McDowell Sonoran Preserve 133 mile all-trails list

[Crzy4AZ]

As promised (to @tibber and @trekkin gecko) here is the list of McDowell Sonoran Preserve (MSP) trails that I've compiled by these methods:

(1) copying list directly from the back of the 3 city maps (northern, central, southern) found online and at trailheads in three colors (northern-green, central-blue, southern-white)

(2) highlighting all the trails on the 3 maps and adding all the little segments to the list

(3) new trails that I know from hiking myself and word of mouth within McDowell Sonoran Conservancy (includes Coyote Canyon, Dove Valley, Hawk's Nest, Kovach interpretive trail)

(4) HAZ posts showing access trails (sunrise equestrian, lost dog wash access) with GPS routes confirmed in person

Trails that are NOT included in this list are those that are not officially sanctioned paths like East End peak, McDowell peak, McDowell ridgeline.

I'm still missing a few tenths mile - - probably some access trails somewhere. But this is the best I could do!!

[Sun_Ray]

Laurie, thanks so much!

[DarthStiller]

@Crzy4AZ

7. And the Tonto parking lot at the very very end of 136th Street (great way to access northern Preserve legally) will be paved soon.

Is this up near the intersection of 136th St. and Montello? All the maps I find show no parking anywhere north of the Granite Mtn. TH.

[Crzy4AZ]

@Darth Stiller
The parking lot is not on City maps. It would be on a Tonto map. Just a smidge past Montello on 136th St is the parking lot. I will post some pics from a Jan 14th hike and tag you in a pic comment to see.

[Crzy4AZ]

@Darth Stiller
Here is link to little photo set of the Tonto parking lot - easy way to access northeast corner of Preserve.

http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=41390

[DarthStiller]

@Crzy4AZ
Is it on the east or west side of 136th St? On googlemaps I see 2 houses between Montello and Old Wagon Road on the east side of 136th. just north of Old Wagon Road on the west side of 136th St. there looks like a clearing that might be a parking lot. Is that it? And it's legal to park there?

[Crzy4AZ]

@Darth Stiller
Neither. It's at the end of the road past all houses. Look at four pics I just posted on Jan 14th hike for Soapberry Wash.

[DarthStiller]

@Crzy4AZ
Ok, at first I only looked at the last 2 pics. On googlemaps it looks like it just fades into a trail, but seeing that official Tonto sign and gate there makes it hard to miss. Thank you, I can start finishing those northern trails now.

[Crzy4AZ]

@Darth Stiller The way I "knocked out" a bunch of the super-north with limited time was to park at either Granite Mtn or Brown's and take Uber up to Stagecoach Rd. It's $17 from Granite Mtn and $14 from Brown's Ranch. The address I use to call for cab is: 36242 N Boulder View Drive.

Also once to get at Powerline #1 and few others - I parked off Legend Trail road (legal 5 or 6 spots) and walked through State Land Trust and popped out at BR9 marker. Zillions of spur trails - so having Maprika app running was helpful. Thanks to @Sun_Ray for the tip for parking area.

[Crzy4AZ]

@Darth Stiller

Here's the GPS route for parking legally off Legend Trail Rd. You need State Land Trust permit in case someone runs into you and asks for it (LOL!). This was the only way for me to make Powerline Road #1 trail bearable/tolerable.

http://hikearizona.com/map.php?GPS=30878

Although TONS of people park along the northern side of Dynamite Rd at junction of Pima/Dynamite and take Powerline Road #1 trail from there up into Brown's Ranch. That is still State land until City hopefully buys it up for future TH. And another 30 miles or so of new trails in there! I've seen the proposed map of those trails - - pretty and cool links with Cone Mtn, etc.