Tempe Town Lake–Indian Bend Canal, 5 lakes is a 3.5-mile out-and-back in Papago Park - Tempe near Wheel Inn Ranch, AZ. The route passes Papago Ponds, Indian Bend Canal, SRP Tempe Town Lake Marina and Tempe Town Lake. It climbs 352 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi1,161 – 1,339 ft5.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 33.45694, -111.94529
Nearest town Wheel Inn Ranch, AZ
Directions
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Tempe Town Lake–Indian Bend Canal, 5 lakes
3.5 mi · ▲ 352 ft · 1 hr 21 min
Elevation 1,160–1,338 ft
Out & Back · Papago Park - Tempe
Trailhead: 33.45694, -111.94529
Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:06 AM · sunset 6:48 PM
Transit-accessible: Phoenix Zoo stop 472 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 150 ftBear left onto Hole-In-The-Rock Trail, heading E.
- 150 ftPass Papago Ponds.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Zoo Staff Only, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 300 ftBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Crosscut Canal Multi-use Path, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 100 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 250 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Lizard Trail, heading SE.
- 250 ftPass Indian Bend Canal.
- 450 ftPass SRP Tempe Town Lake Marina.
- 0.2 miPass Tempe Town Lake.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Loma Trail, heading SW.
- 300 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading S.
- 500 ftReach Tempe Town Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 500 ftSharp left, heading W.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Lizard Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left, heading W.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
- 100 ftBear left, heading E.
- 150 ftBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 350 ftBear right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Crosscut Canal Multi-use Path, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left, heading E.
- 300 ftBear right onto Zoo Staff Only, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right onto Hole-In-The-Rock Trail, heading NW.
- 250 ftBear right, heading N.
- 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
62% dirt14% paved11% sand2% gravel11% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:06 AMSunset 6:48 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:28 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:48 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:13 PM.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Phoenix Zoo stop 472 m from the trailhead
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
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