Taliesin Overlook & Lost Dog Wash Trail
5.6 mi · ▲ 532 ft · 2 hr 8 min
Taliesin Overlook & Lost Dog Wash Trail is a 5.6-mile out-and-back in McDowell Sonoran Preserve near McDowell Mountain Ranch, AZ. The route reaches Taliesin Overlook at the turnaround, 2.8 miles in. It climbs 532 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 16/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Taliesin Overlook & Lost Dog Wash Trail
5.6 mi · ▲ 532 ft · 2 hr 8 min
Elevation 1,563–2,102 ft
Out & Back · McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Trailhead: Mule Deer Trail · 33.62759, -111.86069
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 99°F / low 83° · precip 4% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:51 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Mule Deer Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 200 ftSharp left onto Quartz Trail, heading S.
- 2.1 miContinue straight onto Lost Dog Wash Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miReach Taliesin Overlook, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Quartz Trail, heading W.
- 2.1 miSharp right, heading W.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Mule Deer Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 250 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 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 right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:31 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:51 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:16 PM.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Mule Deer Trail Trailhead
- Quartz Trail 2 mi · ▲ 54 ft
- Quartz Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Mesquite Tree & Javelina Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 248 ft
- Paradise Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 353 ft
- Quartz Trail 4.8 mi · ▲ 414 ft
- 104th Street Spur–Levee trail, 3 sights 6.5 mi · ▲ 545 ft
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