McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Old Trail 21–Old Trail 23 - West Express, 4 sights

15.5 mi · ▲ 685 ft · 5 hr 31 min

Old Trail 21–Old Trail 23 - West Express, 4 sights is a 15.5-mile out-and-back in McDowell Sonoran Preserve near Dixileta Verde, AZ. It climbs 685 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 30/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi2,221 – 2,910 ft16.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 33.77037, -111.92573
Nearest town Dixileta Verde, AZ

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Old Trail 21–Old Trail 23 - West Express, 4 sights

15.5 mi · ▲ 685 ft · 5 hr 31 min

Elevation 2,221–2,909 ft

Out & Back · McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Trailhead: 33.77037, -111.92573

Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:06 AM · sunset 6:48 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 50 ftTurn right onto Whisper Rockk access, heading E.
  3. 1.9 miContinue straight onto East Ashler Hills Drive, heading E.
  4. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Whisper Rock access, heading E.
  5. 0.7 miTurn right, heading NE.
  6. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  7. 1.1 miBear right, heading E.
  8. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  9. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  10. 0.2 miTurn right onto Old Trail 21, heading NE.
  11. 0.4 miTurn left onto Old Trail 23 - West Express, heading SE.
  12. 2.2 miContinue straight onto Dove Valley Trail, heading NE.
  13. 0.7 miTurn left onto Trail #2090, heading NE.
  14. 50 ftTurn left onto Trail #513, heading NE.
  15. 50 ftTurn right onto Trail #2090, heading NE.
  16. 0.2 miReach Whisper Rockk access, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 0.1 miTurn left onto Trail #513, heading NE.
  18. 50 ftTurn right onto Trail #2090, heading NE.
  19. 50 ftTurn right onto Dove Valley Trail, heading NE.
  20. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Old Trail 23 - West Express, heading W.
  21. 2.1 miTurn right onto Old Trail 21, heading SW.
  22. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
  23. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  24. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  25. 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
  26. 1.1 miBear right, heading W.
  27. 50 ftTurn left onto Whisper Rock access, heading W.
  28. 0.7 miContinue straight onto East Ashler Hills Drive, heading SW.
  29. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Whisper Rockk access, heading W.
  30. 1.9 miTurn left, heading W.
  31. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail surface

76% dirt3% paved21% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:06 AMSunset 6:48 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:28 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:48 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:14 PM.

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