South Mountain Preserve

Bajada Trail & Ranger Trail

9.5 mi · ▲ 861 ft · 3 hr 36 min

Bajada Trail & Ranger Trail is a 9.5-mile out-and-back in South Mountain Preserve near La Montana del Sur, AZ. It climbs 861 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 52/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi1,296 – 1,703 ft10.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 33.35236, -112.07624
Nearest town La Montana del Sur, AZ

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Bajada Trail & Ranger Trail

9.5 mi · ▲ 861 ft · 3 hr 36 min

Elevation 1,295–1,703 ft

Out & Back · South Mountain Preserve

Trailhead: 33.35236, -112.07624

Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:51 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 0.6 miBear left onto Las Lomitas Trail, heading SW.
  3. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  4. 250 ftContinue straight onto Ranger Trail, heading SW.
  5. 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right onto Las Lomitas Trail, heading S.
  7. 50 ftTurn left onto Ranger Trail, heading S.
  8. 0.2 miBear right onto Bajada Trail, heading S.
  9. 3.4 miReach Ranger Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 3.4 miBear left onto Ranger Trail, heading NE.
  11. 0.2 miTurn right onto Las Lomitas Trail, heading NE.
  12. 50 ftTurn left onto Ranger Trail, heading NE.
  13. 0.5 miTurn left onto Las Lomitas Trail, heading NE.
  14. 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
  15. 0.6 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

76% dirt24% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:05 AMSunset 6:51 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.7 mi in (~128 min). Leave by 4:23 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:14 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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