Great Blue Heron taking flight.jpg
Harald Nagel · CC BY-SA 4.0

Zoo Staff Only is a 2.6-mile out-and-back in Papago Park - Tempe near Marlborough Park, AZ. It climbs 399 ft. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi1,181 – 1,329 ft3.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Desert Discovery Zoo Trail 33.45013, -111.94370
Nearest town Marlborough Park, AZ

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Zoo Staff Only

2.6 mi · ▲ 399 ft · 1 hr 4 min

Elevation 1,181–1,329 ft

Out & Back · Papago Park - Tempe

Trailhead: Desert Discovery Zoo Trail · 33.45013, -111.94370

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 100°F / low 84° · precip 5% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 6:51 PM

Transit-accessible: Phoenix Zoo stop 543 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead

  1. Start on Zoo Staff Only, heading E.
  2. 500 ftTurn right, heading E.
  3. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  4. 300 ftBear right, heading S.
  5. 50 ftTurn right onto Crosscut Canal Multi-use Path, heading S.
  6. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  7. 0.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  9. 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
  10. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  11. 150 ftBear right, heading S.
  12. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  13. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  14. 200 ftBear right, heading S.
  15. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  16. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  17. 0.2 miBear right, heading E.
  18. 450 ftSharp left, heading SE.
  19. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  20. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  21. 150 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  22. 100 ftBear left, heading W.
  23. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  24. 100 ftSharp right, heading NW.
  25. 450 ftBear left, heading SW.
  26. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  27. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
  28. 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
  29. 250 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  30. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  31. 100 ftBear left, heading SE.
  32. 150 ftBear left, heading SE.
  33. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  34. 400 ftBear right, heading SE.
  35. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  36. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  37. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  38. 300 ftBear right onto Zoo Staff Only, heading NW.
  39. 0.3 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

53% dirt21% sand6% paved20% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 100°F84°
Feels like97°Precip5%Wind2 mphUV8Humidity25%
Rained 0.1″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperature
100°80°
Sunrise 6:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:51 PM
Sat 101°80°
Sun 102°79°
Mon 103°90°
Tue 105°93°
Wed 104°91° 24%
Thu 103°87° 29%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~2 min). Leave by 6:29 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:07 PM — 9 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Phoenix Zoo stop 543 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead

More from Desert Discovery Zoo Trail Trailhead