Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area
Skull Mesa Trail #248 Viewpoint–Cottonwood Trail #247, 4 sights
10.7 mi · ▲ 2,670 ft · 4 hr 54 min
Skull Mesa Trail #248 Viewpoint–Cottonwood Trail #247, 4 sights is a 10.7-mile out-and-back in Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area near Cave Creek, AZ. The route reaches Skull Mesa Trail #248 Viewpoint at the turnaround, 5.4 miles in. It climbs 2,670 ft, with sections as steep as 31% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 92/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Skull Mesa Trail #248 Viewpoint–Cottonwood Trail #247, 4 sights
10.7 mi · ▲ 2,670 ft · 4 hr 54 min
Elevation 2,340–4,274 ft
Out & Back · Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area
Trailhead: North Cottonwood Canyon Road · 33.89514, -111.93858
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 95°F / low 77° · precip 5% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:51 PM
- Start on North Cottonwood Canyon Road, heading W.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Mariposa Hill Trail, heading W.
- 500 ftSharp right onto Spur Cross Trail, heading N.
- 1.2 miTurn right onto Cave Creek Trail #4, heading E.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Cottonwood Trail #247, heading S.
- 2.6 miTurn left onto Skull Mesa Trail #248, heading NE.
- 1 miReach Skull Mesa Trail #248 Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1 miTurn right onto Cottonwood Trail #247, heading SW.
- 2.6 miTurn left onto Cave Creek Trail #4, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn left onto North Road 48, heading W.
- 1.2 miSharp left onto Mariposa Hill Trail, heading S.
- 500 ftBear right onto North Cottonwood Canyon Road, heading NE.
- 0.4 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.2 mi in (~187 min). Leave by 3:24 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:22 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from North Cottonwood Canyon Road Trailhead
- Fairy Duster Trail & North Cottonwood Canyon Road via Spur Cross Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 174 ft
- Solar Oasis–Metate Trail, 3 sights 3.6 mi · ▲ 290 ft
- Page Spring–Solar Oasis, 8 sights 13 mi · ▲ 1,683 ft
- Solar Oasis–Elephant Mountain Trail, 6 sights 14.4 mi · ▲ 2,068 ft
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