Raccoon Bluff–Bush Lite Loop, 5 sights is a 12.9-mile out-and-back near Fort McDowell, AZ. The route reaches Raccoon Bluff at the turnaround, 6.5 miles in. It climbs 664 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 18/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi1,329 – 1,595 ft13.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 33.54525, -111.61278
Nearest town Fort McDowell, AZ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Raccoon Bluff–Bush Lite Loop, 5 sights
12.9 mi · ▲ 664 ft · 4 hr 38 min
Elevation 1,329–1,596 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 33.54525, -111.61278
Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:03 AM · sunset 6:50 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 400 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 0.6 miSharp left onto Scorpion Trail, heading SE.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Bush Lite, heading SW.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto Bush Lite Loop, heading S.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Bush Lite West, heading NW.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading W.
- 350 ftBear left onto Lower Salt River Interpretive Trail, heading NW.
- 1.1 miBear right, heading E.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto North Phon D Sutton Road, heading NE.
- 450 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.5 miReach Raccoon Bluff, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 350 ftBear left onto Lower Salt River Interpretive Trail, heading SW.
- 1.1 miBear right, heading S.
- 350 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Bush Lite West, heading SE.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Bush Lite Loop, heading E.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Bush Lite, heading NE.
- 1.6 miTurn left onto Scorpion Trail, heading E.
- 250 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 0.6 miSharp right, heading E.
- 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
73% dirt27% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:03 AMSunset 6:50 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.5 mi in (~90 min). Leave by 5:00 PM for the 6:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:33 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Scorpion Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Scorpion Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 162 ft
- Bush Lite & Scorpion Alley Trail via Scorpion Trail 5 mi · ▲ 162 ft
- Scorpion Trail 5.9 mi · ▲ 434 ft
- Scorpion Trail 6.3 mi · ▲ 434 ft
- Bush Lite Loop–Bush Lite, 4 sights 7.2 mi · ▲ 356 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Fort McDowell, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Fort McDowell, Arizona