Big Butte Loop is a 3.5-mile out-and-back in Papago Park near Wheel Inn Ranch, AZ. It is mostly level, with 118 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi1,270 – 1,371 ft4.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 33.47303, -111.93943
Nearest town Wheel Inn Ranch, AZ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Big Butte Loop
3.5 mi · ▲ 118 ft · 1 hr 14 min
Elevation 1,268–1,371 ft
Out & Back · Papago Park
Trailhead: 33.47303, -111.93943
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 102°F / low 83° · precip 4% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:49 PM
- Start on Crosscut Canal Path, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading W.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading W.
- 0.4 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 250 ftBear right, heading W.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 100 ftBear left, heading W.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 150 ftSharp right onto Double Butte Loop, heading S.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Big Butte Loop, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Double Butte Loop, heading SW.
- 350 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Big Butte Loop, heading W.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Double Butte Loop, heading W.
- 100 ftSharp left, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 250 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.4 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.4 miSharp left, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Crosscut Canal Path, heading N.
- 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 surface
43% dirt19% paved38% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 102°F83°
Feels like86°Precip4%Wind5 mphUV8Humidity31%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
105°80°
Sunrise 6:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:49 PM
Sun
104°81°
Mon
104°94°
Tue
106°93°
Wed
103°90°
25%
Thu
105°89°
16%
Fri
99°84°
21%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.7 mi in (~43 min). Leave by 5:47 PM for the 6:49 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:45 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from this trailhead
- Double Butte Loop 3.3 mi · ▲ 81 ft
- Big Butte Loop 3.5 mi · ▲ 118 ft
- Double Butte Loop 4 mi · ▲ 134 ft
- 5k Trail 4.2 mi · ▲ 174 ft
- Double Butte Loop 4.3 mi · ▲ 235 ft
- Double Butte Loop 4.6 mi · ▲ 161 ft
Get outside more
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Hikes near Wheel Inn Ranch, Arizona