Prairie Falcon Overlook–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint, 7 sights is a 15.4-mile out-and-back in McDowell Mountain Regional Park near Rio Verde, AZ. The route passes Mushroom Rock Scenic Point and Tom's Thumb Viewpoint before reaching Prairie Falcon Overlook at the turnaround, 7.7 miles in. It climbs 1,871 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 80/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi1,864 – 3,694 ft · steepest grade: 23%16.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Maricopa Trail Trailhead;Tortoise Trail Trailhead 33.69304, -111.72910
Nearest town Rio Verde, AZ
Directions
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Prairie Falcon Overlook–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint, 7 sights
15.4 mi · ▲ 1,871 ft · 6 hr 4 min
Elevation 1,863–3,695 ft
Out & Back · McDowell Mountain Regional Park
Trailhead: Maricopa Trail Trailhead;Tortoise Trail Trailhead · 33.69304, -111.72910
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 100°F / low 82° · precip 4% · wind 14 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:50 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Tortoise Trail, heading NE.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Pemberton Trail, heading SW.
- 1 miTurn right onto Tonto Tank Trail, heading NW.
- 2.6 miBear right onto Pemberton Trail, heading NW.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Rock Knob Trail, heading W.
- 1 miPass Mushroom Rock Scenic Point.
- 50 ftBear right onto Marcus Landslide Trail, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 400 ftTurn left onto Feldspar Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Tom's Thumb Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.4 miPass Tom's Thumb Viewpoint.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading W.
- 100 ftReach Prairie Falcon Overlook, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Feldspar Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Marcus Landslide Trail, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 200 ftBear left onto Rock Knob Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Pemberton Trail, heading SE.
- 0.9 miBear left onto Tonto Tank Trail, heading SW.
- 2.6 miTurn left onto Pemberton Trail, heading E.
- 1 miTurn left onto Tortoise Trail, heading NE.
- 0.6 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
99% dirt1% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 100°F82°
Feels like87°Precip4%Wind14 mphUV8Humidity30%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
100°80°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:50 PM
Sun
102°83°
Mon
101°85°
Tue
103°85°
Wed
101°85°
23%
Thu
102°84°
23%
Fri
95°79°
20%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 7.7 mi in (~234 min). Leave by 2:36 PM for the 6:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:14 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Maricopa Trail Trailhead;Tortoise Trail Trailhead Trailhead
- Scenic Trail & Tortoise Trail via Pemberton Trail 4 mi · ▲ 193 ft
- Bluff Trail–Granite Trail, 3 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 272 ft
- Shallmo Wash Trail & Tortoise Trail via Pemberton Trail 4.9 mi · ▲ 270 ft
- Lousley Hill Viewpoint–Escondido Trail, 3 sights 6.7 mi · ▲ 252 ft
- Shallmo Wash Trail–Sport Loop, 4 sights 6.8 mi · ▲ 421 ft
- Chuparosa Trail & Tortoise Trail via Pemberton Trail 8.4 mi · ▲ 241 ft
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