Solar Oasis–Elephant Mountain Trail, 6 sights is a 14.4-mile out-and-back in Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area near Cave Creek, AZ. The route reaches Solar Oasis. It climbs 2,068 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 83/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi2,293 – 3,163 ft · steepest grade: 23%14.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: North Cottonwood Canyon Road 33.89514, -111.93858
Nearest town Cave Creek, AZ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Solar Oasis–Elephant Mountain Trail, 6 sights
14.4 mi · ▲ 2,068 ft · 5 hr 50 min
Elevation 2,292–3,164 ft
Out & Back · Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area
Trailhead: North Cottonwood Canyon Road · 33.89514, -111.93858
Weather Sep 4: 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.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Metate Trail, heading SW.
- 0.5 miPass Solar Oasis.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Spur Cross Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Tortuga Trail, heading NW.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Elephant Mountain Trail, heading NW.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Spur Cross Trail, heading S.
- 1.9 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Rockway Hill, heading E.
- 0.6 miReach Solar Oasis, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Spur Cross Trail, heading W.
- 1.9 miContinue straight onto Elephant Mountain Trail, heading NE.
- 1 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Tortuga Trail, heading SE.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Spur Cross Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Metate Trail, heading S.
- 0.8 miSharp right onto Spur Cross Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Mariposa Hill Trail, heading NE.
- 500 ftBear right onto North Cottonwood Canyon Road, heading S.
- 0.3 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
81% dirt19% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:04 AMSunset 6:51 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.0 mi in (~179 min). Leave by 3:32 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:01 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
- Skull Mesa Trail #248 Viewpoint–Cottonwood Trail #247, 4 sights 10.7 mi · ▲ 2,670 ft
- Page Spring–Solar Oasis, 8 sights 13 mi · ▲ 1,683 ft
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