Great Blue Heron taking flight.jpg
Harald Nagel · CC BY-SA 4.0

Zoo Staff Only is a 1.9-mile out-and-back in Papago Park - Tempe near Marlborough Park, AZ. It climbs 286 ft. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi1,181 – 1,329 ft2.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Desert Discovery Zoo Trail 33.45013, -111.94370
Nearest town Marlborough Park, AZ

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Zoo Staff Only

1.9 mi · ▲ 286 ft · 47 min

Elevation 1,181–1,329 ft

Out & Back · Papago Park - Tempe

Trailhead: Desert Discovery Zoo Trail · 33.45013, -111.94370

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 100°F / low 84° · precip 5% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:51 PM

Transit-accessible: Phoenix Zoo stop 543 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead

  1. Start on Zoo Staff Only, heading E.
  2. 500 ftTurn right, heading E.
  3. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  4. 300 ftBear right, heading S.
  5. 50 ftTurn right onto Crosscut Canal Multi-use Path, heading S.
  6. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  7. 0.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  9. 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
  10. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  11. 150 ftBear right, heading S.
  12. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  13. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  14. 200 ftBear right, heading S.
  15. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  16. 100 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  17. 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
  18. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  19. 200 ftTurn left, heading S.
  20. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  21. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  22. 150 ftBear left, heading E.
  23. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  24. 350 ftBear right, heading E.
  25. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  26. 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
  27. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  28. 300 ftBear right onto Zoo Staff Only, heading N.
  29. 0.3 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

43% dirt29% sand8% paved20% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 100°F84°
Feels like97°Precip5%Wind2 mphUV8Humidity25%
Rained 0.1″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperature
100°80°
Sunrise 6:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:51 PM
Sat 101°80°
Sun 102°79°
Mon 103°90°
Tue 105°93°
Wed 104°91° 24%
Thu 103°87° 29%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~2 min). Leave by 6:29 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:07 PM — 9 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Phoenix Zoo stop 543 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead

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