Branding Iron Trail–Cow Poke Trail, 5 sights is an 11.9-mile out-and-back in McDowell Sonoran Preserve near Reata Pass, AZ. It climbs 677 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 73/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi2,612 – 2,999 ft12.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 33.76115, -111.84230
Nearest town Reata Pass, AZ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Branding Iron Trail–Cow Poke Trail, 5 sights
11.9 mi · ▲ 677 ft · 4 hr 18 min
Elevation 2,611–2,999 ft
Out & Back · McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Trailhead: 33.76115, -111.84230
Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:06 AM · sunset 6:48 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto Brown's Ranch Road, heading NE.
- 1 miTurn right onto Maverick (Moderate), heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Maverick Trail, heading N.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 500 ftTurn right onto Cholla Mtn Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Balanced Rock Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Cholla Mtn Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 0.9 miSharp right onto Branding Iron Trail, heading N.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Granite Mtn. Loop Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Granite Mtn Loop, heading SE.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Cow Poke Trail, heading E.
- 0.9 miSharp right onto 136th Street Express, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Cow Poke Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miReach Maverick Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto 136th Street Express, heading NE.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Cow Poke Trail, heading NE.
- 0.9 miTurn right onto Granite Mtn Loop, heading N.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Granite Mtn. Loop Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Branding Iron Trail, heading SW.
- 0.9 miSharp left onto Cholla Mtn Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Balanced Rock Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Cholla Mtn Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 500 ftTurn right onto Maverick Trail, heading N.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Maverick (Moderate), heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Brown's Ranch Road, heading W.
- 1 miBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right, heading S.
- 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
98% dirt2% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:06 AMSunset 6:48 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.8 mi in (~48 min). Leave by 5:40 PM for the 6:48 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:47 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Brown's Ranch Road 2 mi · ▲ 82 ft
- Brown's Mountain Trail–Upper Ranch Trail Loop, 3 sights 2.2 mi · ▲ 81 ft
- Brown's Ranch Road 2.2 mi · ▲ 26 ft
- Brown's Ranch Road 2.4 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Powerline Road #2 Loop 2.4 mi · ▲ 108 ft
- Brown's Ranch Road 2.5 mi · ▲ 54 ft
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