Story and photos by Cheryl Hartz
In the heart of Old Town Cottonwood, the Jail Trail illustrates how the northern Arizona settlement earned its name. Stately and timeworn cottonwood trees shade the one-mile-plus loop, half of which basically borders the Verde River. It also runs through an edge of Riverfront Park.
What’s interesting about this trail is that liquid loving cattails cohabit with dry desert prickly pear cacti. And much of it is shaded. The trail itself alternates between river rock, sand, and packed earth.
The fun starts with a peek inside the river cobble-covered jail building. The Cottonwood Hotel lists the building’s history on its website.
Built in 1929, it was first used by the Yavapai County Justice of the Peace, mainly for housing bootleggers in the Prohibition Era.
It also has housed the Verde Valley Justice Court, Cottonwood Police Department, Humane Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Cottonwood Visitor Center.
Several Hollywood productions, including Elvis Presley’s Stay Away, Joe (1967), and Burt Lancaster’s Desert Fury (1946), have been filmed at the site.
Part of the Verde River Greenway Riparian, at an elevation of 3,315 feet, the easy Jail Trail boasts a plethora of avian species year-round.
So birders, bring your binoculars. It also is home to nearly two dozen threatened or endangered species. If you’re lucky, you might see a river otter, bald eagle, or lowland leopard frog.
For flora, Fremont cottonwood and Goodding willow predominate. The dense riparian forest also contains ash, box elder, elm, desert and seep willows, salt cedar and others.
For an extended hike, the free Jail Trail is adjacent to Deadhorse Ranch State Park, which includes another 20 miles of trails – if you ford the Verde River. But then you’re in a fee area. Expect high temperatures in the summer, but you can always sit under a huge cottonwood on the riverbank with your tired feet in the cool water.
The Jail Trail conveniently starts at the end of South Main Street in Old Town Cottonwood, within easy walking distance of several food establishments. This means hungry hikers can enjoy an unhurried meal, whether you prefer pizza, tacos, burgers, or something more exotic, along with an abundance of ice-cold beverage choices.
Please heed the Verde River Greenway motto: “Respect the land, its wildlife and property owners.”
Happy shady riparian hiking!
