Tom's Thumb–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint, 6 sights is an 11.8-mile out-and-back in McDowell Mountain Regional Park near Rio Verde Estates, AZ. The route passes Mushroom Rock Scenic Point, Tom's Thumb Viewpoint and Tom's Thumb before reaching Tom's Thumb Viewpoint at the turnaround, 5.9 miles in. It climbs 1,990 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 76/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi2,028 – 3,849 ft · steepest grade: 22%13.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Playground Trail 33.69454, -111.73558
Nearest town Rio Verde Estates, AZ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Tom's Thumb–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint, 6 sights
11.8 mi · ▲ 1,990 ft · 4 hr 56 min
Elevation 2,027–3,848 ft
Out & Back · McDowell Mountain Regional Park
Trailhead: Playground Trail · 33.69454, -111.73558
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 99°F / low 79° · precip 4% · wind 15 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:49 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Rock Nob Road, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Granite Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Bluff Trail, heading NW.
- 2.1 miBear right, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Pemberton Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Rock Knob Trail, heading SW.
- 1 miPass Mushroom Rock Scenic Point.
- 50 ftBear right onto Marcus Landslide Trail, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 400 ftTurn left onto Feldspar Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Tom's Thumb Trail, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.5 miPass Tom's Thumb Viewpoint.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Tom's Thumb, heading E.
- 0.1 miPass Tom's Thumb Viewpoint.
- 400 ftReach Tom's Thumb, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 450 ftBear right, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Tom's Thumb Trail, heading W.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading N.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Feldspar Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Marcus Landslide Trail, heading W.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 200 ftBear left onto Rock Knob Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Pemberton Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Bluff Trail, heading E.
- 2.1 miContinue straight onto Granite Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 250 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.1 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
93% dirt1% paved6% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 99°F79°
Feels like86°Precip4%Wind15 mphUV8Humidity32%
Rained 0.2″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
100°75°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:49 PM
Sun
101°83°
Mon
100°85°
Tue
102°85°
Wed
101°85°
23%
Thu
102°83°
23%
Fri
95°79°
20%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.2 mi in (~165 min). Leave by 3:44 PM for the 6:49 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:09 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Playground Trail Trailhead
- Granite Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 137 ft
- Granite Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Granite Trail 2.4 mi · ▲ 108 ft
- Wagner Trail via Granite Trail 3.6 mi · ▲ 134 ft
- Pemberton Trail 3.8 mi · ▲ 187 ft
- Pemberton Trail 3.9 mi · ▲ 187 ft
Get outside more
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