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Saguaro Trail #50 - Hawes - 12 members in 54 triplogs have rated this an average 3.2 ( 1 to 5 best )
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Jun 22 2025
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 Guides 27
 Routes 669
 Photos 12,096
 Triplogs 856

56 male
 Joined Jul 05 2006
 Mesa, AZ
Hawes Trail SystemPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 22 2025
DarthStillerTriplogs 856
Hiking7.79 Miles 1,003 AEG
Hiking7.79 Miles   3 Hrs   48 Mns   2.10 mph
1,003 ft AEG      5 Mns Break
 
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Hiked a nearly 8 mile loop in this area from the Power Road TH. I can never keep track of the names of the trails in this area. I tried to keep it kind of level but I still got over 1K AEG. The climbs kind of sneak up on you. Lots of bikers early, no one at all the last 3.5 miles. Then when I got back there were hikers going out starting after 10am.

Only interesting thing to see were the 2 coyotes checking out the bikers helping out another biker who's bike was broken. they seemed to be hovering over them, like they sensed a woundedness. When they spotted me getting pics of them, they got spooked and took off. :lol:

Seemed kind of hot at first after sitting in the AC, but then the temperature was actually very mild for late June in Phoenix. The low humidity has been a big plus lately.
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Coyote
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Feb 23 2025
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 Guides 27
 Routes 669
 Photos 12,096
 Triplogs 856

56 male
 Joined Jul 05 2006
 Mesa, AZ
Twisted Sister - HawesPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Feb 23 2025
DarthStillerTriplogs 856
Hiking8.53 Miles 1,243 AEG
Hiking8.53 Miles   3 Hrs   32 Mns   2.43 mph
1,243 ft AEG      1 Min Break
 
1st trip
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Started just before 7am at the Power Road TH. Took the Roadrunner Trail to Hawes, then Saguaro, and up to the Twisted Sister Trail, which I haven't hiked in several years. Before heading down Twisted Sister, I hiked over to the mine, which is listed as a prospect on the topo. It's kind of a let down since there's a grate over the entrance, and it's so far in that you can't even get good pictures. It was weird that as I got up to grate and inside the entrance, my camera battery dies even though it has a full charge. Once I was out of the mine area, it was fine. It did this same when I was at the Clapp Mine 2 months ago :-k .

The hike down Twisted Sister is very easy and enjoyable, the hike back on the Riverview trail is not. That's getting to be my least favorite trail in this area. It stays in the same elevation "range", which is to say that it's constantly either going up or down, and can be steep in some areas. One of the benefits of climbing up on a trail is that you'll get nice views, but on this trail, as soon as you climb, you immediately descend the same amount, then immediately climb again, etc. :x . I know it's designed more for the bikers and that's why it's like that. I would rather that they extend the Bush Lite Trail further west down by the highway so you can complete a loop between the two sides of this trail system without having to deal with this trail. :SB: :M2C:

I saw as many hikers as bikers this time, which is kind of rare in this area, which is mostly used by the bikers. I think the west half is where the hikers use it more.
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Jan 04 2025
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 Guides 44
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 Photos 24,766
 Triplogs 2,411

75 male
 Joined May 04 2004
 Mesa, AZ
Hawes Mostly-On Trail Loop, AZ 
Hawes Mostly-On Trail Loop, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Jan 04 2025
CannondaleKidTriplogs 2,411
Hiking4.20 Miles 541 AEG
Hiking4.20 Miles   1 Hour   39 Mns   2.55 mph
541 ft AEG10 LBS Pack
 no routes
1st trip
Again, taking the shortest drive to the closest trailhead for another short hike, this time Tracey was along for company and this time the general direction was CCW, the opposite of yesterday.

