Go John at Cave Creek Regional Park
For a change of scenery, I’d like to take you to a favorite trail of mine: Go John; which can be found at Cave Creek Regional Park, just a few miles outside of Phoenix. My Auntie Kristin first took me hiking almost TWO years ago; one of the first places she took me was to Cave Creek Regional Park. It holds a pretty special place in my heart and it’s one of my favorite spots to go hiking outside of Phoenix. It feels like forever ago, but it also feels like we just started exploring together!
I’ve been talking about the weather a lot, and even though it’s still pretty warm, it’s hard to not be appreciative of the cooler mornings and evenings that have shown up for fall. On this particular morning, my aunt picked me up and we made our way up to Cave Creek Regional Park. It’s about a 30-40 minute drive from my house, so it’s definitely not the shortest, but some good music and good company makes all the difference. We made it up and parked with no problems, soon enough we were on our way down the trail. It was definitely nice to be back after a summer away. The 5.8 mile loop is pretty moderate, with relatively low elevation gain. There are some spots near the middle of the hike that may test your legs, but stick it out and the back half will be a breeze!
As I explore more, I’m trying my best to be observant and take notes while I’m out. This Saturday morning, I made note of the various colors I saw during my hike. The green bushes and cacti were unrivaled by anything else I’ve seen before. The rain over the last months could explain this, but I was surprised to see such vibrancy this long after the downpours we got; however, I was grateful to see it nonetheless. One of my favorite features of Go John, and Cave Creek Regional Park in general, includes the vibrant and varying colors of rock formations. I’ll attach a picture below, but everywhere you look, you’ll see a new color of rocks. Many times, the colors feel out of place, but I like to stop and look, peeking at my favorite rocks among the bunches. Though I can’t guarantee the color of the flora, I’m sure you’ll see some interesting rocks, formations, and colors along your way. It’s a fun way to pass time and get in touch with the nature around you. A complete 180 from my hike at Piestewa Peak, we didn’t encounter many other people on the trail. Though it’s a positive for me, I can see how some people might like being closer to home and more surrounded.
When planning out our hiking time, I was planning on interviewing Kristin for this trail, but decided it would be better if I let her pick her own spot that we haven’t explored yet. As aforementioned, my aunt took me hiking for the first time around February 2024 and we’ve been having fun ever since! Increasing in difficulty, we completed the MammothMarch earlier this year; hiking 20 miles through McDowell Mountain Regional Park. Across our journeys, I’ve learned a lot about hiking and the Maricopa County trail system. Of course I’m partial to Cave Creek, but there are a variety of county parks across the Valley that have great hiking and exploration opportunities. I’d like to look back and see how many miles we’ve logged together, I know it’s been a lot. I really value the time we get to spend together, getting to disconnect and talk about a whole bunch of random stuff. I highly recommend getting a hiking buddy; I know there aren’t any that can compare to mine, but you can try!
Go John is definitely a trail worth your time! Though it’s not the easiest, a moderately experienced hiker could take this on with no problems. There’s something to be said for going hiking out of town, though the hikes in Phoenix are cool, you get an interesting perspective on these wider, quieter trails. I highly recommend Go John! The drive is worth it, and any of the trails out here are a cool opportunity for exploration. I’ll dive into more of them soon.
