Indian Bend Canal–Papago Ponds, 4 lakes is a 4.8-mile out-and-back in Papago Park near Papago Peaks Village, AZ. The route passes Papago Ponds and Indian Bend Canal before reaching SRP Tempe Town Lake Marina at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It climbs 490 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi1,181 – 1,391 ft6.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 33.46973, -111.95137
Nearest town Papago Peaks Village, AZ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Indian Bend Canal–Papago Ponds, 4 lakes
4.8 mi · ▲ 490 ft · 1 hr 51 min
Elevation 1,181–1,393 ft
Out & Back · Papago Park
Trailhead: 33.46973, -111.95137
Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:06 AM · sunset 6:48 PM
Transit-accessible: McDowell Rd & Karsten Wy stop 694 m from the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 150 ftBear left onto Double Butte Loop, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right onto Big Butte Loop, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto 5k Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Double Butte Loop, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto 5k Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 350 ftPass Papago Ponds.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Zoo Staff Only, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 300 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Crosscut Canal Multi-use Path, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 400 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear right, heading E.
- 100 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 250 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass SRP Tempe Town Lake Marina.
- 150 ftReach Indian Bend Canal, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
- 100 ftBear left, heading E.
- 150 ftBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 400 ftBear right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 300 ftBear right onto Zoo Staff Only, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Hole-In-The-Rock Trail, heading NW.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Double Butte Loop, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right onto 5k Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Big Butte Loop, heading NE.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading N.
- 150 ftBear left onto Double Butte Loop, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 350 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 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
68% dirt9% paved8% sand15% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:06 AMSunset 6:48 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.8 mi in (~23 min). Leave by 6:05 PM for the 6:48 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:27 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: McDowell Rd & Karsten Wy stop 694 m from the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Double Butte Loop 1.9 mi · ▲ 139 ft
- Double Butte Loop 1.9 mi · ▲ 139 ft
- Big Butte Loop & Double Butte Loop 2.1 mi · ▲ 143 ft
- Hole in the Rock–The Hole in the Rock, 4 sights 2.5 mi · ▲ 269 ft
- Elliot Ramada Loop 2.5 mi · ▲ 164 ft
- Double Butte Loop 2.6 mi · ▲ 164 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Papago Peaks Village, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Papago Peaks Village, Arizona