The trail will dip down and then flatten itself out. Elevation: 1,280-2,080 feet. This is one of those trails I recommend a few hours after a rain - it creates more friction on an otherwise dusty, dry trail - it provides a bit more solitude as fewer folks are put - the olfactory stimulation from the creosote. WebFeaturing city views, desert life and distinct rock formations, South Mountains Hidden Valley Trail stands out among the areas best loops. No restrooms. Bring at least 1-2 liters of water and be sure to be well hydrated. From Pima Wash Trail, Proceed to Pima West Loop. Tower workers, City staff and emergency vehicles may be on the roads at any given time, however. Continue right onto Pima Wash Trail. Mile 0.8: The trail becomes steeper as you approach Fat Mans Pass, a narrow slot in the rocks that requires some scrambling to navigate. Dress in layers, as temperatures can vary significantly between day and night. The trail will start out easy and flat, then ascend up and traverse the hills behind the ranger station. The reason is because from Fat Mans Pass you will be hiking down, and will be able to see the paths laid out better. guidelines before visiting the trail. Adding to its appeal, this route gets the climbing out of the way at the beginning while legs are still fresh. The big-picture takeaway is that the Mormon Trail-Hidden Valley Loop is a wonderful hike just a few miles from downtown. With its moderate difficulty level and easy accessibility, the Mormon Trailhead is a great option for hikers looking to experience the beauty of South Mountain. Trailmatez is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon, the amazing logo, amazonsupply, and the amazonsupply logo are trademarks of amazon.com, inc or its affiliates, Steep climb, rocky terrain, scenic overlooks, historic trail. Web[The Mormons followed a trail from Sly Park that approximates the path of the present Mormon Emigrant Trail, which extends from an intersection with Sly Park Road at Jenkinson Lake and runs generally southeast to a junction with California Highway 88 about five miles west of Silver Lake. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Continue on Stephen Mather Dr. and at the first four-way intersection, take a left. Very picturesque. We added the Mormon Trail Loop for a more substantial hike. Turn left and head a hundred yards downhill to compare your gut against the two boulders. March 7, 2023 at 5:45pm to March 7, 2023 at 8:30pm. Hidden Valley is a loop trail that branches off of National. Hang a left and walk the 1.1-mile return leg that traces a ridgeline embellished with a major rock-art site and a wash with many more petroglyphs etched by the ancient Hohokam people who were active in the area from roughly 450 to 1450. This is a busy trailhead, and all the locals know where it is. Proceed on Lower Corona until you can take a left onto Corona De Loma Trail. This is a great place to take a break and enjoy the scenery. Proceed to Warpaint Loop Trail. From Five Tables, proceed to Ranger Trail. Therefore you will see two separate trail markers for Hidden Valley. The trail weaves up and around the side of the mountain with quick elevation gain and beautiful views of Phoenix. Access: Start at the South Mountain Environmental Education Center. Saw families with kids and grandparents making it. The Mormon Trail begins with an immediate incline and it doesnt let up until you are at the junction with National Trail. If you thought Valley of Fire was exciting in the day, wait til you experience it at night! Mormon Trail to Hidden Valley quick facts: 3.4 miles (5.5 km) total distance of trail loop (out and back) 918 feet (280 m) elevation gain; most of it in the first mile Moderate level of difficulty Requires only 2 to 3 hours to complete the entire loop 4.5 star rating (out of 5) on alltrails.com star rating: (over 500 reviews) Access: Start from Warpaint Dr. Access Trailhead. Seeing as how Hidden Valley is located off of National Trail (which runs the entire length of South Mountain), there are multiple ways of getting there. Getting there: From central Phoenix, go south on Seventh Avenue to Baseline Road. Corona De Loma is a rough and sometimes steep trail heading up from the Desert Classic to the National Trail near Buena Vista Lookout atop South Mountain Park. Trail was mostly up hill with an uneven, rocky path. One for Mormon Loop on your left and another for National Trail straight ahead. 8. This is an excellent trail. Either way, if you're in the Phoenix area and do not want to go too far for a great hike or you're just now getting into hiking, add this trail to your list. Access: Start at Pima Canyon Trailhead. Once past the tunnel, the trail continues a little further and you will see a trail marker directing you to turn left to get back to the area where the Mormon and National Trail junction is located. Fun all day long. South Mountain is one of the most notable mountains in the East Valley due to its different trailheads in Ahwatukee, Chandler, and Phoenix. North side of mountain so a bit more green. Leave no trace by packing out all of your trash and minimizing your impact on the environment. Access: Start at Pima Canyon Trailhead. South Mountain Map Check. We will be doing an intermediate afternoon/evening hike to Hidden Valley via the Mormon Trail. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. Totaling just under four miles, Hidden Valley can be accessed via the Mormon and National trails; starting at the trailhead, youll follow Mormon until you reach National Trail West. WebThe Mormon Trail is very well-defined, well designed and well-trodden at the beginning, but it becomes much more rugged and harder to follow the higher it goes. Access: Start at the Park Main Entrance. 4. Excellent conditions, almost 9km from the car. We did not do the loop. This is definitely an intense hike! Wish we would have gotten here earlier so we could do the whole trail before sunset. But hikers are not immune toits soul-sapping vortex. We will be doing an intermediate afternoon/evening hike to Hidden Valley via the Mormon Trail. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Access: Start at Mormon Trailhead to proceed to Mormon Trail. Always carry a first aid kit and emergency supplies, including a whistle and a map or GPS device. 2. Use the ModernHiker mobile app to download this map and complete trail description for offline access. