AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Cactus Garden Trail–Goat Trail, 6 sights

12.8 mi · ▲ 2,056 ft · 5 hr 18 min

Cactus Garden Trail–Goat Trail, 6 sights is a 12.8-mile out-and-back near Fort McDowell, AZ. It climbs 2,056 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 25/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi1,365 – 2,644 ft · steepest grade: 27%13.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 33.55343, -111.62279
Nearest town Fort McDowell, AZ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Cactus Garden Trail–Goat Trail, 6 sights

12.8 mi · ▲ 2,056 ft · 5 hr 18 min

Elevation 1,366–2,644 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 33.55343, -111.62279

Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:47 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 0.4 miTurn left, heading SE.
  3. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Scorpion Trail, heading S.
  4. 2 miBear left onto Wild Horse Trail, heading S.
  5. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Jumping Jack's Cut, heading S.
  6. 50 ftBear right onto Pure O, heading S.
  7. 0.4 miBear right onto NRA All Mountain Party D, heading SW.
  8. 50 ftContinue straight onto Pure O, heading SW.
  9. 150 ftContinue straight onto NRA All Mountain Party E, heading SW.
  10. 350 ftTurn right onto Iron Goat Trail, heading SW.
  11. 0.8 miBear right onto Iron Spine, heading SW.
  12. 250 ftTurn left onto Iron Goat Trail, heading SW.
  13. 0.2 miBear right onto Goat Trail, heading SE.
  14. 0.3 miTurn left onto Cactus Garden Trail, heading W.
  15. 0.8 miTurn right onto Hawes Loop Trail, heading SW.
  16. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  17. 50 ftTurn right onto Upper Hawes, heading SE.
  18. 250 ftContinue straight onto Hawes Trail, heading SE.
  19. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  20. 0.1 miReach Scorpion Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  21. 350 ftBear left, heading W.
  22. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Upper Hawes, heading W.
  23. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  24. 50 ftTurn right onto Hawes Loop Trail, heading W.
  25. 0.2 miTurn left onto Cactus Garden Trail, heading E.
  26. 0.8 miTurn right onto Goat Trail, heading NW.
  27. 0.3 miBear left onto Iron Goat Trail, heading N.
  28. 0.2 miTurn right onto Iron Spine, heading SE.
  29. 250 ftBear left onto Iron Goat Trail, heading E.
  30. 0.8 miTurn left onto NRA All Mountain Party E, heading E.
  31. 300 ftContinue straight onto Pure O, heading NE.
  32. 150 ftContinue straight onto NRA All Mountain Party D, heading NE.
  33. 50 ftBear left onto Pure O, heading NE.
  34. 0.4 miBear left onto Jumping Jack's Cut, heading NE.
  35. 50 ftContinue straight onto Wild Horse Trail, heading NE.
  36. 0.2 miBear right onto Scorpion Trail, heading NE.
  37. 2.6 miTurn right, heading NW.
  38. 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/cactus-garden-trail-goat-trail-out-back-6-sights

Trail surface

98% dirt2% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:05 AMSunset 6:47 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.1 mi in (~60 min). Leave by 5:27 PM for the 6:47 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:54 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Fort McDowell, Arizona