Length: 3.2 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Easy

County Park: Spur Cross Conservation Area

Journal: "Spur Cross"

**Kid Friendly Hike**

From Phoenix, take Cave Creek Road north to the town of Cave Creek. Turn left onto Spur Cross Road. Take Spur Cross Road (which becomes FR 48) to the Spur Cross Conservation Area. The last 1.5 miles of this road is dirt, but passable in a sedan. A Tonto Pass is required to park at the trailhead.

Trail Description:

The trail begins at the Spur Cross Conservation Area. Parking is available at the signed parking lot, and you have to walk the road to the trailhead. After you pass through the gate, you will come to a trailer, a picnic bench, and a port-o-potty. The Tortuga Trail begins to the left.

The Tortuga Trail follows along an old Jeep road that winds through the pristine desert of the Tonto National Forest. This desert is anything but wild, though, as civilization is not too far away: there are houses only a short distance from the trailhead. After 0.5 miles, the trail soon begins to climb uphill, and soon the houses are out of sight.

Just before the start of the climb, you will encounter the ruins of an old building and a well. We are not sure of the history of those ruins.

Upon reaching the summit of that long climb, the trail begins to descend into a wash. Cross the wash, and the trail climbs out on the other side.

This trail continues for another 0.3 miles, where it connects with the Elephant Mountain Trail. Return the way you came.