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| Hiking | 8.52 Miles |
1,284 AEG |
| | Hiking | 8.52 Miles | 3 Hrs 16 Mns | | 2.61 mph |
| 1,284 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | More of the Maricopa Trail. Last week I finished the section between Pima Canyon and Harmony Park on Lindsay Rd. in Mesa/Gilbert. I needed a little "real hiking" time so decided on the National Trail section from the 202 east.
I'm not terribly familiar with the trailhead area and found out that parking is something of a challenge. Since I got there a little before 7am, it was barely light. I had an idea of where I wanted to park, but getting there wasn't easy. So I ended up parking at Vee Quiva and walking another .5 mile or so along the frontage road.
I started at Ray Rd. and the freeway, which is pretty much an underpass. It was about 40 degrees and clear. I was in the shade but the Estrellas to the southwest were in the sun. The trail meanders through the desert area, much like trails around the base of Squawestewa Peak. At a little over a mile you cross San Juan Rd. for the first time. At about 2.5 miles you cross San Juan Rd. again and come to the Bajada Trailhead. Go right to stay on the Maricopa Trail, straight to take the Bajada Trail. More meandering through the desert takes you to about 3.25 miles where you begin climbing. I stayed on the National Trail until the 4 mile mark. This leaves you part way up the hill. This is about a mile or so short of where I left off previously coming from the other direction.
Very little traffic out here. I ran into two joggers just before the 4 mile mark, a solo hiker just after I turned around, and a mountain biker near the Bajada trailhead on my way back. When I got back, I walked part way up the road toward 51st Ave. to get an idea of where the trail leads. Looks like it parallels the freeway for quite a distance.
I still need to complete the section from Telegraph Pass to a couple miles east of Buena Vista. |
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