Granada Lake via Sun Circle Trail
11.8 mi · ▲ 81 ft · 3 hr 58 min
Granada Lake via Sun Circle Trail is an 11.8-mile out-and-back in Cave Creek Park - Cholla near Canyon Village, AZ. The route reaches Granada Lake at the turnaround, 5.9 miles in. It is mostly level, with 81 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Granada Lake via Sun Circle Trail
11.8 mi · ▲ 81 ft · 3 hr 58 min
Elevation 1,209–1,271 ft
Out & Back · Cave Creek Park - Cholla
Trailhead: North 25th Avenue · 33.59284, -112.11421
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 104°F / low 82° · precip 3% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:06 AM · sunset 6:50 PM
Transit-accessible: stop 418 m from the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 100 ftBear left, heading S.
- 150 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 2 miBear right, heading SE.
- 1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Sun Circle Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Phoenix–Sonoran Bikeway, heading SE.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.3 miPass Granada Lake.
- 0.4 miReach Granada Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Sun Circle Trail, heading SE.
- 0.8 miBear right, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 1 miBear left, heading N.
- 2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 150 ftBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 250 ftBear right, heading W.
- 500 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.7 mi in (~140 min). Leave by 4:10 PM for the 6:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:25 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: stop 418 m from the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from North 25th Avenue Trailhead
- Murphy Bridle Path 6.3 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Murphy Bridle Path 6.3 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Murphy Bridle Path 6.3 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Murphy Bridle Path 6.4 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- North 25th Avenue 6.5 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- North 25th Avenue 6.5 mi · ▲ 53 ft
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