There is nothing sweeter than a hike at dawn. Everything old looks new again, and when the sun rises over a mountain, it is nothing short of magical.
The trailhead, just before dawn.
As Prescott’s most prolific landmark, Thumb Butte reigns at 6,500ft, rising 1200ft above the city’s downtown. Although some believe that geologically, it is a volcanic plug, it is actually the remnants of old basalt flows.
Thumb butte from a distance.
Thumb Butte Trail #33 is a photogenic workout any time of day. However, this time, Dave, Katherine, and I thought it might be nice to see it early—in a whole new light. That meant a 4:30 am departure to Prescott, Arizona, where hopefully, we’d be on the trail by dawn—well before this heavily trafficked trail started rocking.
Sunrise from the trail.
The hike was a short but steep 2.5-mile loop to the ridge and back. We started clockwise and made our way up the paved, steady path.
Thumb Butte through the trees.
Katherine heads up.
Once at the ridge, Groom Creek Vista offered expansive views of Prescott, Bradshaw Mountains, Sierra Prieta Mountains, Granite, and Mingus Mountains, along with the San Francisco Peaks. There was also a poignant tribute to the Granite Mountain Hotshots.
Part of the tribute to the Granite Mountain Hotshots.
I took a moment to scramble a little further to explore the butte. The sunlight was phenomenal.
The trip down was much more pristine—unpaved, scenic, and nowhere near as strenuous.
The second half of the loop, unpaved and rustic.
After the hike, we enjoyed some delicious buckwheat pancakes from Waffle Iron.
Our motto: hike like a local, eat like a local.