Morrell's Boulder–Mushroom Rock Scenic Point, 7 sights is a 10.7-mile out-and-back in McDowell Mountain Regional Park near Rio Verde, AZ. The route passes Mushroom Rock Scenic Point before reaching Morrell's Boulder at the turnaround, 5.3 miles in. It climbs 1,083 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 75/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi1,975 – 3,012 ft · steepest grade: 20%11.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Wagner Trailhead 33.69416, -111.73116
Nearest town Rio Verde, AZ
Directions
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Morrell's Boulder–Mushroom Rock Scenic Point, 7 sights
10.7 mi · ▲ 1,083 ft · 4 hr 6 min
Elevation 1,976–3,012 ft
Out & Back · McDowell Mountain Regional Park
Trailhead: Wagner Trailhead · 33.69416, -111.73116
Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:50 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Wagner Trail, heading NE.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto Granite Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Bluff Trail, heading NW.
- 2.1 miBear right, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Pemberton Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Rock Knob Trail, heading SW.
- 1 miBear right onto Marcus Landslide Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Mushroom Rock Scenic Point.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 400 ftTurn left onto Feldspar Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 250 ftReach Morrell's Boulder, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Marcus Landslide Trail, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 200 ftBear left onto Rock Knob Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Pemberton Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Bluff Trail, heading SE.
- 2.1 miTurn left onto Granite Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Wagner Trail, heading E.
- 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
98% dirt2% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:04 AMSunset 6:50 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.8 mi in (~139 min). Leave by 4:11 PM for the 6:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:03 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Wagner Trailhead Trailhead
- Scenic Trail & Tortoise Trail via Pemberton Trail 4 mi · ▲ 193 ft
- Bluff Trail–Granite Trail, 3 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 272 ft
- Shallmo Wash Trail & Tortoise Trail via Pemberton Trail 4.9 mi · ▲ 270 ft
- Lousley Hill Viewpoint–Escondido Trail, 3 sights 6.7 mi · ▲ 252 ft
- Shallmo Wash Trail–Sport Loop, 4 sights 6.8 mi · ▲ 421 ft
- Chuparosa Trail & Tortoise Trail via Pemberton Trail 8.4 mi · ▲ 241 ft
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