Groom Creek Loop, Prescott, AZ

A short drive out of downtown Prescott, Groom Creek Trail #307 is a must-do run or mountain bike ride to get out of the AZ sun and rack up some solid elevation gain. Clockwise, you’ll have a steeper, 3.5 mile climb – mostly shaded – up to Spruce Mountain Lookout at 7,700 feet, with a bit more climbing after that before a techy descent. Travel counter-clockwise for a longer climb, but shorter (still techy) downhill to your car.

We love this route but sometimes choose to just do the steeper, but mostly runnable, 3.5 mile section a couple of times instead of the loop, as it can get a little hot on the other side. Once up at Spruce Mountain you can also head down the dirt road to connect to Smith Ravine trail (another favorite that takes you to Walker Road) or just turn around for some more climbing back up the road.

Although the parking lot is full sometimes, we still rarely see many people while out on the run, which seems to be true of most Prescott area trails!

The Deets

Distance: 9.3 mile loop
Gain: 1,500 ft elevation gain
Effort: Middle
Technical: Intermediate
Bathroom: Yes
Parking: 10-12 spots