Rio Vista Pond–New River Trail East, 3 sights
14.5 mi · ▲ 107 ft · 4 hr 53 min
Rio Vista Pond–New River Trail East, 3 sights is a 14.5-mile out-and-back in Rio Vista Community Park near Cottonwood Ranch, AZ. The route passes Rio Vista Pond and Rio Vista Pond. It is mostly level, with 107 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Rio Vista Pond–New River Trail East, 3 sights
14.5 mi · ▲ 107 ft · 4 hr 53 min
Elevation 1,044–1,173 ft
Out & Back · Rio Vista Community Park
Trailhead: 33.61930, -112.24006
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 105°F / low 83° · precip 2% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:06 AM · sunset 6:52 PM
Transit-accessible: stop 301 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Skunk Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 450 ftPass Rio Vista Pond.
- 0.4 miPass Rio Vista Pond.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto New River Trail, heading SW.
- 1.3 miContinue straight onto New River Trail West, heading S.
- 250 ftTurn left onto New River Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right onto New River Trail West, heading S.
- 0.9 miBear left, heading SW.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 2.2 miContinue straight onto New River Trail East, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto New River Trail West, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto New River Trail East, heading S.
- 2 miReach Rio Vista Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1 miBear left, heading NE.
- 1 miContinue straight onto New River Trail West, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto New River Trail East, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto New River Trail West, heading NE.
- 2.2 miBear left, heading N.
- 150 ftBear right, heading N.
- 0.9 miBear left onto New River Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto New River Trail West, heading NE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto New River Trail, heading NE.
- 1.3 miTurn left onto Skunk Creek Trail, heading NE.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:32 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:52 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:17 PM.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: stop 301 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
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