From the Bush Highway Trailhead we crossed the road, dropped into the wash along Road Runner Trail(?), then climbed South up Ridge Trail #59 to connect with Hawes Trail #52, which we took South to Saguaro Trail #50, which we followed off-and-on, checking out an abandoned squatter camp before a short stint on Granite Trail #54, more off-trail before taking Ridge Trail most of the way back to the TH. Not getting the best start of ramping up the hiking miles this year, and the motivation is still a bit lagging, but no worries, it'll come around soon enough.
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CannondaleKid
 
Jan 03 2025
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 Guides 44
 Routes 162
 Photos 24,766
 Triplogs 2,411

75 male
 Joined May 04 2004
 Mesa, AZ
Hawes On-Off Trail Loop, AZ 
Hawes On-Off Trail Loop, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Jan 03 2025
CannondaleKidTriplogs 2,411
Hiking4.80 Miles 673 AEG
Hiking4.80 Miles   1 Hour   35 Mns   3.03 mph
673 ft AEG10 LBS Pack
 no routes
Partners none no partners
Following a year that I mountain biked 56%/44% over hiking (& all-time high of 2,505 miles biking),
I kind of doubted that during this year, when my age will top 3/4 of a century (which my knees and hips keep me aware of), that I would be able to keep up that pace so maybe I'd swing toward a 50/50 bike/hike ratio.

But wouldn't you know it, I started off on the wrong foot (not on foot at all?) by biking before my first hike of the year. Even then, for my first hike of the year, it was all I could do to get motivated enough that I drove only as far as the absolute closest trailhead.

From the Bush Highway Trailhead (Bush Hwy & Granite Reef Dam Road) I crossed the road, dropped into the wash along Road Runner Trail(?), turned onto Ridge Trail #59, followed it until heading cross-country to hit a few rocky overlooks, then onto Saddle Trail #51 for a while, more off-trail, a bit on Saguaro Trail #50 before a final off-trail bee-line back to the TH. Not much more than an abbreviated aimless wandering hike, but at least I got my first miles in.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Mount McDowell (Red Mountain)
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CannondaleKid
 
Dec 11 2024
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 Guides 116
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 Photos 11,399
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63 male
 Joined Dec 20 2010
 Sunnyslope, PHX
Saguaro Trail #50 - HawesPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Dec 11 2024
kingsnakeTriplogs 894
Hiking5.98 Miles 910 AEG
Hiking5.98 Miles   2 Hrs   14 Mns   2.68 mph
910 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Partners none no partners
I hadn’t put my shoes on dirt in three weeks, and hadn’t done a decent hike in four weeks ago. It’s not like I’ve been lazy: I rode my bike three times a week and, over Thanksgiving, hit the hotel gym. (It was high teens in Kansas City, so no way I was braving the outdoors!)

I left home in Sunnyslope at 6:00 a.m. Since it doesn’t get light until after 7:00 a.m., I stopped for breakfast at the Waffle House across from Mesa’s Falcon Field.

Though it was light enough to hike, it was only 37°, so I waited for the sun to peak over the hills. I headed out around 8:30. I planned to hike Saguaro Trail #50, Riverview, Big Sister, and Mine Trail loop clockwise.

Riverview Trail is is rated black diamond for mountain bikes, but hiking is no problem. Not high enough for actual river views though.

When I got to the bottom of Big Sister Trail, I discovered it is downhill only. As I stood there trying to figure out my next move, a friendly passing biker told me about Twisted Sister, which is two-way.

There are not may saguaro, nor photogenic boulders, in the area. Obviously, no flowers. You'd think the desert would have something, since I've found healthy Virginia bluebell and grape hyacinth in Maryland at 27°.

Mine Trail has an actual mine, but it is barred. 😕

The best view of the Salt River is about half way down steep & slippery Mine Trail.

Rumble Video: https://rumble.com/v5zm8tq-hiking-hawes ... -mesa.html
Vimeo Video: https://vimeo.com/1039451185
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation None
Not one.
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http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored.
  2 archives
Jun 23 2024
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 Guides 27
 Routes 669
 Photos 12,096
 Triplogs 856

56 male
 Joined Jul 05 2006
 Mesa, AZ
Fenceline Trail - HawesPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 23 2024
DarthStillerTriplogs 856
Hiking6.84 Miles 524 AEG
Hiking6.84 Miles   2 Hrs   59 Mns   2.29 mph
524 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Partners none no partners
Sunday morning hike close to home. I wanted to hike over by First Water again, but it seems like the fire fighting operations there might still create some restrictions, so I headed over to Hawes. Parked at the Power and Thomas Walgreens. Missed the Fenceline Trail at first and hiked on the west side of the CAP canal, which also has a trail there. It crosses the canal and then ends, at which point there's a small section to hike next to the road before getting back on the Hawes trails. The trail is in good shape, only issue were the several abandoned homeless encampments nearby.

