Hours and Rules

Watson Woods Riparian Preserve is part of the City of Prescott's Park system. Managed, by Prescott Creeks Preservation Association through a long-term lease with the City, Watson Woods is open for public use. A quiet visitor might encounter a green-backed heron fishing the pond, a Mexican vole scurrying along runways under the grasses, or a common kingsnake winding its way through the branches of a toppled cottonwood.

HOURS OF OPERATION

• The Preserve is open for public visitation during all day-light hours, 365 days per year.

PRESERVE RULES

• A $2 donation to Prescott Creeks is suggested for each Preserve visitor for each visit.
• Groups of 10 or more must make prior arrangements with the Preserve Manager. The Preserve Manager can be reached by email via the contact form, or by calling Prescott Creeks at (928) 445-5669.
• Leave no trace!
• You are visiting the wildlife’s home, so please respect their need to stay wild. Keep a discreet distance and do not feed any animals.
• Smoking and other fires are forbidden. Even though riparian areas are moist in comparison to the surrounding uplands, fire is still a significant danger. (Wildfires at the Preserve have occured in 1997 and 2005.)
• Pack it in, pack it out. There are no waste recepticles within Watson Woods Riparian Preserve. Visitors must remove any and all trash generated during their visit.
• Bicycles and motor vehicle traffic are prohibited. Plan on human-power as your primary transport while at the Preserve.
• Hunting, fishing, and the use (or possession) of weapons are not permitted.
• Camping is not permitted.
• Equestrian use is not acceptable within the Preserve. It is available on the Prescott Peavine Trail, however.
• Prescott Creeks has made every attempt to minimize the rules associated with Watson Woods Riparian Preserve. Exercising plenty of common sense should produce good results for all.