Jacob’s Crosscut and Prospector’s Loop
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Jacob’s Crosscut and Prospector’s Loop
Difficulty Rating:
The Jacob’s Crosscut and Prospector’s Loop is a 5.4mi hike near Goldfield, Arizona. The scenery is lovely and you can lengthen this hike using the well-developed network of trails nearby. This route takes you to the Praying Hands formation. Most skill levels will be capable of completing this route. As with most hikes in the Phoenix area, you won’t want to attempt this adventure in the scorching summer months. Bring lots of water and slap on some sunscreen before heading out on the trail.
Getting there
The trailhead for Jacob’s Crosscut and Prospector’s Loop is on the Lost Dutchman State Park access road.
About
| Backcountry Campground | No |
| When to do | October-June |
| Pets allowed | Yes - On Leash |
| Family friendly | Yes |
| Route Signage | Poor |
| Crowd Levels | Moderate |
| Route Type | Loop |
Jacob’s Crosscut and Prospector’s Loop
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Jacob’s Crosscut and Prospector’s Loop Description
Jacob’s Crosscut is one of the main routes in the network of trails in Lost Dutchman State Park. It’s an essential part of many different loops and is used by many hikers to reach other trails. This route combines it with Prospector’s Trail to make a 5.4mi hike that explores the gorgeous scenery of Lost Dutchman State Park.
You can go either clockwise or counterclockwise, but we’ll describe the route counterclockwise as that’s how most hikers complete it.
From the trailhead, go right, then take a left onto Prospector’s Trail. At the Praying Hands Trailhead, go left. You’ll climb to the saddle at the hands. They look cool from this angle, but we recommend turning back as you hike east to observe them from that side. They look much more like their namesake from the east.
Descend gently downwards, watching for cairns. Check out Slot Rock, climbing around a bit if you’d like to appreciate the unique formation. Back on the desert floor, you’ll hike towards the trailhead once again, taking a sharp left onto Jacob’s Crosscut Trail to return back to the starting point.
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