Desert Park Trail–Levee trail, 3 sights
7.9 mi · ▲ 573 ft · 2 hr 55 min
Desert Park Trail–Levee trail, 3 sights is a 7.9-mile out-and-back in McDowell Sonoran Preserve near McDowell Mountain Ranch, AZ. It climbs 573 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 3/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Desert Park Trail–Levee trail, 3 sights
7.9 mi · ▲ 573 ft · 2 hr 55 min
Elevation 1,563–1,929 ft
Out & Back · McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Trailhead: Mule Deer Trail · 33.62759, -111.86069
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 100°F / low 83° · precip 4% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:51 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Mule Deer Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 200 ftSharp left onto Quartz Trail, heading S.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Paradise Trail, heading E.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Levee trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
- 150 ftBear left onto Crossover Trail, heading W.
- 250 ftBear left, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Saguaro Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Desert Park Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miReach Paradise Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Saguaro Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Crossover Trail, heading SE.
- 250 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Levee trail, heading SE.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Paradise Trail, heading E.
- 1.2 miTurn right onto Quartz Trail, heading SW.
- 0.8 miSharp right, heading W.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Mule Deer Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 200 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
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.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Mule Deer Trail Trailhead
- Quartz Trail 2 mi · ▲ 54 ft
- Quartz Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Mesquite Tree & Javelina Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 248 ft
- Paradise Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 353 ft
- Quartz Trail 4.8 mi · ▲ 414 ft
- Taliesin Overlook & Lost Dog Wash Trail 5.6 mi · ▲ 532 ft
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