Solar Oasis–Elephant Mountain Trail, 5 sights is a 14.8-mile out-and-back in Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area near Cave Creek, AZ. The route passes Solar Oasis before reaching Solar Oasis at the turnaround, 7.4 miles in. It climbs 2,232 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 82/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi2,123 – 3,163 ft · steepest grade: 21%15.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Maricopa Trail 33.85622, -112.00680
Nearest town Cave Creek, AZ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Solar Oasis–Elephant Mountain Trail, 5 sights
14.8 mi · ▲ 2,232 ft · 6 hr 3 min
Elevation 2,121–3,164 ft
Out & Back · Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area
Trailhead: Maricopa Trail · 33.85622, -112.00680
Weather Sep 4: Light drizzle, high 96°F / low 77° · precip 3% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:51 PM
- Start on Maricopa Trail, heading SE.
- 2.3 miContinue straight onto Spur Cross Trail, heading N.
- 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 SE.
- 0.3 miPass Solar Oasis.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Metate Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miReach Solar Oasis, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Spur Cross Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Tortuga Trail, heading NW.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Elephant Mountain Trail, heading W.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading W.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Spur Cross Trail, heading SW.
- 4.1 miContinue straight onto Maricopa Trail, heading SW.
- 250 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
71% dirt29% unspecified
Weather
Light drizzleTemperature 96°F77°
Feels like91°Precip3%Wind6 mphUV8Humidity26%
Rained 0.1″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperature
100°75°
Sunrise 6:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:51 PM
Sat
97°77°
Sun
98°79°
Mon
100°85°
Tue
101°86°
Wed
99°85°
22%
Thu
98°85°
27%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.7 mi in (~77 min). Leave by 5:15 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:12 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from Maricopa Trail Trailhead
- Maricopa Trail 5.4 mi · ▲ 335 ft
- Maricopa Trail & Rockway Hill 6.4 mi · ▲ 334 ft
- Rockway Hill 6.6 mi · ▲ 335 ft
- Spur Cross Trail 8.6 mi · ▲ 637 ft
- Maricopa Trail 9.5 mi · ▲ 673 ft
- Maricopa Trail 14.8 mi · ▲ 1,237 ft
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