About this campground
Castle Creek Trailhead provides access to the Spring Valley and Hermit trails within Hells Canyon Wilderness. The Spring Valley Trail follows a 2.5-mile old pack trail through a scenic saguaro forest frequented by wild burros and drops deeply into the east end of Garfias Wash Trail. The Hermit Trail follows a 2-mile old pack trail with historic rock walls ending at Four Tank Canyon and a nearby ephemeral pond and waterfall. Scenic overlooks provide spectacular views of Lake Pleasant to the east and multiple rugged mountaintops within the Hieroglyphic Mountains to the west. When adequate fall and winter rainfall stimulate a desert wildflower bloom, the wilderness area can be blanketed in Mexican gold poppies, owl’s clover, blue dicks and desert globemallow. The Castle Creek Trailhead parking area can only accommodate 4 vehicles and no amenities are offered.
Getting there
From Phoenix, Flagstaff: On Interstate 17, take State Route 74 (Carefree Highway), Exit 223, and head west towards Lake Pleasant Regional Park. Travel approximately 15 miles to the Lake Pleasant turnoff, signed Castle Hot Springs Road. Turn right to head north on Castle Hot Springs Road. Proceed north for 5.5 miles to the stop sign for the north lake entrance. Turn left at the stop sign where the road becomes a maintained dirt road. Continue north on this dirt road and about 3 miles past the Castle Creek bridge, you will drive over a cattleguard at the top of small rise in the road. Just beyond the cattleguard you will see a small parking area (33.96527778, -112.3436111) to the left and a tall brown fiberglass post with the letters TH in white. The trailhead (33.96443, -112.34472) is located directly across the wide wash, west of the cattle guard. Look for the tan register box.
Activities
- HIKING
- WILDERNESS
- WILDLIFE VIEWING
- PHOTOGRAPHY
Nearby federal campgrounds
- Baldy Mountain Recreational Shooting SitePhoenix6 mi
- Church Camp Road Recreational Shooting SitePhoenix9 mi
- Saddleback Mountain Recreational Shooting SitePhoenix9 mi
- Boulders OHV Staging AreaBureau of Land Management10 mi
- Emery Henderson TrailheadBureau of Land Management11 mi
- Little Pan Staging AreaPhoenix11 mi
Explore more Arizona camping
Castle Creek Trailhead doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby Arizona campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.
Browse Arizona camping →Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.