Best hikes in McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Ambleway maps 92 hikes in McDowell Sonoran Preserve, from a 1.2-mile walk to a 16-mile day out. 84 of them score as wild, staying clear of roads and development for most of the route; the wildest is Black Hill Tank–Black Hill Trail, 8 sights. The biggest climb is Tom's Thumb Viewpoint–Bell Pass, 7 sights, gaining 3,651 ft, and the network tops out at 4,059 ft.
- Sven Slab & Marcus Landslide Trail 1.2 mi · ▲ 213 ft
- Mesquite Canyon–Caballo Trail, 4 sights 1.3 mi · ▲ 138 ft
- Raven Roost Scenic View & Feldspar Trail via Tom's Thumb Trail 1.5 mi · ▲ 547 ft
- Morrells Wall via Tom's Thumb Trail 1.7 mi · ▲ 637 ft
- 3264–PST015 Loop, 5 sights 2 mi · ▲ 460 ft
- Brown's Mountain Trail–Upper Ranch Trail Loop, 3 sights 2.2 mi · ▲ 81 ft
- Lost Dog Overlook–Ringtail Trail, 3 sights 2.3 mi · ▲ 276 ft
- Redbird Trail Loop via Gooseneck Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Trail #513 & wash Loop via Stagecoach Trail 2.6 mi · ▲ 84 ft
- Anasazi Spur–Lost Dog Wash Trail Loop, 4 sights 2.6 mi · ▲ 305 ft
- Jomax–Redbird Trail, 3 sights 2.6 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Gooseneck Tank–County Park Connector, 3 sights 2.6 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Brown's Ranch Interpretive Trail via Brown's Ranch Road 2.7 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Brown's Ranch Road–Cone Mountain Trail Loop, 3 sights 2.8 mi · ▲ 140 ft
- Prairie Falcon Overlook–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint, 4 sights 2.8 mi · ▲ 926 ft
- Own Hoot Trail 2.9 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Bunny Rock–Dare A Sarah Option Loop, 7 sights 3.1 mi · ▲ 166 ft
- Granite Tank–Gooseneck Tank Loop, 4 sights 3.1 mi · ▲ 136 ft
- Lost Dog Wash Trail 3.1 mi · ▲ 253 ft
- Marcus Landslide Loop–Marcus Landslide Loop Trailhead, 5 sights 3.1 mi · ▲ 305 ft
- McDowell Sonoran Preserve Viewpoint–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint, 5 sights 3.3 mi · ▲ 1,257 ft
- Black Hill Tank–Black Hill Trail, 8 sights 3.3 mi · ▲ 165 ft
- Mushroom Rock Scenic Point–Caballo Trail, 3 sights 3.3 mi · ▲ 355 ft
- Barb's Trail–Old Paint Wash Loop, 3 sights 3.3 mi · ▲ 136 ft
- East End–McDowell Sonoran Preserve Viewpoint, 5 sights 3.4 mi · ▲ 1,460 ft
- The Amphitheater–118th St. Trail, 3 sights 3.6 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Sunset Vista–Brown's Ranch Road Loop, 3 sights 3.6 mi · ▲ 136 ft
- PST020 & Trail #513 3.7 mi · ▲ 254 ft
- Brown's Mountain–Brown's Summit Viewpoint Loop, 4 sights 3.8 mi · ▲ 526 ft
- Legend Trail Parkway Connector 3.8 mi · ▲ 137 ft
- Old Trail 20 Loop 3.8 mi · ▲ 113 ft
- Balanced Rock & Powerline Road #2 3.8 mi · ▲ 247 ft
- Maricopa Trail (BR to Bartlett Lake Road)–PST021, 3 sights 3.9 mi · ▲ 166 ft
- East Dixileta Drive & Turpentine Trail 3.9 mi · ▲ 81 ft
- Old Trail 23 - West Express Loop 3.9 mi · ▲ 113 ft
- Bootlegger Tank–Bootlegger Trail Loop, 3 sights 4.2 mi · ▲ 168 ft
- The Lookout–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint, 5 sights 4.4 mi · ▲ 1,333 ft
- Axle Grease Loop 4.4 mi · ▲ 54 ft
- Dixileta Trail via Whiskey Bottle Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 169 ft
- Whisper Rock access 4.6 mi · ▲ 187 ft
- Dixileta Trail & East Dixileta Drive 4.6 mi · ▲ 247 ft
- Gateway Saddle–104th Street Spur Loop, 4 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 695 ft
- County Service Road 4.6 mi · ▲ 247 ft
- Cloudburst Trail–Cone Mountain Trail, 5 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 140 ft
- Taliesin Overlook–Anasazi Spur, 5 sights 4.9 mi · ▲ 397 ft
- Gooseneck Tank–County Park Connector, 5 sights 5 mi · ▲ 217 ft
- East Ashler Hills Drive 5 mi · ▲ 193 ft
- Sunrise Peak–Peak Spur, 3 sights 5.8 mi · ▲ 1,325 ft
- Hackamore Trail–Rawhide Wash Trail Loop, 3 sights 5.8 mi · ▲ 246 ft
- Corral Trail 5.8 mi · ▲ 215 ft
- North Flagstaff Power Line Road 6.3 mi · ▲ 221 ft
- Jane Rau Interpretive Viewpoint–Brown's Ranch Road, 4 sights 6.6 mi · ▲ 497 ft
- Windgate Pass Viewpoint–Desert Spring Park Lake Loop, 9 sights 7.1 mi · ▲ 804 ft
- Pemberton Trail 7.2 mi · ▲ 410 ft
- Mesquite Tree–Gateway Saddle, 5 sights 7.4 mi · ▲ 943 ft
- Brown's Summit Viewpoint–Brown's Mountain Trail, 3 sights 7.5 mi · ▲ 746 ft
- 136th Street Express–Hawknest Trail, 8 sights 8.4 mi · ▲ 879 ft
- Harris's Hawk Vista–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint Loop, 9 sights 8.6 mi · ▲ 1,500 ft
- Vulture View Scenic Point–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint Loop, 9 sights 8.6 mi · ▲ 1,510 ft
- 2097–2097C, 5 sights 8.8 mi · ▲ 1,252 ft