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Major city · United States

Cave Creek

Give Cave Creek one full day and one night if you want trails, horses and saloons; skip it as a base and sleep in Scottsdale or Phoenix.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Nov–Apr
avoid Jun–Sep (extreme heat), monsoon afternoons Jul–Aug
Airports
PHX · AZA
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Cave Creek is a small desert town about 45 minutes north of downtown Phoenix, at the foot of Black Mountain and next to Carefree. It is a day-and-night stop: hike or ride in the morning, walk the old-west main street and the galleries in the afternoon, eat and drink in the saloons after dark. There is one main-street hotel and two B&Bs, so most visitors sleep in Scottsdale, north Phoenix or Carefree and drive up.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Cave Creek, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$4–7
  • Sit-down mealMexican main course$18–28
  • BeerDraft beer in a saloon$7–10
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (adult)$5
  • Budget bedHostel or campground bed, a night, per personUS$30
  • Mid-range bedMain-street hotel or B&B double room, a night, per roomUS$180
  • High-end bedMain-street hotel or B&B double room, a night, per roomUS$300

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$80 · Mid US$150 · High US$300

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Black Mountain trailsSpur Cross Ranch Conservation AreaHorseback ridingOld-west main street, saloons and galleries
Airports
PHX Phoenix Sky Harbor International (About 45–60 min by car via I-17 and Carefree Highway; no rail link to Cave Creek) · AZA Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (About 50–60 min by car from the southeast valley)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Cave Creek: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

18°C

4°C

4 rd

Feb

20°C

6°C

4 rd

Mar

24°C

8°C

4 rd

Apr

29°C

12°C

2 rd

May

34°C

17°C

2 rd

Jun

39°C

22°C

1 rd

Jul

40°C

25°C

5 rd

Aug

39°C

24°C

6 rd

Sep

36°C

21°C

4 rd

Oct

30°C

15°C

3 rd

Nov

23°C

9°C

3 rd

Dec

18°C

4°C

4 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the practical choice: Cave Creek Road runs through town and Carefree Highway links to I-17. Trails, the conservation area and the campground sit 5–15 min apart with no useful bus. Rideshare exists but is thin late at night; agree a return time or keep a taxi number.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Carefree

go

Door to door: 5–10 min

Drive or walk east along Cave Creek Rd

Shares the main street area; galleries, festivals and the sundial.

Scottsdale

go

Door to door: 30–40 min

Drive south on Scottsdale Rd or Pima Rd

Old Town for shopping and dinner; far more beds than Cave Creek.

Phoenix

go

Door to door: 45–60 min

Drive south via I-17

Museums, airport and the main rail and bus links.

Bartlett Lake

caution

Door to door: 40–50 min

Drive east on Cave Creek Rd and Bartlett Dam Rd

About 20 miles east; check road and lake conditions before setting out.

Lake Pleasant

caution

Door to door: 40–50 min

Drive west via Carefree Highway

About 20 miles west; boat ramp and picnic areas, best Nov–Apr.

Tonto National Forest

go

Door to door: 15–30 min

Drive north from town

Trailheads and dirt roads just north; a high-clearance car helps.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Cave Creek main street (Cave Creek Rd)

Walk to restaurants, bars and galleries; the Tumbleweed Hotel is the only hotel on the street.

Spur Cross Road / north edge

Closest to Spur Cross Ranch trails and the B&Bs; you need a car for everything.

Carefree

Shares the main street area, 5–10 min east; quieter, more resort-style stays.

North Scottsdale

20–30 min south; far more beds and resort facilities, drive up for the day.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–200 excl. bed
High
$200+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Main-street hotel or B&B double room1 × 1 night × US$180US$180
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$150US$300
Car hire, one day, compact1 × US$60US$60
Guided horseback ride, about 1.5 h2 × US$90US$180
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$75
Trip total≈ US$413 per person per day, bed includedUS$825

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Flights and car hire excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$4–7
Burger and fries$14–20
Mexican main course$18–28
Draft beer in a saloon$7–10
Museum entry (adult)$5
Bike rental, half-day / full-day$30–50 / $45–65
Camping, per site$10–35

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A safe, low-crime resort town; the real risks are desert heat, monsoon flash floods, snakes and cactus, and driving back after a night in the saloons.
  • Summer heat is the main risk: by late morning Jun–Sep trails are dangerous, so start at first light and carry more water than you think you need.
  • Monsoon storms Jul–Aug bring flash floods in washes and dry creek beds; do not enter a flowing wash.
  • Rattlesnakes and cactus spines are real on trails: stay on the path, wear closed shoes, and do not reach into rocks.
  • Saloons and bars on the main street get loud and busy on weekends; watch your drink and plan your drive back before you start.
  • Cell coverage drops in the conservation area and along Black Mountain trails.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Maricopa County Sheriff (non-emergency)
602-876-1011
Poison control (24 h)
800-222-1222

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

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Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Cave CreekCave Creek

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Maricopa County Sheriff (non-emergency)602-876-1011
  • Poison control800-222-1222

Embassy

No embassies in Cave Creek; consulates are in Phoenix (check the address for yours).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • PHX airport → Cave Creek, taxi or rideshare: $55–85, 45–60 min
  • Rideshare, Cave Creek → north Scottsdale: $25–40
  • Car hire, one day: $50–90 plus fuel

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the trailhead? — Where is the trailhead?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • I need water — I need water
  • Call 911 — Call 911

Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Cave Creek. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Nov–Apr · avoid Jun–Sep (extreme heat), monsoon afternoons Jul–Aug · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for PHX: drive time by hour of day, rideshare fallback, late-arrival plan.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: main street, Frontier Town and Stagecoach Village, Spur Cross, Black Mountain.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Cave Creek Museum, Spur Cross Ranch, Thieves' Market) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Heat and monsoon fixtures so the summer and storm days can go green or red.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources