White Tank Mountain Regional Park

In the park, we made our way to the Goat Canyon Trail. The goal was to make it to the Willow Spring.

The trail starts smooth and flat, but quickly becomes rocky and steep. This is not your father’s hiking trail.

After an extremely rocky portion, the trail smoothed and cut back and forth up a hill. It continued up a ridge and then to the other side.

After the rough start, the Goat Canyon Trail is a nice, even trail. For a long portion, it’s an even walk along the side of several hills with views of a trickling stream below and hilltops above.

After 1.8 miles, Goat Canyon comes to the Willow Canyon Trail. Take Willow to the right. I did.

The portion of the Willow Canyon Trail is fun. It goes deeper into the park, crossing a boulder-strewn wash three times.

After 1.7 miles from the Goat Trail, the path leads to the Willow Spring. Rocky cliffs drip water into a small pool. It’s a cool break.

I looked up. The water dripped from a cliff about 15 feet up. I wondered what it looked like on the other side.

Wandering off the trail, I climbed a rocky outcropping and over to the stream where it fell into the pool below. It was beautiful. Time and water have etched a “V” into the rock making it cool and smooth.

I tempted fate and climbed down the 15-foot falls. I reversed course and hiked solo back to the trailhead.

There and back is a little more than five miles.

To get there, take Loop 101 north to the west side of the Valley. Exit Olive Avenue and follow west into White Tank Mountain Regional Park. Admission is $5 per car.

This hike was first featured April 2003 and revised February 2007.