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 34 min to complete. For this article, I started Hidden Valley at Fat Mans Pass. There are some petroglyphs along the Mormon Trail. Although few would argue against the benefits of setting and achieving goals, what constitutes a best trail is debatable. Difficulty: Moderate - (Should Be For Some One That Exercises Often) Hike Duration: 180 minutes. Access: Enter from the Park Main Entrance and proceed on Stephen Mather Dr. to connect to San Juan Rd. WebMormon Trailhead 8610 S. 24th St. Hidden Valley Trail Access: Start at Mormon Trailhead to connect to Mormon Trail. Proceed to Pyramid Trail. From here you will proceed to hike forward toward National Trail for only about 0.1 of a mile. Take, for instance, the Mormon Trail-Hidden Valley Loop in South Mountain Park. The trail is easy to follow, the destination is great and like most South Mountain Park Trails, it's the perfect balance between a workout and killer views. The ubiquitous expression describes a common affliction of missing the big picturein a haze of minutia. difficulty rating. Mile 1.0: After a challenging climb, youll reach a saddle with sweeping views of the valley. The classic Phoenix circuit has many of the positive components on hiker checklists. All rights reserved. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 43 min to complete. A moderate trail with some technical hiking sections but mostly gravel. If youre willing to hike another half-mile, you can see the natural tunnel on Hidden Valley Trail. We will go at a relatively fast pace of around a 20 min/mile for the group. Rating: Easy-moderate. Nice, scenic hike with views of the entire valley. It is one of the older trails in the park, and it was built with inmate labor plus Civilian Conservation Corps men back in the 1930's The large switchbacks remain as a testimony of their hard work and dedication. So while it may get you breathing heavy and your heart rate up, it wont take too long to do so. Plan your hikes for early mornings or late afternoons to avoid the hottest part of the day. Turn right (West) on Chandler Boulevard and continue going West until you reach the intersection with Ray Road. Trail was amazing! Chandler Blvd. Tealights will guide you, but a flashlight with a red setting is recommended. When you come to the Hidden Valley, Mormon Trail Junction, continue to take Mormon Trail. Photographs are encouraged, though. Although allowed, bikes are not recommended on the Mormon Trail due to the high numbers of hikers usually on the trail. Throughout the trail, marked poles with the letter M lead the way so that you will not get lost. This multi-use trail can be used both directions and has a moderate overall physical rating with a 17 ft blue climb. Mormon Trail is a fairly busy trail much of the time. To start with the shorter Hidden Valley Loop, continue straight ahead on Mormon Trail and head right on the National Trail. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Especially for the hike back down. This is a popular rest and picture spot! This trail is great for hiking, mountain biking, and trail running. Access: Start at Pima Canyon Trailhead. From Fat Man's Pass, you can begin the hike back to the trailhead, or continue through Hidden Valley (if you have done your research and know where to go). Very limited shade and bring plenty of water if you do the loops. Judging from trail wear, lots of people start this trail, but most don't go far. Some folks use the larger rock on the right side of the pass as a rock slide, which you can do too! Request Tour (602) 628-8175 Send an Email Highlights Here are some of the most popular amenities Patio Floor Plans 1 unit available 4+ Bedrooms 4 bed 3 bath 2283 sqft To get to the trailhead: From the Phoenix area, take I-10 south to Chandler Blvd. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Generally considered a moderately challenging route. 1. Get to know this 3.6-mile loop trail near Phoenix, Arizona. Parking Cost: Free. Watch your footing, but make sure to look up from time to time to drink in the panoramic city and boulder sceneries! Mile 0.0: The trailhead for the Mormon Trail is located at the end of 24th Street in Phoenix. Its a popular hike that offers amazing views of the valley below, making it a great choice for hikers looking for a challenging and rewarding experience. Totaling just under four miles, Hidden Valley can be accessed via the Mormon and National trails; starting at the trailhead, youll follow Mormon until you reach National Trail West. Though it approaches a mile and a half high, South Pass is the lowest point on the Continental Divide between the Central and Southern Rocky Mountains. The trail begins at the Mormon Trailhead and immediately begins to ascend up the mountain. Review"Take a Hike. Continue making a loop back to the Mormon Trail to return. For the most part, this path is in a wash, which makes it clear and easy to navigate. As a matter of fact, this is one of the trails I took when I first started hiking before I knew what other gems Arizona has to offer. 3. 4. November 1 to April 30 - 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The rocks are extremely smooth, due to being hidden and protected from weather erosion so sliding down is as easy as sliding down any other slide in a playground. The parkboastsmore than50 miles oftrails forhiking, horseback ridingand mountain biking. Desert FoothillsTrailhead14251 S. Desert Foothills Pkwy. There were a few bikers and other hikers. Access: Start at the Park Main Entrance. These are some of the best views in my opinion! WebThe portion of the Overland Trail in Wyoming, especially between Fort Bridger and Cheyenne Pass, had been scouted eastwards in 1850 by Captain Howard Stansbury of the U.S. Topographical Engineers, who was looking for an overland trail south of the Mormon-Oregon Trail in order to avoid the heavy snows of the more northern route. Length 2.4 miElevation gain 744 ftRoute type Out & back. Passage Map refers to the downloadable map available for this passage. Pyramid Trail starts out fairly easy from the Area 620 Trailhead, but it quickly gets steep at the base of the ridge it climbs. During the Summer, starting before 7AM is recommended to avoid the sweltering heat. 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