Morrell's Boulder–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint Loop, 10 sights is a 9.1-mile loop in McDowell Sonoran Preserve near Troon, AZ. The route passes Morrell's Boulder, Tom's Thumb Viewpoint and Mushroom Rock Scenic Point. It climbs 1,607 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 77/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi2,175 – 3,691 ft · steepest grade: 24%9.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Caballo Trail 33.69677, -111.80065
Nearest town Troon, AZ
Directions
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Morrell's Boulder–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint Loop, 10 sights
9.1 mi · ▲ 1,607 ft · 3 hr 50 min
Elevation 2,174–3,692 ft
Loop · McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Trailhead: Caballo Trail · 33.69677, -111.80065
Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 93°F / low 76° · precip 4% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:50 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Caballo Trail, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 100 ftSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Tom's Thumb Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Mesquite Canyon Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Feldspar Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 250 ftReach Morrell's Boulder, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Tom's Thumb Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.5 miPass Tom's Thumb Viewpoint.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto East End Trail, heading S.
- 1.3 miTurn left onto Windmill Trail, heading SW.
- 1 miTurn left onto Coachwhip Trail, heading SE.
- 1.7 miTurn left onto Pemberton Trail, heading NW.
- 0.7 miBear left onto Boulder Trail, heading NW.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto Marcus Landslide Trail, heading W.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.8 miPass Mushroom Rock Scenic Point.
- 250 ftBear right onto Caballo Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miThe loop closes back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
90% dirt10% unspecified
Weather
Partly cloudyTemperature 93°F76°
Feels like88°Precip4%Wind6 mphUV8Humidity32%
Rained 0.2″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperature
95°75°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:50 PM
Sat
92°76°
Sun
96°78°
Mon
96°81°
Tue
98°82°
Wed
98°82°
23%
Thu
95°81°
27%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.0 mi in (~79 min). Leave by 5:12 PM for the 6:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:56 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Caballo Trail Trailhead
- Sven Slab–Mushroom Rock Scenic Point, 3 cliffs 1.2 mi · ▲ 226 ft
- Mesquite Canyon–Caballo Trail, 4 sights 1.3 mi · ▲ 138 ft
- Morrell's Boulder–Caballo Trail, 3 sights 1.4 mi · ▲ 262 ft
- Harris's Hawk Vista–Caballo Trail, 4 sights 1.5 mi · ▲ 341 ft
- Raven Roost Scenic View & Feldspar Trail via Tom's Thumb Trail 1.5 mi · ▲ 547 ft
- Morrells Wall via Tom's Thumb Trail 1.7 mi · ▲ 637 ft
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