Hiking the McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale

Top Arizona Desert Preserve Combines Scenic Beauty with Planned Use

Jul 25, 2009 Jeanne Lombardo

Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve boasts 16,000 acres of pristine protected desert. It's a favorite of hikers, mountain bikers, horse riders and rock climbers alike.

Located on the northeast border of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, this urban preserve is one of the largest in the state and one that offers among the best wilderness experiences this close to a city. With elevations of up to 4000 feet and eight access areas with parking, the preserve offers multi-use trails for every level of experience.

Keeping Desert Habitats Unspoiled

The McDowell Sonoran Preserve was born of efforts between the City of Scottsdale and the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, established in 1991 to educate the public on the importance of protecting the land. With residential and commercial development booming in the 1990s, resulting in the encroachment of neighborhoods into previously unspoiled desert habitats, the work of the Conservancy was cut out. When complete, the Preserve will total more than 36,000 acres of permanently protected desert.

Visitors to the Preserve will revel in vistas of purple mountain ranges and the rolling landscape cut through with deep gulches. Well-maintained trails allow hikers to enjoy the diverse array of desert species, from the spiky cholla to the majestic saguaro, barrel cactus, and ocotillo. Desert fauna, too, is abundant from lizards and quail to coyotes, javelinas, and desert hares. Mountain lions and deer inhabit higher elevations, and sightings of red-tailed hawks are not unusual.

The combination of planned use and preservation of rugged wilderness marks the McDowell Sonoran Preserve as a prime outdoor experience. A cadre of trained stewards maintains trails and provides information and assistance at trailheads. To aid users a series of directional signs has been installed at trail intersections and other locations, and full color fold-out maps are available at the Preserve parking areas or by calling the City’s Preservation Division at (480) 312-7013.

Safety on Hiking Trails

The Preserve in not a park, however, and hikers are urged to use caution when moving away from established access areas. Trails can be rugged and steep and assistance is far away. Weather conditions in the desert are harsh with temperatures in the triple digits from June to October. Weather can change rapidly, as well, with desert washes prone to flash floods when rain threatens. Users should prepare and follow these basic safety steps:

Use a trail map
Carry an adequate amount of water
Pack a nutritious high calorie snack for longer hikes
Wear protective clothing
A hat and sturdy hiking shoes or boots are recommended
Use sunscreen
If you plan on venturing into the interior of the Preserve, tell someone ahead of time and take note of letter/number combinations on trail markers in case of an emergency
Take a cell phone (but use it only in an emergency)

A Short Drive from Old Town Scottsdale and Fifth Avenue Galleries

Only a short drive away from Old Town and the Fifth Avenue art galleries and shops, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve is a unique Scottsdale treasure. Visitors here will get a truer sense of this resort and arts enclave and discover the desert aesthetic that inspired Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, visible from the trail above.

The copyright of the article Hiking the McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale in Backpacking, Hiking & Camping is owned by Jeanne Lombardo. Permission to republish Hiking the McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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