Skunk Creek Trailhead
The Skunk Creek Trail runs along the banks of the Skunk Creek waterway, connecting Peoria, Glendale and the eastern edge of Phoenix.
From Peoria there is access to 5.7 miles of paved trail along Skunk Creek from 83rd Ave to 51st Ave in Glendale. The trail starts at Rio Vista Community Park and goes to 51st Ave in Glendale.
East of 83rd Avenue and south of Bell, a small patch of riparian plants and trees have been planted, consisting of many willows, a few cottonwoods, and others. It is good for migrating songbirds, and is well worth checking if in the area. It may be best to walk inside the patch of trees to find more birds. West of this patch, some of the mesquite and paloverde habitats might have good birding as well.
Site Information
Region: Phoenix and Central
County: Maricopa
Directions: The trailhead is located at 83rd Avenue and Skunk Creek. It includes a parking lot and viewing overlook, as well as amenities for equestrians such as horse trailer parking spaces, a watering facility for horses, fence posts and a mounting block. Parking is also available in Foothills Park (5600 West Union Hills Drive, Glendale) and Rio Vista Community Park (8866 W. Thunderbird Road, Peoria). Take 101 to the Thunderbird Road exit. Take Thunderbird Road a very short distance to Rio Vista Blvd. Take Rio Vista Blvd all the way northeast a short distance as well until a dead end is reached at a few baseball fields and children's park. Park here and follow the Skunk Creek Trail east past the 101 bridge and the 83rd Avenue bridge, where the good habitat will be just east of 83rd Avenue.
Latitude: 33.622538
Longitude: -112.236863
Operational Hours: Open all year, 24 hours a day
Admission or Fees: None
Best time to visit: During Spring and Fall migration.
Habitats: Desert, Urban or Suburban park
Know Before You Go
Rio Vista Park has facilities and access to the trail.
Safety First! Arizona has many beautiful places to explore and we’d like to help you make it a safe and enjoyable experience. Check out our recommendations for hiking precautions.
Species Highlights
Speciality: Abert’s Towhee, Costa’s Hummingbird
Charismatic: Black-throated Sparrow, Gambel’s Quail, Lesser Goldfinch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet , Verdin, White-winged Dove
Contact Information
City of Peoria
8401 W Monroe Street
Peoria, AZ 85345
Phone: 623-773-7000
Additional Resources
Learn more about birds reported at this location at eBird:
https://ebird.org/hotspot/L880379
