Directions To Preserve

Parsons Preserve is easy to find...if you know where it is!  Getting there for the first time can be tricky, confusing and, yes, you can get lost.  We hope these map graphics help guide you straight to The Preserve.  We plan to add long-lat coordinates on 02APR19 for those who use a GPS NAV system. Captions are below each map graphic.

Since most attendees will be coming from Camp Verde, we're showing that route first.  The High School is in the lower red box.  The casino is in the upper red box.  Continue north on Pecan Lane/Montezuma Castle Highway until Arena Del Loma, the only left turn between the high school and the casino. (Arrow #1)  Proceed due west on Arena Del Loma and bear to the right 45 degrees to the Northwest at Arrow #2.  Proceed to cross over I-17 and then turn left at Wampum. (Arrow #3)  Wampum turns into North Rustler Trail as the pavement bends to the south.  Proceed to the end of North Rustler Trail (Arrow #4) and either park and walk or drive to The Preserve.  The Preserve is located directly adjacent to and upstream from the Southbound I-17 bridge.  A more detailed map of the often confusing Wampum-Rustler interface is below

Other attendees may choose to use I-17 to drive to Exit #289 (The casino exit shown in a red box above.).  There are two ways to go to The Preserve if you are using Exit #289.  The first would be to drive south on Montezuma Castle Highway to Arena Del Loma--the only right hand turn between the casino and the high school at Arrow #3

The second ingress is to turn north from Exit #289 on Middle Verde Road. After passing The Distant Drums RV Park, Middle Verde Road curves and heads in a westerly direction.  Proceed on until the left hand turn for Arena Del Loma at Arrow #1

Follow Arena Del Loma to Arrow #2, then turn right on Wampum and proceed to North Rustler and thence toward The Preserve.  A more detail map of the Wampum-Rustler interface is below.

Wampum is a short east-west road (Arrow #1) that intersects Arena Del Loma just west of the I-17 overpass. Don't be fooled by the N. Long Rifle Road that spurs to the south of Wampum. (Big Red "X").  Long Rifle is a dead end.  Proceed west on Wampum (Arrow #2) until it curves nearly 90 degrees to the south and becomes North Rustler Trail.  You will need to stay on North Rustler Trail until it ends at Rawhide.  Please drive a very SLOW 25 mph through this residential neighborhood.  There is a permanent radar speed sign installed about halfway down Rustler.  People in this neighborhood are VERY sensitive to vehicles that exceed 25 mph.  Drive like 20-30 pairs of eyes are watching you...because they are.

OK, all roads described above lead to arrow #1 where North Rustler ends at Rawhide.  Rawhide reaches a dead end north not far north from the Rustler intersection. At and after 10:30 AM, a Camp Verde Town Marshall's Volunteer will be directing traffic at the Rustler/Rawhide intersection.  You may wish to park on Rawhide and walk or hitch a ride.  Or, if you  have medium to high clearance on your vehicle, you may wish to drive down into gravel floodplain of The Verde River.

The dedication will take place at Arrow #2.  The red line is a very approximate indication of the general area of Parsons Preserve.  The Preserve will eventually be closed to all vehicular traffic.  However, there will soon be a very large construction project underway in the area to reinforce & shore up the I-17 bridge piers.  Therefore, we and Camp Verde officials feel it is OK for vehicles to enter this area for the dedication.

If you have any questions about these map graphics or any requests or suggestions on how you wish them to be rendered in a more understandable and usable format, please contact us at:

happytrailsforever@gmail.com
Dedication Site from Golden Spike on Vimeo.

Above is a 360 view of The actual Dedication site.  It is a video recorded with our cell phone and it's OK resolution.  Below is a dash cam view of the access lane.  The dash cam records simultaneously in two resolutions--one is 125 megs a minute and the other is 10%  of that.  Consequently, we use the low resolution for uploading in a situation such as this.  Even though it's low resolution, it should give you a fairly good idea of the access lane.  Yes, it's kind of sketchy but it's OK for medium and high clearance vehicles.  Not sure a Prius could make it.  If you have doubts, park on Rawhide and walk or hitch a ride.
Parsons from Golden Spike on Vimeo.