#304 - Nature Trail & #8 - Quartz Ridge Trail
4 mi · ▲ 570 ft · 1 hr 37 min
#304 - Nature Trail & #8 - Quartz Ridge Trail is a 4-mile out-and-back in Phoenix Mountains Preserve near Biltmore Greens III, AZ. It climbs 570 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 24/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
#304 - Nature Trail & #8 - Quartz Ridge Trail
4 mi · ▲ 570 ft · 1 hr 37 min
Elevation 1,506–1,781 ft
Out & Back · Phoenix Mountains Preserve
Trailhead: #304 - Nature Trail · 33.54309, -112.01524
Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:51 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on #304 - Nature Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto #1A - Perl Charles Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading N.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto #100 - Charles M. Christiansen Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 500 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto #8 - Quartz Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto #100 - Charles M. Christiansen Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto #8 - Quartz Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto #304 - Nature Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.7 mi in (~42 min). Leave by 5:49 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:52 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from #304 - Nature Trail Trailhead
- Phoenix Mountains Preserve Viewpoint & #302 - Circumference Trail 1.9 mi · ▲ 414 ft
- Piestewa Peak–#300 - Summit Trail, 3 sights 3.2 mi · ▲ 1,296 ft
- #1A - Perl Charles Trail–#302 - Circumference Trail Loop, 4 sights 4 mi · ▲ 1,118 ft
- #220 - Dreamy Draw Nature Viewpoint–#1A - Perl Charles Trail Loop, 6 sights 4 mi · ▲ 1,105 ft
- #1A - Perl Charles Viewpoint–#1A - Perl Charles Trail, 5 sights 4 mi · ▲ 884 ft
- Shaw Butte–#100 - Charles M. Christiansen Viewpoint, 5 sights 15.7 mi · ▲ 2,454 ft
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Hikes near Biltmore Greens III, Arizona