Papago Ponds & Nature Trail is a 2.4-mile out-and-back in Papago Park near Marlborough Park, AZ. The route passes Papago Ponds before reaching Papago Ponds at the turnaround, 1.1 miles in. It is mostly level, with 170 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi1,204 – 1,309 ft3.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 33.43940, -111.94066
Nearest town Marlborough Park, AZ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Papago Ponds & Nature Trail
2.4 mi · ▲ 170 ft · 53 min
Elevation 1,205–1,308 ft
Out & Back · Papago Park
Trailhead: 33.43940, -111.94066
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 101°F / low 84° · precip 5% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:51 PM
Transit-accessible: Curry Rd & Mill Av stop 280 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 450 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 150 ftBear left, heading N.
- 200 ftBear right, heading N.
- 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 N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 300 ftBear right onto Zoo Staff Only, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
- 300 ftPass Papago Ponds.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Hole-In-The-Rock Trail, heading NW.
- 250 ftBear right onto North Ranger Office Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Nature Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miReach Papago Ponds, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto North Ranger Office Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 350 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Hole-In-The-Rock Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Zoo Staff Only, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 300 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Crosscut Canal Multi-use Path, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 500 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 200 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 450 ftBear right, heading S.
- 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
41% dirt31% paved15% sand13% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 101°F84°
Feels like96°Precip5%Wind3 mphUV8Humidity26%
Rained 0.1″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperature
105°80°
Sunrise 6:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:51 PM
Sat
103°80°
Sun
105°80°
Mon
104°90°
Tue
106°94°
Wed
104°91°
24%
Thu
103°88°
29%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:31 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:51 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:16 PM.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Curry Rd & Mill Av stop 280 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Hole in the Rock–The Hole in the Rock, 3 sights 1.7 mi · ▲ 215 ft
- Mandrill–Rhino, 5 sights 1.9 mi · ▲ 173 ft
- Porcupine–Desert Tents, 4 sights 1.9 mi · ▲ 145 ft
- Crosscut Canal Multi-use Path 2.2 mi · ▲ 286 ft
- Tempe Town Lake–Indian Bend Canal, 4 lakes 3.1 mi · ▲ 173 ft
- Papago Buttes & Papago Ponds via Double Butte Loop 3.7 mi · ▲ 338 ft
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