Vulture View Scenic Point–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint Loop, 9 sights
8.6 mi · ▲ 1,510 ft · 3 hr 37 min
Vulture View Scenic Point–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint Loop, 9 sights is an 8.6-mile loop in McDowell Sonoran Preserve near Troon, AZ. The route passes Tom's Thumb Viewpoint, Vulture View Scenic Point and Mushroom Rock Scenic Point. It climbs 1,510 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 78/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Vulture View Scenic Point–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint Loop, 9 sights
8.6 mi · ▲ 1,510 ft · 3 hr 37 min
Elevation 2,174–3,692 ft
Loop · McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Trailhead: 33.69498, -111.80118
Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 92°F / low 76° · precip 4% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:50 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Marcus Landslide Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Tom's Thumb Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Feldspar Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Tom's Thumb Trail, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.5 miPass Tom's Thumb Viewpoint.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading W.
- 50 ftReach Vulture View Scenic Point, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 100 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto East End Trail, heading SW.
- 1.3 miTurn left onto Windmill Trail, heading S.
- 1 miTurn left onto Coachwhip Trail, heading SE.
- 1.7 miTurn left onto Pemberton Trail, heading NW.
- 0.7 miBear left onto Boulder Trail, heading NE.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto Marcus Landslide Trail, heading SW.
- 0.9 miPass Mushroom Rock Scenic Point.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftThe loop closes 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 1.4 mi in (~61 min). Leave by 5:29 PM for the 6:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:39 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Sven Slab–Mushroom Rock Scenic Point, 3 cliffs 1.2 mi · ▲ 226 ft
- Sven Slab & Marcus Landslide Trail 1.2 mi · ▲ 213 ft
- Mesquite Canyon–Feldspar Trail, 3 sights 1.3 mi · ▲ 136 ft
- Mesquite Canyon–Caballo Trail, 4 sights 1.3 mi · ▲ 138 ft
- Morrell's Boulder via Tom's Thumb Trail 1.4 mi · ▲ 219 ft
- Morrell's Boulder–Caballo Trail, 3 sights 1.4 mi · ▲ 262 ft
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