Cave Creek Regional Park
Maricopa County, Arizona

The Go John Trail at Cave Creek Recreation Area offers almost 9+ km of hiking through a magnificent saguaro forest and Upland Sonoran Desert habitat. There are five other trails through the park totaling another 10 km in length. Besides hiking, the park offers equestrian and mountain bike trails, picnicking, camping and some organized activities. Even though the trail is quite popular, its length ensures the hiker reasonable desert solitude even on weekend days with perfect weather.

Access to the park is via 32nd Street. Traveling north from Phoenix, exit I-17 at Carefree Highway, drive east 7 miles to 32nd street, turn north about 1½ miles to entrance. Entrance fee is $6.00 (may change). The trail loops up and around a low mountain, returning to the trailhead. The trail itself is moderately steep and rocky in spots, but for the most part is an easy hike. More Park Info.

Field Trip: Nov. 25, 2000

Go John Trail, loops 9.3 km from the trail head. Clear, sunny and pleasant temperatures resulted in overflow parking at the trailhead. None of the squirrel species were out and about although their tunneling beneath shrubs was evident. Side-blotched Lizards seen sunning themselves on dark boulders were the only reptile. The geology along this trail is almost entirely of ancient, heavily layered and eroded schist and gneis. It is strongly layered and has been upended so that the layers are nearly verticle throughout, testimony to past tectonic activity. The weathered ends of these upended blocks are shattering into flakey gravel and the exposed ends offer good moisture penetration and host abundant selaginela, mosses, lichens and soil crust organisms.

Rain, feet, hooves and bike tires have badly eroded the trail over much of its distance. I saw no evidence of recent maintenance by the County Parks Dept. If you enjoy this trail, please let them know you want the trail maintained (37019 N. Lava Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85027-8862; Phone: 623 465-0431). The return side trail on the east passes through a delapidated barbed wire range fence testimony to recent cattle grazing and several fenced off mine shafts can be seen near the trail. Barbed wire is an unsightly hazard to animals and hikers ... why not remove it? (UPDATE: On Nov. 23, 2008 I found that the first killometers of the trail have been graded and water-barred with wood pole sections. The barbed wire has mostly been removed.)

A fresh carpet of annuals had take root, mostly growing close to the ground. They will hold out until the danger of severe frost has passed, and, hopefully, more winter rains have fallen. Bluedicks, a lovely species of desert lily, have shot their reddish green leaves up to catch sunlight; they were abundant everywhere I walked. Mosses, lichens and living soil crusts were growing fairly well although the three weeks of dry weather has dried out the Selaginela (desert spike moss).

Birds

Generally, in order of Abundance:
Seasonal occurence: (S)ummer, (F)all, (W)inter, (Sp)ring

1. Black-throated Sparrow -- Amphispiza bilineata -- S,F,W,Sp -- Lovely birds with a jet-black throat and bib contrasted by bright white eye brows. Beautiful singers. A very nice description of the black-throated sparrow can be found at Twentynine Palms Cyberzine (California).
2. Rock Wren -- Salpinctes obsoletus -- S,F,W,Sp -- Very common little birds which frequently give spirited high pitched trills while perched atop prominants especially near the summit itself. Their drab gray and brown color blends perfectly with the desert colors.
3. Common Bushtit -- W -- Vagrants from higher mountains
4. Verdin -- Auriparus flaviceps -- S,F,W,Sp -- Tiny birds, barely larger than a hummingbird. Drab gray brown with a majestic yellow head.
5. Ruby-crowned Kinglet -- Regulus calendula -- F,W --
6. House Finch -- Carpodacus mexicanus -- S,F,W,Sp --
7. Cactus Wren -- Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus -- S,F,W,Sp --
8. Black-tailed Gnatcatcher -- Polioptila melanura -- S,F,W,Sp --
9. Gilded Flicker -- S,F,W,Sp --
10. Curve-billed Thrasher -- Toxostoma curvirostre -- S,F,W,Sp --
11. Common Raven -- Corvus corax -- W,Sp -- Conspicuous, large, jet black birds that soar above looking for food.
12. Canyon Towhee -- Pipilo fuscus -- S,F,W,Sp --
13. Ladder-backed Woodpecker -- S,F,W,Sp --
14. Phainopepla -- Phainopepla nitens -- F,W,Sp --
15. Canyon Wren -- S,F,W,Sp --

The Canyon Towhee is a rather secretive bird. Early in the morning they might be seen and heard singing from the top of a saguaro. The rest of the day they hide among shrubs and rocks searching especially for seeds to eat. Notice the thick, seed-cracking beak.

Mammals

In general order of Abundance:

1. Round-tail Ground Squirrel -- Citellus tereticaudus -- Common squirrels - frequent burrows around bases of desert shrubs
2. Audubon's Cottontail -- Sylvilagus audubonii -- Common.
3. Coyote -- These animals often forage for rodents, rabbits, stray cats and fruit in the surrounding neighborhoods.
4. Whitethroat Woodrat -- Neotoma albigula -- Near the pass on the west side of the hill there is a cliff overhang next to the Go John Trail. Under this overhang are hundreds of cholla joints and other prickly items gathered by these pack rats. It seems they offer a modicum of protection for the rodents living within.

Round-tail Ground Squirrel prefers flat sandy-silty areas where it digs extensive burrows, especially beneath creosote bush.

