Rock Tank Trail - MSPN • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Snake Eyes - MSPN

Partners

none

no partners

Roadtrip ride with neighbors Ben and Craig this morning out to Brown's Ranch Pima and Dynamite trailhead. Started with a general counter clockwise loop including Latigo, Sidewinder, Crested Saguaro, Sidewinder, Rock Tank, Dare A Sarah, Snake Eyes, Scorpion, Tarantula, Hackamore, and Axle Grease for a flash back to the parking lot. Some hikers and lots of bikers out on the trails. Perfect weather. Stopped to chat with a friendly preserve steward at the comfort station on the way out.

_____________________

Sep 30 2024

Nightstalker

Routes 189
Photos 7,236
Triplogs 1,740

57 male

Joined Apr 25 2011
Goodyear, AZ

Pima Dynamite Black Diamonds, AZ

Mtn Biking		Sep 30 2024
		Nightstalker • Triplogs 1,740

Mtn Biking	16.70 Miles	935 AEG

Mtn Biking	16.70 Miles	2 Hrs 15 Mns	8.02 mph
	935 ft AEG	10 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

9 linked trail guides

Snake Eyes - MSPN

Brown's Ranch Road Trail - MSPN

Partners

none

no partners

Third time is a charm! I was going to hit Pima Dynamite on Friday, but didn't, then I Sunday would be good, but it wasn't, almost bailed again today, but I didn't! Love the Browns Ranch trail system, I sure wish it weren't so far from me. Parked at Pima Dynamite trailhead and headed out on the twisty black diamond trails of the west side of the park. Latigo, Sidewinder, Rock Tank, Dare A Sarah, Snake Eyes, Scorpion, Tarantula, Hackamore, Axle Grease, West Express, Browns Ranch Rd, and all the way back on Hawknest. Saw an almost equal amount of hikers and bikers out on the trails this morning. It was plenty hot once I got back to the van at 10am.

_____________________

Mar 10 2024

WilliamnWendi

Guides 2
Routes 58
Photos 1,254
Triplogs 221

52 male

Joined Dec 26 2009
Phoenix, Az

Sidewinder Trail - Sonoran Perserve N

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Mar 10 2024
		WilliamnWendi • Triplogs 221

Hiking	3.50 Miles	377 AEG

Hiking	3.50 Miles	1 Hour 45 Mns	2.00 mph
	377 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

linked

Partners

none

no partners

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Dichelostemma capitatum, Lupine, Scorpion weed

_____________________

The Tree of Understanding, dazzling, straight, and simple, sprouts by the spring called Now I Get It. - Wislawa Szymborska, "Utopia"

Jan 14 2024

trekkin_gecko

Guides 10
Routes 673
Photos 7,281
Triplogs 4,660

67 female

Joined Nov 17 2008
phoenix, az

McDowell Sonoran Preserve North, AZ

Hiking		Jan 14 2024
		trekkin_gecko • Triplogs 4,660

Hiking	11.15 Miles	520 AEG

Hiking	11.15 Miles	3 Hrs 31 Mns	3.40 mph
	520 ft AEG	14 Mns Break

Linked

9 linked trail guides

Cone Mountain Trail - MSPN

Cloudburst Trail - MSPN

Partners

partners

LindaAnn

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

linda drove us up to dynamite and pima this morning
set out around 0830 or so
nice temps, warming up enough for a wardrobe change after an hour
we did a variety of trails for some good linkage
some of the trails were more scenic than others
not much elevation gain to be had but good trail surface with excellent footing
more mountain bikers than hikers
about half the trails were new to me
thanks for hiking, linda, much appreciated!

*break time seems long, just checking route possibilities, ladies' room stop and moving aside for bikers

_____________________

hazhole

2 archives

Jan 14 2024

LindaAnn

Guides 110
Routes 2,246
Photos 8,982
Triplogs 2,600

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

McDowell Sonoran Preserve North, AZ

Hiking		Jan 14 2024
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,600

Hiking	11.41 Miles	638 AEG

Hiking	11.41 Miles	3 Hrs 31 Mns	3.49 mph
	638 ft AEG	15 Mns Break

no photosets

Linked

9 linked trail guides

Cone Mountain Trail - MSPN

Cloudburst Trail - MSPN

Partners

partners

trekkin_gecko

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Kelly and I opted for some new territory on the McDowell North part of the preserve. Parked at the Pima Dynamite trailhead and got started. The parking lot was nearly empty at 0830. Nice temps to start, but it warmed up quickly with full sun and no breeze. Didn’t have any set idea of the trails to do, but linked up enough to at least hit ten miles. Everything was easy, with good footing. A fair amount of bikes, but only a few hikers. As we were finishing, there was a helicopter circling overhead, and plenty of emergency vehicles from both Scottsdale and Phoenix. More were arriving as we were driving out. Nice morning and good to knock out several miles with Kelly.

