AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Wave Cave–Carney Springs Trail, 6 sights

15.2 mi · ▲ 3,807 ft · 6 hr 58 min

Wave Cave–Carney Springs Trail, 6 sights is a 15.2-mile out-and-back near Gold Canyon, AZ. The route reaches Wave Cave. It climbs 3,807 ft, with sections as steep as 50% grade. It scores 82/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi1,903 – 4,862 ft · steepest grade: 50%16.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 33.35551, -111.40571
Nearest town Gold Canyon, AZ
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Wave Cave–Carney Springs Trail, 6 sights

15.2 mi · ▲ 3,807 ft · 6 hr 58 min

Elevation 1,904–4,861 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 33.35551, -111.40571

Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:46 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  3. 500 ftBear left, heading N.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  5. 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
  6. 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  7. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  8. 1.1 miBear left, heading NE.
  9. 250 ftBear right, heading NE.
  10. 0.6 miTurn left, heading NE.
  11. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Lost Goldmine Trail, heading NW.
  12. 1.5 miTurn right, heading E.
  13. 50 ftSharp left, heading E.
  14. 300 ftTurn right, heading E.
  15. 0.4 miTurn left onto Carney Springs Trail, heading E.
  16. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Wave Cave Trail, heading E.
  17. 0.7 miReach Wave Cave, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  18. 0.6 miTurn left, heading SE.
  19. 0.1 miSharp left onto Carney Springs Trail, heading SE.
  20. 0.8 miBear left onto Superstition Ridgeline Trail, heading NW.
  21. 150 ftBear left, heading NW.
  22. 350 ftBear left, heading N.
  23. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  24. 0.2 miBear right, heading W.
  25. 1.3 miBear right, heading W.
  26. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  27. 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
  28. 0.5 miTurn left, heading NW.
  29. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  30. 300 ftSharp left onto Hieroglyphic Trail #101, heading NW.
  31. 2.7 miContinue straight onto Hieroglyphic Trail/Lost Goldmine Trail, heading S.
  32. 50 ftBear left onto Lost Goldmine Trail, heading S.
  33. 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
  34. 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
  35. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  36. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  37. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
  38. 300 ftBear left, heading S.
  39. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  40. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
  41. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  42. 0.8 miTurn right, heading S.
  43. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  44. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  45. 500 ftTurn left, heading S.
  46. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/wave-cave-carney-springs-trail-out-back-6-sights

Trail surface

57% dirt43% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:04 AMSunset 6:46 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:25 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:46 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:11 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Gold Canyon, Arizona