Hey Everyone,
That’s Carefree and Cave Creek from the top of Black Mountain. See the marker? That’s us, Foothills Chiropractic.
If you’ve lived up here for any length of time, you’ve driven past Black Mountain a few thousand times. It’s the dark peak sitting right between our two towns, the one that shows up in the background of half the photos taken around here.
On the last time I hiked it, the view back down surprised me.
Sometimes you don’t realize how spread out we all are up here until you see it from above. Down on Cave Creek Road, it feels like a small town. From the summit, you can see just how much desert sits between neighbors... and how far some of you drive to come see us. We don’t take that for granted.
A few things about Black Mountain:
- The summit sits at 3,398 feet, making it the highest point in the Town of Carefree.
- The trail is about 2.5 miles round trip with around 1,200 feet of climbing. Short, but steep.
- There are a couple of rocky sections where good shoes matter.
- An American flag waits for you at the top.
- On a clear day you can see Skull Mesa beyond Cave Creek, the McDowells to the southeast, and Camelback and Scottsdale to the south.
Fall is the perfect time to try it. A few tips if you go:
- Start early, even in October
- Bring more water than you think you’ll need
- Parking is limited and in a residential neighborhood, so be a good guest
- Take your time on the way down. Loose rock on a steep descent is where knees and ankles do most of their complaining.
And if your knees, hips or back have something to say about it the next day, you know where to find us. It’s the spot with the marker.
From the top of Black Mountain, Carefree and Cave Creek look small and peaceful.
From about halfway up, so does your couch. 😄
Have a great weekend!
Dr Ring
PS: We can get you in on Friday to take care of that neck or back pain starting at 8am. Call 480-488-1282 to schedule, or just walk in.