Did a loop with the Saguaro and Ridge trails and then got to the actual Fenceline Trail and headed back. Kept it short. Legs were a little sore from hiking Ord the day before, but not too bad. The humidity was in full force. Shirt and pants were soaked at the end and this was a very easy, leisurely hike. Didn't feel like trying to push out another mile or 2 in that soup.
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Apr 21 2024
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 Guides 27
 Routes 669
 Photos 12,096
 Triplogs 856

56 male
 Joined Jul 05 2006
 Mesa, AZ
Saguaro Trail #50 - HawesPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Apr 21 2024
DarthStillerTriplogs 856
Hiking4.17 Miles 470 AEG
Hiking4.17 Miles   2 Hrs   27 Mns   1.70 mph
470 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Partners none no partners
Went up to the Power Road TH by Hawes to get a few miles in for a Sunday morning. Woke up with very stiff and sore legs from the hike to 5057 the day before and as a result, I didn't get far on this hike. Any downhill grade was hard to do, and steep sections were a bit outright painful. The first drop into the wash from Power Road was rough. I was able to press on for a couple miles when the trail that parallels the Bush Hwy started to gain elevation (signs there call it Riverview, but i've seen other names online). I didn't have a problem going up, but after 2 miles my legs weren't getting any looser so it seemed like the best idea to head back and not push it too much. Took a couple spur trails get a little more mileage in with an easy grade. Still feeling it later in the day, but it's only muscle soreness to overall that's actually a good thing. Time for a few cans of non-aspiring pain reliever :D :D .
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Feb 27 2024
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 Guides 116
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63 male
 Joined Dec 20 2010
 Sunnyslope, PHX
Hawes Trail #52 - HawesPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Feb 27 2024
kingsnakeTriplogs 894
Hiking8.52 Miles 1,051 AEG
Hiking8.52 Miles   3 Hrs   17 Mns   2.59 mph
1,051 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
I put together an almost 10-mile loop. I thought I’d downloaded my intended the route to my GPS, but NOOO … Fudge. Fiddlestix. I wasn’t going to drive 35 miles home, so I decided to wing it.

The trails wre great for hiking, but beyond my minimal biking capabilities: The minor wash crossings, though not high, were steep & slippery.

There are trails spider-webbed all over the Hawes area. Most of the intersections are signed in some manner, though not always clearly. If you lose your way, just head in the general direction of Red Mountain: Eventually, you will hit the highway.

The high-end Las Sendas community is tight against a 300 ft. hill. I “remembered” the trail continuing straight, but instead it turned north, to curl around the hill, which confused me. I wasn’t lost, I just thought I’d somehow wandered off the route I failed to load onto my GPS. All along Las Sendas, there are concrete posts marking buried fiber optic cable.

I split left onto Trail #51, then soon after split right onto Magic Mountain Trail. Though only ⅓ mile long, MMT’s boulders were the highlight of my day.

The “far” end of Magic Mountain Trail is anchored on Trail #52. Rather than continue as intended, and make more wrong turns, I decided to start working my way back towards Bush Highway. Several times, I considered taking a shortcut down a wash, towards Red Mountain, but stuck to the endlessly MTB-optimized twisting trails instead.

At Saguaro Trail #50, I turned left, southwest, downhill. Besides Red Mountain, another good landmark is the levee on the west side of the highway, at the base of the butte: That’s where the trailhead is. Unfortunately, Trail #50 kept dragging me southwest, rather than turning towards the levee.

At an unnamed bike repair station, I was unsure which way to go. I headed right, towards Red Mountain. I didn’t want to hike to the river, so after a bit I turned southwest towards the levee. Thankfully, the switchbacks were over, and I was done with my loop 15 minutes and less than a mile later.