Axle Grease

Hackamore

Hawknest

Cloudburst

Cone Mtn

Hackamore

Tarantula

West Express

Latigo

Rock Tank

Hawknest

_____________________

Stop crying and just go do the hike.

Nov 19 2023

mt98dew

Guides 69
Routes 37
Photos 3,010
Triplogs 2,387

55 male

Joined Oct 24 2010
Phoenix,Az

Phoenix, AZ

Run/Jog		Nov 19 2023
		mt98dew • Triplogs 2,387

Run/Jog	5.01 Miles	40 AEG

Run/Jog	5.01 Miles	1 Hour	5.01 mph
	40 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Early morning hike in MSPN. Wanted to get a loop involving the the Rock Tank. Started from the Dynamite TH around 6:30 am. Temps were in the 50’s and clouds hung low to the north and east. Did the loop going CCW. Out on the Latigo and then briefly on the Sidewinder (not in HAZ). The Sidewinder has a nice looking crested saguaro and a scenic overlook. The scenic overlook is not much. It is a good place to get a lay of the land. From Sidewinder, I got back on Latigo for .1 miles and then I was on the Rock Tank. The Latigo intersects the Rock Tank in the middle. I had to take it east .2 miles to pick up where it begins at its juncture with the Powerline Road #2. Turned around, and then followed the Rock Tank west for about 1.3 miles to where it ends with the Axle Grease. Then took Axle Grease south to the TH. Nice, easy loop. Only saw 2 hikers, but met 14 bikers. Most were copacetic, it a couple felt they owned the trail. (It is a bikers paradise

).

_____________________

Feb 01 2023

mazatzal

Routes 36
Photos 2,658
Triplogs 1,347

67 male

Joined Jul 28 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Feb 01 2023
		mazatzal • Triplogs 1,347

Hiking	4.50 Miles	310 AEG

Hiking	4.50 Miles
	310 ft AEG

Linked

linked

Bartlett Dam Road to MSP - Maricopa Trail

Partners

none

no partners

Took a friend visiting from UK for a short hike:
Pima/Dynamite TH - Hawknest - Rock Tank - Dare a Sarah - West Express - Latigo - Sidewinder - Latigo - Pima/Dynamite TH

_____________________

1 archive

Dec 31 2020

topohiker

Guides 14
Routes 115
Photos 4,830
Triplogs 3,536

male

Joined Oct 29 2005
Scottsdale, AZ

Bartlett Dam Road to MSP - Maricopa Trail

Phoenix, AZ

Mtn Biking		Dec 31 2020
		topohiker • Triplogs 3,536

Mtn Biking	20.76 Miles	1,045 AEG

Mtn Biking	20.76 Miles	5 Hrs	6.39 mph
	1,045 ft AEG	1 Hour 45 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

10 linked trail guides

North Diablo Trail - MSPN

Dove Valley Trail - MSPN

The Divide Trail - MSPN

Balanced Rock Trail - MSPN

Powerline Road #2 Trail - MSPN

Camp Creek Jeep Trail

Stagecoach Trail - MSPN

High Desert Trail - MSPN

Partners

none

no partners

Taking Nate out on his new Christmas present: Trek Marlin 5
Riding in wash's sucks.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Trail Signs and Markings

_____________________

"Everywhere is walking distance...If you have the time"
-Stephen Wright

Aug 29 2020

DarthStiller

Guides 27
Routes 669
Photos 12,096
Triplogs 856

56 male

Joined Jul 05 2006
Mesa, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Aug 29 2020
		DarthStiller • Triplogs 856

Hiking	10.77 Miles	639 AEG

Hiking	10.77 Miles	4 Hrs 20 Mns	2.49 mph
	639 ft AEG

Linked

linked

Partners

none

no partners

Started from the Pima-Dynamite TH to hike a few sections of trails I noticed I hadn't got yet in this area. Headed down the Powerline Road, then left on the Hawknest, and another left onto the Rock Tank Trail. that first mile or so there were a whole lot of bikers who seemed to have all left the trailhead at the same time. After that first half hour, didn't see many people at all.

After a section of the Rock Tank, I headed northeast in the Rawhide Wash, then headed south again on the Hawknest and Scorpion Trails. Then I headed north again on the Powerline Road and did a couple more sections of the Scorpion Trail again, which I hadn't hiked before. I took the Scorpion Trail south to the West Express, then north to the Tarantula and Hackamore, hitting another section of that which I hadn't hiked before. I took the Hackamore to the Powerline Road again and then took that back to the car.

