Porcupine–Desert Tents, 6 sights is a 3.6-mile out-and-back in Papago Park near Papago Peaks Village, AZ. The route passes Papago Ponds, Oryx and Porcupine before reaching Desert Tents at the turnaround, 1.8 miles in. It climbs 295 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi1,243 – 1,391 ft4.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 33.46956, -111.95012
Nearest town Papago Peaks Village, AZ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Porcupine–Desert Tents, 6 sights
3.6 mi · ▲ 295 ft · 1 hr 21 min
Elevation 1,244–1,393 ft
Out & Back · Papago Park
Trailhead: 33.46956, -111.95012
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 102°F / low 82° · precip 3% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:51 PM
Transit-accessible: McDowell Rd & 64th St stop 662 m from the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 450 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 150 ftBear left onto Double Butte Loop, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right onto Big Butte Loop, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto 5k Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left onto Double Butte Loop, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto 5k Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
- 250 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 300 ftPass Papago Ponds.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Zoo Staff Only, heading S.
- 450 ftPass Oryx.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Desert Discovery Zoo Trail, heading S.
- 300 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading E.
- 50 ftPass Desert Tents.
- 50 ftReach Porcupine, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Zoo Staff Only, heading NW.
- 500 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Hole-In-The-Rock Trail, heading E.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto 5k Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Double Butte Loop, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto 5k Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Big Butte Loop, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading N.
- 100 ftBear left onto Double Butte Loop, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 350 ftBear right, heading W.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 500 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% dirt6% sand5% gravel2% paved22% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 102°F82°
Feels like88°Precip3%Wind6 mphUV8Humidity31%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
105°80°
Sunrise 6:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:51 PM
Sun
104°80°
Mon
104°93°
Tue
105°93°
Wed
103°90°
25%
Thu
105°89°
20%
Fri
99°84°
19%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~24 min). Leave by 6:07 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:31 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: McDowell Rd & 64th St stop 662 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
- Double Butte Loop 2.1 mi · ▲ 209 ft
- Big Butte Loop & Double Butte Loop 2.1 mi · ▲ 143 ft
- Double Butte Loop 2.4 mi · ▲ 166 ft
- Double Butte Loop 2.4 mi · ▲ 166 ft
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