Rumble Video: https://rumble.com/v4gyuof-hawes-trail-system-hike.html
Vimeo Video: https://vimeo.com/918860626
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Mount McDowell (Red Mountain)
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Isolated
fiddleneck, blue dck, Mexican gold poppy, lesser yellowthroat gilia, scarlet bugler, redstem storksbill, white woolly daisy, lupine, distant phacelia, red and yellow pea.
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http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored.
 
Feb 17 2024
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 Guides 27
 Routes 669
 Photos 12,096
 Triplogs 856

56 male
 Joined Jul 05 2006
 Mesa, AZ
Boulderdash Trail - HawesPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Feb 17 2024
DarthStillerTriplogs 856
Hiking9.20 Miles 1,455 AEG
Hiking9.20 Miles   4 Hrs   8 Mns   2.23 mph
1,455 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Been meaning to hike the newly built Boulderdash Trail over by Hawes and finally got to it. Hiked it downhill to make it easier, although the steep drops can be dicey with the scree. My general thought is that it's probably safer to hike these types of trails uphill since they're built more for the bikers and you can see them when they're coming. It's pretty much impossible for a biker to go uphill on this trail. I only encountered 2 bikers on this trail coming downhill behind me and was able to get out of their way. The trail is fun to hike, but you have to be careful on the steep drops.

Started from the Power Rd/Bush Hwy TH and took the Ridge, Saddle and Saguaro Trails over to the Lower Gidro and hiked up that to get to the top of the Boulderdash, then hiked back mostly the same route. Only saw 4 or 5 bikers until the last mile, then a lot of hikers and bikers. Early start in the dark makes for less crowded trails for most of the hike, especially at the higher elevations.
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Feb 03 2024
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 Guides 2
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 Photos 93
 Triplogs 204

male
 Joined Aug 08 2020
 Phx az
Twisted Sister - Upper & LowerPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Feb 03 2024
ScaredyCatTriplogs 204
Hiking11.21 Miles 1,517 AEG
Hiking11.21 Miles   5 Hrs   11 Mns   2.42 mph
1,517 ft AEG      33 Mns Break
 
no photosets
1st trip
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Joined a 10 am Meetup with a large group for a loop that is listed on AT. After that I went with one other hiker for a lengthy extension.

We hiked the horse tail trail in it's entirety. Why is this banned on here? We then did the twisted sister loop. Annoying a couple of bicyclists along the way. Took the horse tail trail back to the TH.
 
Dec 28 2023
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 Routes 189
 Photos 7,236
 Triplogs 1,740

57 male
 Joined Apr 25 2011
 Goodyear, AZ
Hawes Trail SystemPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Mtn Biking avatar Dec 28 2023
NightstalkerTriplogs 1,740
Mtn Biking15.80 Miles 1,669 AEG
Mtn Biking15.80 Miles   2 Hrs   14 Mns   7.52 mph
1,669 ft AEG      8 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 no routes
1st trip
Parked on Bush Hwy across from Mesquite trail and took Riverview east to Lower Mine, Granite, Ridge, Saguaro, Twisted Sister, down Big Sister, Wild Horse all the way to Scorpion, Bush Lite East, Bush Lite Loop, and Bush Lite West back to the start. First time riding trail on both the east and west side. Lots and lots of climbing. Interesting observation. Saw mostly hikers on the eastern trails, Granite, Ridge, Saguaro and bikers on the western trails, Wild Horse etc.
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Dec 24 2023
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 Guides 27
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 Photos 12,096
 Triplogs 856

56 male
 Joined Jul 05 2006
 Mesa, AZ
Hawes Trail SystemPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Dec 24 2023
DarthStillerTriplogs 856
Hiking8.47 Miles 1,322 AEG
Hiking8.47 Miles   3 Hrs   52 Mns   2.21 mph
1,322 ft AEG      2 Mns Break
 
I started from the Power Road TH early at 6am in the dark and did a loop counter clockwise. I just wanted to get some mileage in quick before getting ready for Xmas Eve and this fits the bill nicely being so close to home. Getting the early start in the dark reduced the amount of overall traffic for a while, especially bikers. Although I did see one biker farther ahead of me with a headlamp.

