We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, for much of the information on this page. We share information and images with Wikipedia. The Watson Woods Riparian Preserve is a 125-acre riparian preserve owned by the City of Prescott and managed by Prescott Creeks. Granite Creek flows through the property. The preserve provides a buffer between the City of Prescott and Watson Lake, and is an important wildlife corridor. Prior to the Nineteenth Century, Watson Woods was a 1,000-acre riparian forest that stretched from the Granite Dells toward downtown Prescott. Before 1989, the area was used for raising livestock, as a sand and gravel quarry, and as a garbage dump. Since 1989, the City of Prescott with Prescott Creeks has coordinated efforts to restore and preserve the property through clean-up events, channel re-alignments, and tree planting. Prescott Creeks is an organization of mainly volunteers called; t he Prescott Creeks Preservation Association, which was founded as a 501(c)3 on March 8, 1990 through the efforts of Bette Bridgewater, Betty Siegfried, and Jay Eby. The founding group established the annual Granite Creek Cleanup, and in 1992 coordinated the construction of a nature trail along Granite Creek. The Granite Creek Trail is now part of Prescott�s Greenways Trail System, a 1.5-mile network of trails that provides an alternative travel route and immersive nature experience in the heart of Prescott. Preserve Guidelines: Watson Woods is managed to protect wildlife and wetland communities, and is open during all daylight hours. Please follow these guidelines, and enjoy! �Groups of 10 or more must make prior arrangements with Prescott Creeks via PrescottCreeks.org or by calling (928) 445-5669. �Trails are designed for hiking, wildlife viewing, and educational programs for all ages. Please stay on designated trails. Do not use trails when wet or muddy. �Leave no trace! Pack it in, pack it out. There are no waste receptacles within the Preserve. Visitors must remove all trash generated during their visit. �Respect wildlife and their habitat. Keep a discreet distance and do not feed animals. Restrictions: PROHIBITED in the Preserve (unless specifically authorized): �Bicycles and motorized vehicles �Domestic animals, including dogs and horses �Camping �Hunting, fishing, and/or collecting plants or animals �Smoking and other fires �The use and/or possession of weapons and firearms Hours & Fees: �The Preserve is open for public visitation during all day-light hours, 365 days per year. Fees: �A $2 donation to Prescott Creeks is suggested for each Preserve visitor for each visit. Directions: Watson Woods Riparian Preserve can be accessed at 1626 Sundog Ranch Road in Prescott, Arizona. From Prescott take Highway 89 North for 2.2 miles. Turn right onto Prescott Lakes Parkway. Turn left at Sundog Ranch Rd. and then left again into the parking area shared with the Prescott Peavine Trail. Follow the paved Peavine entrance trail for about 100 meters, pass the picnic ramada and turn left once you reach the cindered potion of the trail. The Preserve walk-in gate and kiosk are west of the large walnut tree. Note: Prescott is the home of three museums that describe the culture of the area. Here are Links to their websites. They are the Phippen Museum, the Sharlot Hall Museum, and the Smoki Museum.

If you are planning to visit Prescott and the Prescott area and you are coming from outside of Arizona, you could fly into Phoenix and then rent a car. Prescott is a little over a 2 hour drive from Phoenix off of the scenic I-17 route by taking Arizona 69. There are hotels and motels all along the way in nearby towns. We have some links to Priceline.com on this page since they can arrange all of your air flights, hotels and car. You may need some outdoor clothing and equipment, if you plan to visit the Prescott or Sedona area. We have some links to Altrec on this page since they are a good online source for outdoor gear. The IHG Link will take you to hotels within the Prescott City Limits. We of course, appreciate your use of the advertising on our pages, since it helps us to keep this page active.

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