Papago Buttes & Papago Ponds via Double Butte Loop is a 3.7-mile out-and-back in Papago Park near Marlborough Park, AZ. The route passes Papago Ponds before reaching Papago Buttes at the turnaround, 1.9 miles in. It climbs 338 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi1,204 – 1,394 ft5.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 33.43893, -111.94130
Nearest town Marlborough Park, AZ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Papago Buttes & Papago Ponds via Double Butte Loop
3.7 mi · ▲ 338 ft · 1 hr 24 min
Elevation 1,205–1,393 ft
Out & Back · Papago Park
Trailhead: 33.43893, -111.94130
Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:06 AM · sunset 6:48 PM
Transit-accessible: Curry Rd & Mill Av stop 201 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 100 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 150 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 450 ftBear left, heading N.
- 150 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 200 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 500 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Crosscut Canal Multi-use Path, heading NE.
- 200 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 300 ftBear right onto Zoo Staff Only, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NE.
- 300 ftPass Papago Ponds.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Hole-In-The-Rock Trail, heading NW.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Double Butte Loop, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right onto 5k Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Big Butte Loop, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading NW.
- 150 ftReach Papago Buttes, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto 5k Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Double Butte Loop, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto 5k Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Zoo Staff Only, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 250 ftBear right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Crosscut Canal Multi-use Path, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 500 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 200 ftBear right, heading S.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 450 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 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
65% dirt17% paved10% sand8% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:06 AMSunset 6:48 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.0 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 6:27 PM for the 6:48 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:04 PM — 9 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Curry Rd & Mill Av stop 201 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Mandrill–Rhino, 5 sights 1.9 mi · ▲ 173 ft
- Porcupine–Desert Tents, 4 sights 1.9 mi · ▲ 145 ft
- Mandrill–Rhino, 6 sights 2.3 mi · ▲ 230 ft
- Papago Ponds & Nature Trail 2.4 mi · ▲ 170 ft
- Tempe Town Lake–Indian Bend Canal, 4 lakes 3.1 mi · ▲ 173 ft
- Papago Ponds–5k Trail, 3 sights 5 mi · ▲ 285 ft
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