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| Hiking | 5.48 Miles |
654 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.48 Miles | 3 Hrs 5 Mns | | 2.45 mph |
| 654 ft AEG | 51 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | Because MJ was returning merchandise to the shop at nearby Taliesin West, we picked this suburban trail out of the blue. Found only 2 triplogs, the one by mt98dew on July 4 was informative. Turned out to be a unique if unrewarding jaunt amid three subdivisions within McDowell Mountain Ranch and, for a while, along the edge of Sanctuary golf course.
Unique? It was the first time I've had to punch in a security code to get to a trailhead. The gate to Sonoran Fairways was closed. And if MJ hadn't called the "Open House" number to get the code, we would've been shut out. A better option, we later learned, would be to park at the McDowell Mountain Golf Club lot and walk across the street to pick up the trail at 106th Way and Sheena. After getting inside the gate, the TH, if you could call it that, was at the end of a cul-de-sac on Conieson Rd. No sign, only a faint trail leading off to the left through heavy brush.
The first trail sign appears near a corner of the golf course, which we arced around, then passed thru a tunnel under 106th Way and finally out onto the main trail.
Although it is within the Sonoran Mountain Preserve, it quickly became apparent this is a trail for nearby residents. As mt98dew pointed out, it is a nice trail for bikers and today, fairly busy. Also saw a couple of joggers and one other hiker.
Nothing interesting here on this strip of chaparral along a wash between Sonoran Estates and Sienna Canyon subdivisions. Houses are always visible at the sides of the trail. Surmise this is an attractive wildflower area come spring. We stopped for sandwiches at a shaded spot just off the trail with good views of the McDowell Mountains to the east.
At the high end of the Taliesin at 1,943' el by my GPS, it connects with two other trails including the Quartz, which I believe leads up high to Lost Dog Wash Trail.
It is one of those trails, that if it ever went away, I wouldn't care. For me, the Taliesin was a once in a lifetime moment. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 
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Quartz 
. George rode in the hiking house the whole time and I am not sure how Brad carried him up the last straight up stretch to the quartz outcrop. Caroline was so irritated at how slow we were getting to the top and then she loved climbing on the "white lava" as she called it of the quartz vein.
. As it was trying to sleep, other birds were waking it up...such as gila woodpeckers knocking the saguaro 
