AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

South Mountain Preserve

Maricopa/Sun Circle Trail

11.5 mi · ▲ 310 ft · 3 hr 59 min

Maricopa/Sun Circle Trail is an 11.5-mile out-and-back in South Mountain Preserve near Co-op Village, AZ. It climbs 310 ft. It scores 3/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi1,017 – 1,342 ft11.8 mi

Getting there

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

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Maricopa/Sun Circle Trail

11.5 mi · ▲ 310 ft · 3 hr 59 min

Elevation 1,016–1,343 ft

Out & Back · South Mountain Preserve

Trailhead: 33.36291, -112.20292

Weather Sep 4: Mostly clear, high 104°F / low 83° · precip 6% · wind 10 mph · 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 miTurn left onto National Trail, heading N.
  8. 0.5 miTurn right onto Ma-Ha-Tuak Connector, heading NE.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  10. 50 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  11. 50 ftTurn left onto National Trail, heading NE.
  12. 0.5 miTurn right onto Ma-Ha-Tuak Perimeter Trail, heading S.
  13. 0.9 miTurn left onto Maricopa Trail, heading W.
  14. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  15. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Maricopa/Sun Circle Trail, heading SW.
  16. 3.4 miSharp right, heading NW.
  17. 400 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  18. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  19. 0.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/maricopa-sun-circle-trail-out-back-18-km-0cbc

Trail surface

57% dirt4% gravel39% unspecified

Weather

Mostly clearTemperature 104°F83°
Feels like92°Precip6%Wind10 mphUV8Humidity24%
Rained 0.2″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
105°80°
Sunrise 6:06 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:52 PM
Sat 104°81°
Sun 104°80°
Mon 104°84°
Tue 106°87°
Wed 105°86° 21%
Thu 102°84° 22%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.2 mi in (~105 min). Leave by 4:47 PM for the 6:52 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:48 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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