McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Desert Park Trail & Saguaro Trail

3.6 mi · ▲ 165 ft · 1 hr 17 min

Desert Park Trail & Saguaro Trail is a 3.6-mile out-and-back in McDowell Sonoran Preserve near DC Ranch, AZ. It is mostly level, with 165 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi1,686 – 1,844 ft3.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 33.66708, -111.86293
Nearest town DC Ranch, AZ

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Desert Park Trail & Saguaro Trail

3.6 mi · ▲ 165 ft · 1 hr 17 min

Elevation 1,685–1,844 ft

Out & Back · McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Trailhead: 33.66708, -111.86293

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 98°F / low 82° · precip 4% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:51 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Desert Park Trail, heading SW.
  3. 1.2 miTurn left onto Saguaro Trail, heading SE.
  4. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  5. 0.2 miReach Desert Park Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  7. 0.1 miTurn right onto Desert Park Trail, heading W.
  8. 1.4 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

97% dirt3% paved

Weather

OvercastTemperature 98°F82°
Feels like91°Precip4%Wind5 mphUV8Humidity28%
Rained 0.2″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperature
100°80°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:51 PM
Sat 100°80°
Sun 102°80°
Mon 101°89°
Tue 102°90°
Wed 101°89° 23%
Thu 99°87° 22%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~5 min). Leave by 6:25 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:12 PM — 4 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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