The fog made for some nice pictures. It seemed to clear up a little after a couple of hours and then a second wave seemed to roll in. I was expecting to have sunny skies but the entire time it was overcast and foggy. The last couple of miles the amount of foot traffic increased. It was chilly at the start but remained cool the entire time. Higher up there were some breezes.
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Jan 18 2023
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 Guides 8
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 Triplogs 273

59 male
 Joined Oct 07 2017
 Chandler, AZ
Granite Trail #54 - HawesPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Jan 18 2023
YoderTriplogs 273
Hiking7.00 Miles 1,250 AEG
Hiking7.00 Miles   2 Hrs   35 Mns   2.94 mph
1,250 ft AEG      12 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 no routes
1st trip
Partners none no partners
Combination of sections of a number of hikes in the western region of HAWES to make a loop. including:
1. Granite Trail #54 (0.4)
2. Saguaro Trail (1.9)
3. Saddle Trail (0.8)
4. Ridge Trail #59 (0.7)
5. Saguaro Trail (0.4)
6. HAWES Pig Trail (0.8)
7. Ridge Trail #59 (0.9)
8. Granite Trail #54 (0.8)


Trails are well marked. Wanted to create a loop hike that ran between 5-10 miles.
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J. Yoder
 
Sep 10 2022
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 Guides 27
 Routes 669
 Photos 12,096
 Triplogs 856

56 male
 Joined Jul 05 2006
 Mesa, AZ
Hawes Trail SystemPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Sep 10 2022
DarthStillerTriplogs 856
Hiking8.97 Miles 1,618 AEG
Hiking8.97 Miles   4 Hrs   10 Mns   2.16 mph
1,618 ft AEG      1 Min Break
 
Partners none no partners
I hadn't hiked up to cell tower on the Usery Mountains in well over a decade. I've balked at this one before since it's so steep on the last climb. The weather was supposed to be cooler and the rain the night before seemed like it might help. It did not. From the get go the humidity was oppressive.

It's a gradual climb from Power Road to the base of mountain, then a slog up to the road. I was pretty drenched by the time I got up there. I spotted another trail that continues to the peaks, but I wasn't having it. I barely had enough water left to get back to the car. Save that for another, cooler day.

The hike back down was easier. Scenery at the start was amazing with fog banks rolling through the hills.

There is new signage when you enter the trails stating that E-bikes are prohibited. I still saw a few bikers who had them, however. Hopefully that doesn't grow into a problem.
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Jun 05 2022
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 Guides 2
 Routes 267
 Photos 9,816
 Triplogs 402

62 male
 Joined Dec 02 2014
 Mesa, AZ
Sunset Ridge - HawesPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 05 2022
adillingTriplogs 402
Hiking1.36 Miles 858 AEG
Hiking1.36 Miles
858 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Partners none no partners
I stayed up too late Saturday night to catch the sunrise on Sunday, so I opted for a sunset hike. I wanted to explore the area north and west of the Usery Peaks, along the Sunset Ridge area. I parked at the first lot on Bush Highway east of Granite Reef and started up the Saguaro Trail. It was a hot start at 545pm, but the sun was getting close to the horizon.

I worked my way over the Twisted Sister junction and took that for a short distance until I started up the Sunset Ridge Trail. This section was steep and twisty. I am not sure I would like riding my bike down this one. I am sure there's a group of daredevil riders that enjoy that sort of trail, but it was steep going up and then back down.

I moved down a ways from the ridge to catch the sunset. It was subtle, but very nice. After sunset, I started back down the same way.

I saw a couple bikers, no other hikers, a few lizards and the assorted doves and hawks. It is dry, dry, dry out there for sure. Crunchy shrubs and golden grass.

I like this area for hiking. The trails are groomed and east to navigate. The views from the high points are very nice for sure.

