Enepitsi Trail

• Activities: Hiking, Biking, Horseback Riding
• Trail Distance: 1.5 miles (one way)
• Trail Difficulty: Easy

Trail Description

The Enepitsi Trail is an old pioneer road along the Santa Clara River. As you walk between the banks of river and the cliffs of Land Hill, keep a sharp eye out for prehistoric petroglyphs and pioneer graffiti. Please do not venture beyond the 2-track trail as this is private property.

The Enepitsi Trail is accessible by connecting a series of short trails:

• From the Tukupetsi Trailhead begin on the Fishhook Trail heading north to the Upper Graveyard Trail. (0.3 miles)
• Turn left onto the Upper Graveyard Trail heading west to the Tempi’po’op Trail (0.3 miles)
• Cross the trail onto the Een’oog Trail heading south. (600 feet)
• Turn left onto the U’waiv Trail heading east and downhill to the Enepitsi Trail. (0.2 miles)

Enepitsi (pronounced e’noo petes) means “ghost” in the Southern Paiute language. Ancestral Puebloans and Southern Paiutes lived in this area and are closely connected to the land. The river corridor, of which the Enepitsi Trail follows, was vital to both cultures and is a protected as part of the Santa Clara River Reserve.

Santa Clara/Land Hill is designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC).

*Note: Reaching the Enepitsi Trail may be confusing, especially for locals used to parking up the road past the Tukupetsi Trailhead. The reasons for this are twofold. First to protect cultural resources in the ACEC, in the past, vehicle access and parking were damaging archaeological sites. Second for an outcome due to discussions with the adjoining private property owners. To protect archaeological sites, and promote a “good neighbor” policy, please follow the recommended access route to Enepitsi Trail.