Located directly north of Phoenix, Prescott Valley is a small town in Arizona’s Yavapai County. The area was once inhabited by the Patayan people, with Native American artefacts and ruins discovered here that date back thousands of years. It was settled by ranchers in the 1880s as “Lonesome Valley” before being developed in the 1960s by the Phoenix-based real estate company, Prescott Valley Incorporated.
Things to do in Prescott Valley
Prescott Valley serves as a gateway to the Prescott National Forest, a huge tract of wilderness that provides a setting for hiking and fishing. At the Thumb Butte Recreation Area, you can explore along one of the mountain biking trails or follow the hiking route that leads to the top of Thumb Butte for amazing views across Prescott Valley.
Hiking trails also wind through Fain Park, which centres around a lake and dam on the southern edge of Prescott Valley. You can try your luck at fishing or gold-panning in the mineral-rich creek, with gold first discovered in the nearby Bradshaw Mountains in the mid-19th century. Remnants from the period include a beautifully restored stamp mill once used in the processing of ore.
Travelling with kids? Don’t miss a visit to Mountain Valley Splash, which features an outdoor swimming pool, a water slide and a splash pad. It lies alongside the sporting fields and skate facilities of Mountain Valley Park. A multi-use trail connects north-east to Yavapai Lake within Urban Forest Lakes Park and south-west to the Prescott Valley Public Library in Civic Center Park.
Getting around Prescott Valley
Prescott Valley is around 1.5 hours’ drive from Phoenix and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Renting a car is the most convenient way of getting to Prescott Valley and exploring the area.