(Phoenix) – The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department initiated its annual fire ban on June 1.  Now, the Department is taking additional steps to protect the parks due to the extremely dry conditions.  Effective Thursday, July 1, smoking in the parks will be prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle or at developed recreation sites such as a parking lots, picnic ramadas or campsites.  This restriction is in alignment with the Forest Service and BLM who essentially have similar restrictions.

“We’ve added the smoking restriction to our fire ban in hopes of lessening the chance of human-caused wildfires, which could result in serious damage to the parks and the safety of our guests. Individuals who smoke in the designated areas are also being asked to please make sure all materials are fully extinguished prior to leaving the area,” stated R.J. Cardin Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department Director.

The normal restrictions which include banning the use of all campfires, fire pits, and the use of charcoal in grills or any other manner are still in effect; however, it is acceptable to use gas/propane grills in designated areas. Violation of Park Rule R-113 may result in a citation. A date to lift the fire ban has not been established but may be determined by the amount of rain received during the monsoon season.

There are ten Maricopa County parks that will be affected by the fire ban: Lake Pleasant Regional Park, White Tank Mountain Regional Park, Adobe Dam Regional Park, Buckeye Hills Regional Park, Estrella Mountain Regional Park (excludes turf area), San Tan Mountain Regional Park, Usery Mountain Regional Park, McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Cave Creek Regional Park, and Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area.

The Go John Trail is found in Cave Creek Regional Park, which is part of the Maricopa County Parks system.  The Maricopa County Parks system is the nation’s largest county park system, and contains over 120,000 acres spread over 10 very different and unique parks.

The Go John Trail (map) is a moderate 5.8 mile loop that will take you roughly three hours to complete.  With this trail, you can expect a few hearty, heart pounding inclines, on well groomed trails, with rewarding long range views of the valley, and the nearby Tonto National Forest.

We have probably hiked this particular trail 30 times because of its proximity to our home, the varied landscapes presented, and the wonderful exercise afforded.

A word of caution:  when hiking in Arizona make absolutely certain that you have plenty of water with you, and never, ever hike without telling someone where you are going, and when they should expect your return.

As of this writing,  a day pass is only $6 per car.