Windgate Pass Viewpoint–Saguaro Trail, 3 sights
4.3 mi · ▲ 657 ft · 1 hr 46 min
Windgate Pass Viewpoint–Saguaro Trail, 3 sights is a 4.3-mile out-and-back in McDowell Sonoran Preserve near DC Ranch, AZ. The route reaches Windgate Pass Viewpoint at the turnaround, 2.1 miles in. It climbs 657 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 16/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Windgate Pass Viewpoint–Saguaro Trail, 3 sights
4.3 mi · ▲ 657 ft · 1 hr 46 min
Elevation 1,677–2,307 ft
Out & Back · McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Trailhead: 33.64797, -111.86178
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 99°F / low 83° · precip 4% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:51 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 500 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Saguaro Trail, heading E.
- 400 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Saguaro Loop Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left onto Gateway Loop Trail, heading E.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Windgate Pass, heading N.
- 0.4 miReach Windgate Pass Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Gateway Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 1.1 miBear right onto Saguaro Loop Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Saguaro Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 150 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~4 min). Leave by 6:27 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:09 PM — 7 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Very Large Cactus–104th Street Spur, 3 sights 1.4 mi · ▲ 107 ft
- Desert Park Trail–Horseshoe Trail, 3 sights 2 mi · ▲ 134 ft
- Desert Spring Park Lake & Desert Park Trail 3.4 mi · ▲ 217 ft
- Gateway Saddle–104th Street Spur Loop, 4 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 695 ft
- Gateway Saddle–Desert Park Trail Loop, 5 sights 5 mi · ▲ 702 ft
- East End–Mountain Spring, 6 sights 11.8 mi · ▲ 3,045 ft
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