Arizona · Hiking · Near Prescott

Mescal

MescalPhoto: vaxomatic, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
2.6 mi
round trip
470 ft
climb
6,670 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–May, Sep–Nov
best months

Is Mescal open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Verde Ranger District. It doesn't name Mescal, so check the source for the area it covers (6 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Verde Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Mescal is an easy out-and-back hike of about 2.6 miles in the Verde Ranger District of Arizona's Prescott National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open year-round. The route climbs roughly 470 feet from its low point of 6,198 feet to a high of 6,670 feet. It stays on natural surface, and the trail is open to both horses and bikes, so riders and pack animals can make the trip together. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run from highs around 68°F in April to 73°F in October, and winter lows there drop into the mid-20s. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler. Nearby, the Powerline hike is about half a mile away, and the Bug Hollow mountain biking trail is under a mile off. For camping, Potato Patch Campground lies about 1.6 miles away, and the Roadside Crag climbing area is a little over 2 miles from the trail.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Potato Patch Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 1.6 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Asylum Restaurant

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 2 mi · Open after 6
  • If it rainsDoncram, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Sharlot Hall Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 23 mi from Prescott

    An open-air museum located in Prescott, Arizona

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Doncram, CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)

More in Prescott

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Mar–May, Sep–Nov

    Best time to visit Mescal

    Best months: March–May and September–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      53° / 26°

      5 wet

    2. Feb

      56° / 28°

      6 wet

    3. Mar

      62° / 34°

      5 wet

    4. Apr

      68° / 39°

      3 wet

    5. May

      77° / 47°

      3 wet

    6. Jun

      88° / 56°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      90° / 63°

      8 wet

    8. Aug

      88° / 61°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      83° / 54°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      73° / 42°

      3 wet

    11. Nov

      62° / 32°

      4 wet

    12. Dec

      52° / 26°

      5 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Prescott Love Fld, AZ, 16.8 mi away at 5,042 ft. The station sits about 1,600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Upper MescalPhoto: vaxomatic, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Little Yeager CanyonPhoto: vaxomatic, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Yeager MinePhoto: vaxomatic, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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HIKE

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~10 min drive

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