The clouds covered the sun on and off, making the temperature cooler than it's been in a while. It was still humid, but having temperatures under 100 for the whole hike was very nice. some breezes came through once in a while also, making it pretty pleasant.

got back to the trailhead with much less people there than when I arrived in the morning. Early on I saw some smoke to the north behind DEsert Mountain, maybe somewhere around 7 Springs, or south of that. By the end of my hike, the amount of smoke had grown considerably.

_____________________

May 16 2020

Booneman

Guides 9
Routes 33
Photos 780
Triplogs 4,634

44 male

Joined Nov 25 2008
Scottsdale, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Run/Jog		May 16 2020
		Booneman • Triplogs 4,634

Run/Jog	12.25 Miles	410 AEG

Run/Jog	12.25 Miles	2 Hrs	6.13 mph
	410 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

linked

Partners

none

no partners

I checked the last box on the Mcdowell Sonoran Preserve (covering every mile of every trail) and also went over 1,000 miles on the year. Not listed on here was the main area I needed to complete, and that was Rawhide Wash.

_____________________

1 archive

Jul 20 2019

DarthStiller

Guides 27
Routes 669
Photos 12,096
Triplogs 856

56 male

Joined Jul 05 2006
Mesa, AZ

Powerline Road #2 Trail - MSPN

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Jul 20 2019
		DarthStiller • Triplogs 856

Hiking	8.76 Miles	459 AEG

Hiking	8.76 Miles	3 Hrs 57 Mns	2.26 mph
	459 ft AEG	4 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Partners

none

no partners

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

First hike back in AZ and with the heat I decided to head back up to the northern Scottsdale Pima-Dynamite TH and hike some more of the new unmapped trails up there. I mostly hiked the new trails along the Latigo Trail, zig zagging between Powerline Road #1 and Powerline Road #2. Saw a few bikers, most of them at the very start of the hike.

The heat wasn't really so bad, but I was done by 10am. Didn't see any hikers or much of anything else. It's surprising that hiking just a few of the new trails I discovered, I was quickly nearly up to 9 miles. I found a few more unmapped trails and would hike a few feet out and back to mark them with a spur on my GPS track, making it easy to find them when I go back to hike the rest of them again.

_____________________

Jun 29 2019

DarthStiller

Guides 27
Routes 669
Photos 12,096
Triplogs 856

56 male

Joined Jul 05 2006
Mesa, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Jun 29 2019
		DarthStiller • Triplogs 856

Hiking	9.90 Miles	564 AEG

Hiking	9.90 Miles	4 Hrs 14 Mns	2.34 mph
	564 ft AEG

Linked

linked

Partners

none

no partners

When I hiked the Hawknest/Latigo loop last March, I intended to hike the Rock Tank Trail but then forgot. In the meantime, I noticed a lot of unmapped trails in this area. This time I went back to check some of those out.

I started out on the Powerline #1 Road, then the Hawknest like my last time here. When I got to the junction for the Rock Tank Trail, I noticed that an unmapped trail that seems to also be part of the Rock Tank Trail heads northwest towards the Axle Grease Trail. I took that until it faded away and then headed back to the Rock Tank Trail. At the Latigo Trail, the Rock Tank again continues unmapped farther to the south. I took that spur out and back and headed northeast on the Latigo.

I took the first unmapped trail junction along the Latigo and started following those trails, generally heading in a northeast direction. There were several junctions, and at each one I hiked a very short spur to mark it on my track. If you zoom in on my posted track you can see them.

I eventually ended up back on the Hawknest Trail by the connecting trail to the Axle Grease. I took that spur out and back and headed back along the Powerline #1 Road, taking a few more spurs along the way.

The clouds early in the morning made the weather pretty cool. There were a few breezes that also helped with that. By the time I finished, it was only 96, made it out before the triple digits hit for the day.

Two hawks were sitting on 2 separate powerline towers on my way back screeching at me or each other, I don't know which.

Not an eventful hike, but nice to find as many unmapped and previously unhiked trails on this hike. Also nice to find several more trails to make a return trip worthwhile.

_____________________

Nov 01 2018

mazatzal

Routes 36
Photos 2,658
Triplogs 1,347

67 male

Joined Jul 28 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Latigo and Rock Tank, AZ

Hiking		Nov 01 2018
		mazatzal • Triplogs 1,347

Hiking	12.60 Miles	750 AEG

Hiking	12.60 Miles	5 Hrs	2.70 mph
	750 ft AEG	20 Mns Break

Linked

linked