South Mountain Preserve

Black Rock Canyon Trail–Guadalupe Perimeter Trail, 6 sights

8.5 mi · ▲ 2,109 ft · 3 hr 53 min

Black Rock Canyon Trail–Guadalupe Perimeter Trail, 6 sights is an 8.5-mile out-and-back in South Mountain Preserve near Citrus Hills, AZ. It climbs 2,109 ft, with sections as steep as 31% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 12/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi1,270 – 2,234 ft · steepest grade: 31%8.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Mormon Trail 33.36633, -112.03099
Nearest town Citrus Hills, AZ

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Black Rock Canyon Trail–Guadalupe Perimeter Trail, 6 sights

8.5 mi · ▲ 2,109 ft · 3 hr 53 min

Elevation 1,269–2,236 ft

Out & Back · South Mountain Preserve

Trailhead: Mormon Trail · 33.36633, -112.03099

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 101°F / low 83° · precip 10% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:51 PM

Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 50 ftBear left onto Mormon Trail, heading SW.
  3. 1.3 miTurn left onto National Trail, heading E.
  4. 0.1 miTurn right onto Hidden Valley Trail, heading SE.
  5. 0.1 miBear right onto Black Rock Canyon Trail, heading SE.
  6. 1 miBear left onto Young Man Trail, heading E.
  7. 50 ftTurn right onto Black Rock Canyon Trail, heading SE.
  8. 0.2 miSharp left onto Desert Classic Trail, heading S.
  9. 0.7 miBear right, heading NE.
  10. 0.2 miTurn left onto Guadalupe Perimeter Trail, heading E.
  11. 0.2 miBear left onto Desert Classic Trail, heading N.
  12. 50 ftContinue straight onto Guadalupe Perimeter Trail, heading N.
  13. 450 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  14. 0.4 miTurn left onto Marcos de Niza Trail, heading NW.
  15. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  16. 0.3 miTurn right onto National Trail, heading NW.
  17. 0.6 miTurn left onto Pima Canyon Loop, heading NE.
  18. 0.1 miTurn left onto Ridgeline Connector, heading E.
  19. 0.2 miTurn left onto Ridgeline Trail, heading NE.
  20. 0.6 miTurn left onto Javelina Canyon Trail, heading SW.
  21. 1.2 miTurn right onto Mormon Trail, heading SW.
  22. 1.1 miBear right, heading W.
  23. 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

92% dirt8% gravel

Weather

OvercastTemperature 101°F83°
Feels like95°Precip10%Wind4 mphUV8Humidity25%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
105°80°
Sunrise 6:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:51 PM
Sat 103°82°
Sun 104°85°
Mon 103°86°
Tue 106°89°
Wed 105°88° 23%
Thu 101°85° 28%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:31 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:51 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:16 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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