Ironwood–Clay Mine Trail, 3 sights
5 mi · ▲ 590 ft · 1 hr 58 min
Ironwood–Clay Mine Trail, 3 sights is a 5-mile out-and-back in Cave Creek Regional Park near Dove Valley Ranch, AZ. The route reaches Ironwood. It climbs 590 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 58/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Ironwood–Clay Mine Trail, 3 sights
5 mi · ▲ 590 ft · 1 hr 58 min
Elevation 1,945–2,397 ft
Out & Back · Cave Creek Regional Park
Trailhead: Clay Mine · 33.82726, -112.01897
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 96°F / low 77° · precip 3% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:51 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Clay Mine Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Overton Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Overton Trail Access, heading NE.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Slate/Overton trail connector, heading NE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Slate Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftPass Ironwood.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Go John Trail, heading NE.
- 0.9 miReach Ironwood, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Jasper Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Slate Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Slate/Overton trail connector, heading W.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Overton Trail Access, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Overton Trail, heading W.
- 0.5 miSharp left onto Clay Mine Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.5 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:31 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:51 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:17 PM.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Clay Mine Trailhead
- Overton Trail 2.7 mi · ▲ 312 ft
- Overton Trail 3 mi · ▲ 336 ft
- Overton Trail 4.4 mi · ▲ 650 ft
- Clay Mine Trail–Go John Trail, 5 sights 6.2 mi · ▲ 665 ft
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