Desert Classic Trail–Hidden Valley Trail, 5 sights is a 12.6-mile out-and-back in South Mountain Preserve near Citrus Hills, AZ. The route reaches Fat Man's Pass. It climbs 2,827 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 22/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi1,299 – 2,402 ft · steepest grade: 20%13.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 33.36270, -112.04278
Nearest town Citrus Hills, AZ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Desert Classic Trail–Hidden Valley Trail, 5 sights
12.6 mi · ▲ 2,827 ft · 5 hr 37 min
Elevation 1,300–2,401 ft
Out & Back · South Mountain Preserve
Trailhead: 33.36270, -112.04278
Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:07 AM · sunset 6:48 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 200 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Thondum Wihom Trail, heading S.
- 1 miBear right, heading SE.
- 500 ftTurn left onto National Trail, heading SE.
- 1.6 miPass Fat Man's Pass.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Hidden Valley Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Black Rock Canyon Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Marcos de Niza Trail, heading E.
- 1.3 miBear left onto Pima Canyon Loop, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto National Trail, heading NE.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading E.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Desert Classic Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 150 ftBear left, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 350 ftReach Thondum Wihom Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 350 ftTurn left onto National Trail, heading SE.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Pima Canyon Loop, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Marcos de Niza Trail, heading SW.
- 1.3 miContinue straight onto Black Rock Canyon Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Hidden Valley Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto National Trail, heading N.
- 1.6 miTurn right, heading W.
- 500 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Thondum Wihom Trail, heading S.
- 1.7 miBear right, 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
90% dirt9% gravel1% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:07 AMSunset 6:48 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 6:26 PM for the 6:48 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:05 PM — 8 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Thondum Wihom Trail 3.6 mi · ▲ 1,039 ft
- Javelina Canyon Viewpoint–Thondum Wihom Trail, 3 saddles 8.2 mi · ▲ 1,643 ft
- Old Man Trail–Thash Kavid South Trail, 3 sights 8.8 mi · ▲ 2,370 ft
- Lower Corona de Loma Trail–Old Man Trail, 3 sights 9.4 mi · ▲ 2,457 ft
- Mormon Trail–Thondum Wihom Trail, 3 sights 10.3 mi · ▲ 2,306 ft
- Guadalupe Perimeter Trail–Hidden Valley Trail, 4 sights 10.8 mi · ▲ 2,674 ft
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