculars to borrow, as well as hiking sticks and laminated cards of plants and animals to look for along the trails. This place is so kid-friendly and education-rich… it won over this homeschooling mom’s heart within minutes.
The trails along the Hassayampa River are very mild and surrounded by lush cottonwood trees, shrubbery, and the cutest stream (aka: river) to play in and get your feet wet. The kids loved playing along the wooden bridge and pretending to be Native Americans hunting and fishing along the riverbed.
We hiked along all three trails and saw lots of the plants and animals on the cards provided by the visitor center. The kids loved using the binoculars and we had such beautiful weather by the water and among the trees. We learned all about the river and who the Native Americans utilized it for their everyday living. We also learned how the area is being preserved and protected for the wildlife.
For this hike, I recommend bringing your backpack of essentials as usual but also water shoes, towels, and dry clothes would be good too. That way the kids can really play in the water to their hearts’ content.
We really enjoyed the ease of this hike and the fact that it wasn’t too far out of the city limits. We loved the ‘extras’ they offered like the binoculars and the museum. And of course where there is water, you will find us! Be sure to add Hassayampa (Native American for ‘underground’) River Preserve to your Arizona hiking list! They also offer lots of amazing classes and guided hikes, so be sure to check out their Facebook page and take advantage of that. Where are you hiking next?
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