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Magic Mountain Trail - Hawes - 1 member in 2 triplogs has rated this an average 4 ( 1 to 5 best )
2 triplogs
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Feb 27 2024
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 Guides 117
 Routes 338
 Photos 11,399
 Triplogs 894

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.
 
Dec 18 2021
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 Guides 59
 Routes 1,100
 Photos 1,191
 Triplogs 1,290

male
 Joined Jan 01 2023
 Arizona
Saguaro Trail #50 - HawesPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Dec 18 2021
pseudalpineTriplogs 1,290
Hiking8.68 Miles 1,487 AEG
Hiking8.68 Miles   2 Hrs   57 Mns   3.06 mph
1,487 ft AEG      7 Mns Break
 
no photosets
1st trip
  1 archive
average hiking speed 2.59 mph

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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