Seven Springs - Cottonwood Trail - (R2R)

Hour drive to get to the trailhead 12 miles north of Bartlett Lake past Cave Creek.....

This loop trail has a nice amount of variety, with shaded forest areas, exposed open meadows, switchbacks and 7 stream crossings. The trail itself varies from mostly single track to a section of wide path to a very narrow stretch with steep drop offs to one side. Vegetation along the loop varies from lower Sonoran saguaro (including a rare crested saguaro), cholla and desert grasses, to sugar sumac and some juniper trees to a leafy riparian community of mostly Arizona sycamore, but also some ash, alder and Arizona walnut.

The Skunk Tank Trail starts at its junction with Cottonwood Trail #247, just south of FR 24B at elevation 3440'. Several spots along Trail #246 have sweeping vista views. For 2.6 miles the trail climbs to an elevation of 4080' at the junction with Quien Sabe Trail #250. From there, the trail drops 1160' over the next 2.3 miles, passing by Skunk Tank and edging along Skunk Tank Canyon, Joining Cave Creek Trail #4 at an elevation of 2920'. Trail #4 stays near Cave Creek, a perennial stream, for its entire length, with slight ups and downs along the way. The stream is habitat for longfin dace, fathead minnow, green sunfish, and the endangered Gila top minnow.