A hot, short and steep one, but I will take it.
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"Jobs fill your pockets, adventures fill your soul."

instagram: @andydilling
 
May 28 2022
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 Guides 27
 Routes 669
 Photos 12,096
 Triplogs 856

56 male
 Joined Jul 05 2006
 Mesa, AZ
Big Sister Trail - HawesPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar May 28 2022
DarthStillerTriplogs 856
Hiking9.49 Miles 1,462 AEG
Hiking9.49 Miles   4 Hrs   4 Mns   2.33 mph
1,462 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Took another trip to this area to hike the Big Sister Trail, which looks like one of the only one of the trails recently built that I haven't hiked yet. did a big lasso loop from the Power Road trailhead, hiking the Saguaro, Ridge, Granite and Twisted Sister Trails. Weather was cool and breezy early on, and never got really hot as I finished up around 10:30am. Very nice to get a break with the hot weather so far this spring. The higher elevations on the Twisted Sister trail provided some of the best breezes.

Mostly bikers for the trail traffic, saw a few other hikers. Saw a small snake early on, not a rattler.
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Apr 23 2022
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 Guides 27
 Routes 669
 Photos 12,096
 Triplogs 856

56 male
 Joined Jul 05 2006
 Mesa, AZ
Sunset Ridge - HawesPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Apr 23 2022
DarthStillerTriplogs 856
Hiking9.85 Miles 1,842 AEG
Hiking9.85 Miles   4 Hrs   50 Mns   2.04 mph
1,842 ft AEG
 
This looks like it might be the last weekend we have nice weather before the heat starts to kick in, so I decided to take advantage and hike some of the higher new trails in the Hawes Pass area.

Took the Ridge Trail to the Lower Gidro, then the Cactus Garden, Red Mtn Rush, Sunset Ridge, and Saguaro back to the Ridge Trail and back to the trailhead.

Scenery at the higher points is phenomenal. Had some climbs, but nothing seemed to strenuous.

Sunset Ridge Trail has a big sign at the top warning of steep sections and exposure, experts only, etc etc etc. Seemed a little overstated. Certainly some steep sections with scree that required caution, but no exposure. Nice to see that the sign noted to expect traffic both directions and share the trail with all users.

Very nice hike in cool weather, decent workout in terms of distance and AEG and home before noon.
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Ocotillo
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Apr 10 2022
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 Guides 27
 Routes 669
 Photos 12,096
 Triplogs 856

56 male
 Joined Jul 05 2006
 Mesa, AZ
Hawes Trail SystemPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Apr 10 2022
DarthStillerTriplogs 856
Hiking10.12 Miles 1,235 AEG
Hiking10.12 Miles   4 Hrs   41 Mns   2.19 mph
1,235 ft AEG      4 Mns Break
 
Had some chores to do on Saturday so I moved the hike this weekend to Sunday. Decided on the Hawes area because it's the closest drive. Parked at the new MT trailhead along the transition from Power Road to the Bush Highway and did a big clockwise loop, finishing with a little spur to get my mileage up to 10. At the start I hiked the Mo Ridge Trail, which is one of the new official ones being built in the master plan.

Found an unmarked trail but I decided to follow it for this hike since I was so far in on my loop and I wasn't sure how much it would add. marked it with a waypoint for another day. Also hiked up to a knob that has a social trail on it from previous use.

Didn't see too many people on the trails this week as compared to 2 weeks ago. the forecast was for temps in the 90s, but all morning it was pretty nice and breezy at times. Saw more bikers but by the end there seemed to be more hikers. Nice to get a respectable AEG in with the mild climbs throughout this area. Not flat, but not too strenuous for an easy Sunday morning hike.
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Mar 27 2022
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 Guides 27
 Routes 669
 Photos 12,096
 Triplogs 856

56 male
 Joined Jul 05 2006
 Mesa, AZ
Hawes Trail SystemPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Mar 27 2022
DarthStillerTriplogs 856
Hiking9.18 Miles 1,384 AEG
Hiking9.18 Miles   3 Hrs   58 Mns   2.31 mph
1,384 ft AEG
 
Partners none no partners
Had some chores to do at home over the weekend, so hiking on sunday was the only option. got to "sleep in" a little and started on the trail just at dawn. Parked at the new Bush Highway Trailhead that looks to have been built by Maricopa County, so no Tonto Pass necessary. A new trail spur was built just across the street from the trailhead so you dont have to hike a quarter mile on the berm of the road to get to the other entrance trail across from the defunct parking lot.

