South Mountain Preserve

Maricopa/Sun Circle Trail

15.2 mi · ▲ 661 ft · 5 hr 24 min

Maricopa/Sun Circle Trail is a 15.2-mile out-and-back in South Mountain Preserve near Co-op Village, AZ. It climbs 661 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 6/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi1,017 – 1,598 ft15.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 33.36291, -112.20292
Nearest town Co-op Village, AZ

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Maricopa/Sun Circle Trail

15.2 mi · ▲ 661 ft · 5 hr 24 min

Elevation 1,016–1,598 ft

Out & Back · South Mountain Preserve

Trailhead: 33.36291, -112.20292

Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:06 AM · sunset 6:52 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  3. 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
  4. 400 ftSharp left onto Maricopa/Sun Circle Trail, heading SE.
  5. 3.5 miBear left onto Maricopa Trail, heading NE.
  6. 0.1 miTurn right onto Ma-Ha-Tuak Perimeter Trail, heading E.
  7. 0.9 miSharp right onto National Trail, heading N.
  8. 2.3 miBear left onto Bursera Trail, heading E.
  9. 50 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  10. 50 ftBear right onto National Trail, heading E.
  11. 2.3 miSharp left onto Ma-Ha-Tuak Perimeter Trail, heading NW.
  12. 0.9 miTurn left onto Maricopa Trail, heading NW.
  13. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  14. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Maricopa/Sun Circle Trail, heading W.
  15. 3.4 miSharp right, heading NW.
  16. 400 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  17. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  18. 0.1 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

67% dirt3% gravel1% sand29% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:06 AMSunset 6:52 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.2 mi in (~104 min). Leave by 4:48 PM for the 6:52 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:48 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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