AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Phoenix Mountains Preserve

#100 - Charles M. Christiansen Trail

3.9 mi · ▲ 197 ft · 1 hr 24 min

#100 - Charles M. Christiansen Trail is a 3.9-mile out-and-back in Phoenix Mountains Preserve near Heritage Highlands, AZ. It is mostly level, with 197 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi1,375 – 1,532 ft4.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 33.60379, -112.08025
Nearest town Heritage Highlands, AZ
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

#100 - Charles M. Christiansen Trail

3.9 mi · ▲ 197 ft · 1 hr 24 min

Elevation 1,376–1,533 ft

Out & Back · Phoenix Mountains Preserve

Trailhead: 33.60379, -112.08025

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 102°F / low 82° · precip 4% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:51 PM

Transit-accessible: 16321 stop 402 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 150 ftBear left, heading NE.
  3. 0.2 miContinue straight onto #306 - Shaw Butte Trail, heading SE.
  4. 0.5 miBear left onto #100 - Charles M. Christiansen Trail, heading E.
  5. 0.2 miBear right, heading E.
  6. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  7. 0.8 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  8. 400 ftTurn right, heading E.
  9. 0.7 miTurn left, heading NW.
  10. 0.5 miBear right, heading W.
  11. 0.3 miContinue straight onto #306 - Shaw Butte Trail, heading NW.
  12. 0.4 miBear right, heading W.
  13. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/100-charles-m-christiansen-trail-out-back-6-km-d182

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

OvercastTemperature 102°F82°
Feels like90°Precip4%Wind6 mphUV8Humidity33%
Rained 0.3″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
105°80°
Sunrise 6:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:51 PM
Sun 104°79°
Mon 103°93°
Tue 105°93°
Wed 103°91° 22%
Thu 105°91° 21%
Fri 98°84° 19%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 6:28 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:10 PM — 7 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: 16321 stop 402 m from the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Heritage Highlands, Arizona