Coach Whip Trail - Thunderbird Photoset • mt98dew • 2025-06-30 • HikeArizona.COM

Coach Whip Trail - Thunderbird, AZ

	2025-06-30
	7 by mt98dew

Coach Whip Trail - Thunderbird

Phoenix, AZ

Coach Whip Trail - Thunderbird

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking	8.58 Miles	1,069 AEG

Hiking	8.58 Miles	2 Hrs 39 Mns	3.24 mph
	1,069 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Early morning hike at Thunderbird Park. Thought it was time to revisit the Coachwhip Trail. Not my favorite trail, but it had been awhile since I had last done it.

Got to the park at 4:40. Had to wait until 5 for the, to open the gates. I was hoping with the extreme heat that they might expand their hours. No luck.

On the trails shortly after 5 and followed the Coachwhip as it is layed out to where it ends at Potter St. The trail is aptly named, because it winds and meanders without much thought and comes close to touching all the other trails in the park. On the way back I shortened the trail by about .6 miles by taking the bridge to cross 59th Ave. (technically, the Coachwhip crosses 59th at the stop light.

Not a huge fan of the Coachwhip. It doesn’t have any connecting trails at its southern terminus, so you have to do this as an in and out. And because of this, it doesn’t get a lot of action and is probably one of the rockier trails in the park (and that is saying something). All that being said, it was still a pleasant hike today. Temps were in the low 90’s and I had hillside shade for most of the hike. Definitely a morning trail. Lot of people getting out early: 19 hikers, 2 bikers (one on the backside of the Coachwhip

) and 1 trail runner. Not much wildlife; a rabbit and a roadrunner.

_____________________

username		X
password		X