I hiked the Hawes Trail almost to the microwave tower. just before that junction, there is a lasso loop trail that I've never seen before. I did that and decided to head back instead of going to the microwave tower. Saw the junctions for the newly built trails and some newer unofficial trails.

Most bikers on the trails. all were nice with the exception of one guy who was a little overly aggressive with the downhill speed and personal space while zipping by.

Overall nice hike close to home with a decent mileage and AEG and time to spare for the rest of the day.
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Jan 11 2022
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 Guides 21
 Routes 1,182
 Photos 36,858
 Triplogs 1,570

69 female
 Joined Feb 26 2004
 Phoenix, AZ
Hawes Meander, AZ 
Hawes Meander, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Jan 11 2022
tibberTriplogs 1,570
Hiking8.69 Miles 1,247 AEG
Hiking8.69 Miles   4 Hrs   17 Mns   2.35 mph
1,247 ft AEG      35 Mns Break
 
1st trip
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Since Deborah was in town, I wanted to continue a new tradition we started last year (San Tans) which was to do a hike together, and Duke too. Since last year I've wanted to give this trail system a spin... well not a spin on a bike but in my hiking shoes. Linda was game and she let me pick the start time of 9AM. Kelly was going to join us but her plane was late. Kelly would have liked this hike plus I wanted her to hook up with my friend Debbie since they have running in common.

Finding a parking area was a bit of a challenge so I PMed @adenium (thank you) and he gave us four possibilities so we picked the one just to the east of Granite Reef Rec area. There were quite a few cars at this lot and we encountered this group fairly early on during our hike. We would see another large group and then about half-dozen other hikers and about the same number of bike riders, so not bad. The tread was very nice and it proved to be a roller coaster hike which I like. We had a couple good hills mixed in.

The scenery was typical desert that teased us with several good views of Red Mountain :) . We came upon an area with two roads and a blowout to the north that was a mystery that we eventually figured out was part of the canal system; exactly what part we're not positive about... The hike got particularly interesting, on the south side, after we got past the first row of very nice homes and headed east and then north and then east back down by another set of houses before making the final turn north. The rockery and steeper mountains to our east were impressive. Linda labeled our hike description appropriately as the trail really starts some serious meandering from area to area.

The trail erosion efforts were interesting; something I've not seen before. I'll post a picture.
We stopped for a little break before finishing off the last 1/2 or so of the hike. From here we encountered some steeper parts of the hike going down into the narrow wash as the trail was a little slippery from the loose granite. We checked out a wounded saguaro and a couple very green, very little plants. We saw some cool rock formations and Red Mountain would pop up into view here and there.

As we finished off the last leg that took you up to a saddle and side of a mountain we were treated to good views of the river and then were rewarded with a mine area on the Mineshaft Trail. The quartz in this area was very pretty. And fortunately, Linda's curiosity struck again as we went to the top of the hill above the mine and got a spectacular treat with some great 360 views. It was a clear day in almost every direction too. You get a couple long switchbacks to get you down the mountain with just a couple slippery areas. The views to the river kept us entertained too📷.

We enjoyed our Huckleberry Wheat Lager before going our separate ways. It was nippy and windy in the morning to start and in less then a couple miles later it warmed enough to take off my jacket. It was nice for the rest of the hike with only a slight breeze as we did the interior and then got windy again once we got to the north high part of the hike.

WATCH: 8.5 miles with a starting temp of 47.7 and 40% humidity (high point 1876, low point 1257) Avg bpm 127, max 167 with 33% at zone 3, 52% at zone 2 and 12% at zone 1 burning 1604 calories finishing at 1:15PM
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For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled.
 
average hiking speed 2.32 mph
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WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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