Desert Spring Park Lake–Desert Park Trail, 5 sights
15.5 mi · ▲ 1,428 ft · 5 hr 53 min
Desert Spring Park Lake–Desert Park Trail, 5 sights is a 15.5-mile out-and-back in McDowell Sonoran Preserve near Taliesin West, AZ. The route reaches Desert Spring Park Lake at the turnaround, 7.7 miles in. It climbs 1,428 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 23/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Desert Spring Park Lake–Desert Park Trail, 5 sights
15.5 mi · ▲ 1,428 ft · 5 hr 53 min
Elevation 1,648–2,093 ft
Out & Back · McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Trailhead: Kovach Family Nature Trail · 33.60034, -111.81074
Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:06 AM · sunset 6:48 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Kovach Family Nature Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Lost Dog Wash Trail, heading NE.
- 2.3 miContinue straight onto Quartz Trail, heading NW.
- 1.3 miBear right onto Paradise Trail, heading W.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Levee trail, heading NW.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading W.
- 150 ftBear left onto Crossover Trail, heading W.
- 300 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.
- 1.5 miTurn left, heading E.
- 250 ftReach Desert Spring Park Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.5 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.
- 300 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Levee trail, heading SE.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Paradise Trail, heading E.
- 1.2 miBear left onto Quartz Trail, heading SW.
- 1.3 miContinue straight onto Lost Dog Wash Trail, heading S.
- 2.3 miTurn left onto Kovach Family Nature Trail, heading SE.
- 200 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.0 mi in (~85 min). Leave by 5:03 PM for the 6:48 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:25 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Kovach Family Nature Trail Trailhead
- Lost Dog Overlook–Ringtail Trail, 3 sights 2.3 mi · ▲ 276 ft
- Lost Dog Wash Trail 3.1 mi · ▲ 253 ft
- Taliesin Overlook & Lost Dog Wash Trail 4.1 mi · ▲ 338 ft
- Mesquite Tree–Javelina Trail, 6 sights 10.4 mi · ▲ 1,062 ft
- North Leg Trail & Sunrise Trail 12.1 mi · ▲ 2,087 ft
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Hikes near Taliesin West, Arizona