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Granite Mountain Trail #261
4.8 ★★★★★ 33 Google reviews · Running trail in Prescott, Arizona · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Loop distance
- 9 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Granite Mountain Trail #261's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
What runners say about Granite Mountain Trail #261
“That out of the way it's a gorgeous hike but around 1/3rd into the hike there isn't a lot of forest cover, so bring sunscreen and reapply every hour.”
“It's mostly shaded for the first mile but the remaining three miles are out in the open so sunscreen/protective clothing and hydration are must haves for summer hiking.”
Great hiking trail.i highly recommend it as long as you are an average hiker, and even if you are not maybe just go to the pass and then return. After you park and pay the 5$ parking fee (cash only) and start down the trail the first fork(to the left) heads to the 40 trail but if you continue straight you will…
Great out and back journey, hike or runnable. 8-9 mile loop, depending on how far you want to go. Mile three from the parking lot is a lot of elevation gain, enjoy the vert! Recent monsoons have lead to plant overgrowth, and some trail degradation, watch your step and enjoy the views.
Perfect distance, reasonable elevation gain, incredible views. Trail starts out gaining some elevation, but then does climb out. At the top as you meander to the end of the trail you're in a beautiful bowl of rocks and trees.
Nice flat beginning of the trail for almost 1 mile. After that the grade becomes more steep. It’s lovely and scenic. Beware after the rain, as the trail turns into a mud bog. But normally easy cruising with flowers and wildlife.
Trail conditions & character
“That out of the way it's a gorgeous hike but around 1/3rd into the hike there isn't a lot of forest cover, so bring sunscreen and reapply every hour.”
“Mile three from the parking lot is a lot of elevation gain, enjoy the vert!”
“Mile three from the parking lot is a lot of elevation gain, enjoy the vert!”
“It's mostly shaded for the first mile but the remaining three miles are out in the open so sunscreen/protective clothing and hydration are must haves for summer hiking.”
“8-9 mile loop, depending on how far you want to go.”
“Very rocky in some areas so you need to watch your step.”
“8-9 mile loop, depending on how far you want to go.”
Plan your run at Granite Mountain Trail #261
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- Loop distance9 mi back to where you parked. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Websitefs.usda.gov
- Phone(928) 443-8000
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Prescott
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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