Windgate Pass Viewpoint–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint, 8 sights is a 15.5-mile out-and-back in McDowell Sonoran Preserve near Rio Verde Estates, AZ. The route passes Mushroom Rock Scenic Point, Tom's Thumb Viewpoint and Windgate Pass before reaching Windgate Pass Viewpoint at the turnaround, 7.7 miles in. It climbs 3,213 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 76/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi2,028 – 3,691 ft · steepest grade: 23%16.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Playground Trail 33.69454, -111.73558
Nearest town Rio Verde Estates, AZ
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Windgate Pass Viewpoint–Tom's Thumb Viewpoint, 8 sights
15.5 mi · ▲ 3,213 ft · 6 hr 46 min
Elevation 2,027–3,692 ft
Out & Back · McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Trailhead: Playground Trail · 33.69454, -111.73558
Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:50 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.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto East End Trail, heading S.
- 1.3 miTurn right onto Windgate Pass, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Bell Pass Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Windgate Pass, heading SW.
- 0.8 miPass Windgate Pass.
- 250 ftReach Windgate Pass Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Bell Pass Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Windgate Pass, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto East End Trail, heading SE.
- 1.2 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Tom's Thumb Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Feldspar Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Marcus Landslide Trail, heading W.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 150 ftBear left onto Rock Knob Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Pemberton Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Bluff Trail, heading E.
- 2.1 miContinue straight onto Granite Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 250 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.2 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
95% dirt5% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:04 AMSunset 6:50 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.4 mi in (~175 min). Leave by 3:35 PM for the 6:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:16 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
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