AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Papago Park - panoramio.jpg
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Papago Park

Papago Ponds & 5k Trail

3.3 mi · ▲ 111 ft · 1 hr 9 min

Papago Ponds & 5k Trail is a 3.3-mile out-and-back in Papago Park near Papago Peaks Village, AZ. The route reaches Papago Ponds at the turnaround, 1.5 miles in. It is mostly level, with 111 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi1,221 – 1,322 ft4.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: 5k Trail 33.45507, -111.96518
Nearest town Papago Peaks Village, AZ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Papago Ponds & 5k Trail

3.3 mi · ▲ 111 ft · 1 hr 9 min

Elevation 1,219–1,323 ft

Out & Back · Papago Park

Trailhead: 5k Trail · 33.45507, -111.96518

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 103°F / low 84° · precip 3% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:51 PM

Transit-accessible: Van Buren St & 53rd St stop 476 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Elliot Ramada Loop, heading N.
  2. 150 ftContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading N.
  3. 150 ftContinue straight onto Elliot Ramada Loop, heading N.
  4. 300 ftContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading N.
  5. 150 ftContinue straight onto Elliot Ramada Loop, heading N.
  6. 50 ftContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading N.
  7. 400 ftContinue straight onto Elliot Ramada Loop, heading N.
  8. 350 ftContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading NE.
  9. 300 ftTurn right, heading N.
  10. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  11. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  12. 100 ftContinue straight onto Elliot Ramada Loop, heading NE.
  13. 150 ftContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading NE.
  14. 450 ftContinue straight onto Double Butte Loop, heading E.
  15. 50 ftTurn right onto 5k Trail, heading E.
  16. 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
  17. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  18. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  19. 250 ftPass Papago Ponds.
  20. 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
  21. 0.1 miSharp right, heading SE.
  22. 150 ftReach Papago Ponds, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  23. 150 ftSharp left, heading SE.
  24. 0.1 miTurn left onto Hole-In-The-Rock Trail, heading E.
  25. 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
  26. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  27. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  28. 0.2 miContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading S.
  29. 0.2 miTurn left onto Double Butte Loop, heading NW.
  30. 50 ftContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading NW.
  31. 500 ftContinue straight onto Elliot Ramada Loop, heading N.
  32. 100 ftContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading N.
  33. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  34. 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
  35. 0.4 miBear left, heading N.
  36. 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
  37. 300 ftContinue straight onto Elliot Ramada Loop, heading N.
  38. 350 ftContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading N.
  39. 450 ftContinue straight onto Elliot Ramada Loop, heading NW.
  40. 50 ftContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading NW.
  41. 150 ftContinue straight onto Elliot Ramada Loop, heading W.
  42. 250 ftContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading N.
  43. 150 ftContinue straight onto Elliot Ramada Loop, heading NW.
  44. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/papago-ponds-papago-ponds-out-back-5-lakes-5-km

Trail surface

92% dirt7% paved1% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 103°F84°
Feels like90°Precip3%Wind8 mphUV8Humidity30%
Rained 0.2″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
105°80°
Sunrise 6:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:51 PM
Sun 105°80°
Mon 104°94°
Tue 106°93°
Wed 103°90° 25%
Thu 105°89° 20%
Fri 99°84° 19%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~6 min). Leave by 6:25 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:12 PM — 5 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Van Buren St & 53rd St stop 476 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from 5k Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Papago Peaks Village, Arizona