Cacti

1. Teddy Bear Cholla;Jumping Cholla -- Cylindropuntia bigelovii -- several extensive groves upon the hillsides
2. Saguaro Cactus -- Carnegiea gigantea -- Superb forests of good-sized saguaros especially on south-facing slopes
3. Buckhorn Cholla -- Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa --
4. Compass Barrel;California Barrel -- Ferocactus cylindraceus -- Spines tinged with red and yellow.
5. Engelmann Hedgehog Cactus -- Echinocereus engelmannii --
6. Prickly Pear -- Opuntia engelmannii --
7. Desert Christmas Cactus -- Cylindropuntia leptocaulis -- these will become easier to find as the thimble sized fruits change to bright red through January and February
8. Graham's Pincushion Cactus -- Mammillaria grahamii --

Shrubs and Trees

More common species listed first.

1. Triangle-leaf Bursage -- Ambrosia deltoidea -- The most common plant in this desert preserve. Often leafless after periods of drought or hard frost.
2. Foothills Palo Verde; Yellow Palo Verde -- Parkinsonia microphylla --
3. Brittle Bush (Encelia farinosa) -- Leafless after drought or frost. Leaves are silvery green and flowers are bright yellow. When dormant the numerous, dried and straw-colored flower stems are conspicuous.
4. Jojoba -- Simmondsia chinensis -- large shrubs with leathery, dark olive green leaves
5. Anderson Thornbush;Wolfberry -- Lycium andersonii --
6. Canotia -- Canotia holacantha -- Also know as Crucifixion Thorn. Large tree-sized shrubs with long sharp thorns. Found only on the north facing slope.
7. White Ratany -- Krameria grayi -- purplish cast to woody stems
8. Fairy Duster -- Calliandra eriophylla --
9. Bigelow's Four O'Clock (Mirabilis bigelovii) --
10. Mormon Tea (Ephedra aspera) --
11. Canyon Ragweed -- Ambrosia ambrosioides - mostly along the washes
12. Desert Mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum) - Parasitic shrub growing upon various desert trees including Palo Verde and Ironwood.
13. Desert Rock Pea (Lotus rigidus) -- growing among rocks or boulders.
14. Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) - peach colored blooms after periods of rain otherwise it is difficult to find
15. Velvet Mesquite -- Prosopis velutina - mostly along the washes
16. Cat Claw Acacia(Acacia greggiii) - also mostly along the washes
17. Desert Trumpet -- Eriogonum inflatum
18. Twinberry -- Menodora scabra
19. Janusia (Janusia gracilis) - a twisty, viney plant
20. Shrubby Bedstraw -- Galium stellatum
21. Flat-topped Buckwheat -- Eriogonum fasciculatum --
22. Wright's Buckwheat -- Eriogonum wrightii --
23. Broom Snakeweed -- Gutierrezia sarothrae
24. Trixis -- Trixis californica --
25. Desert Straw;Wire Lettuce -- Stephanomeria pauciflora --
26. Lance-leaf Ditaxis -- Argythamnia lanceolata
27. Brownfoot -- Acourtia wrightii
28. San Felipe Marigold -- Adenophyllum porophylloides
29. Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) --
30. Oreganillo -- Aloysia wrightiii --
31. Desert Hackberry -- Celtis ehrenbergiana - in deeper ravines
32. Ironwood (Olneya tesota) -- common on the south side of the slope ... absent on the north
33. Goldeneye -- Viguiera deltoidea -- fairly common along the trail
34. Sweet Bush -- Bebbia juncea
35. Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentata) -- dark evergreen shrub with shiny, resinous leaves and dark wirey twigs.
36. Turpentine Bush -- Ericameria laricifolia
37. Four-winged Saltbush -- Atriplex canescens
38. Graythorn -- Ziziphus obtusifolia
39. Desert Lavender -- Hyptis emoryi

Mature fruit of jojoba was found along Camp Creek, Maricopa Co., Arizona in August 2008.

Yellow Flowers

1. Brittlebush -- Encelia farinosa
2. Desert Marigold -- Baileya multiradiata
3. Whispering Bells -- Emmenanthe penduliflora
4. Eriophyllum pringlei (Woolly daisy)
5. Lesquerella gordoni (bladderpod mustard)
6. Camissonia micrantha (Sundrops)
7. Silver Puffs -- Microseris linearifolius
8. Lasthenia chrysostomata (Goldfields)

White Flowers

1. Silene antirrhina (Catchfly) - abundant in places
2. Desert Chicory -- Rafinesquia neomexicana
3. Mojave Desert Star -- Monoptilon bellioides
4. Chaenactis stevioides (Esteves' pincushion)

Purple/Blue Flowers

1. Lupine -- Lupinus sparsiflorus
2. Notch-leaved Phacelia -- Phacelia crenulata
3. Chia -- Salvia columbariae
4. Blue Dicks -- Dichelostemma capitatum

Pink/Lavender Flowers

1. Owl's Clover -- Castilleja exserta -- (including one white specimen)
2. Bigelow's Four O'Clock;Desert Wishbone Bush -- Mirabilis laevis

Orange Flowers

1. California Poppy -- Eschscholzia californica
2. Orange Fiddleneck -- Amsinckia intermedia

Green Flowers

1. Indianwheat; Woolly Plantain -- Plantago ovata
2. Brittle Spine Flower -- Chorizanthe brevicornu

Yellow Flowers

1. Brittlebush -- Encelia farinosa - just one w/open flowers!
2. Lacy Tansy Aster -- Machaeranthera pinnatifida
3. Sweet Bush -- Bebbia juncea

White Flowers

1. Flat-topped Buckwheat -- Eriogonum fasciculatum

Pink/Lavender Flowers

1. Wire Lettuce -- Stephanomeria pauciflora
2. Desert Lavender -- Hyptis emoryi

Green Flowers

1. Lance-leaf Ditaxis -- Argythamnia lanceolata

Purple Flowers

1. Parry Dalea -- Marina parryi
2. Bigelow's Aster -- Machaeranthera bigelovii