RENEGADE TRAIL

RENEGADE TRAIL

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Massive granite boulders flank Renegade Trail

In many ways, hiking is a renegade sport. Rebellious souls who answer the call of the wild grow impervious to heavy packs, sore feet, gross food, weather and self doubt. They pee in the forest and sleep on the ground while working around physical obstacles and an array of toxic plants and poisonous critters. To the hiker-at-heart, this is fun. So it's fitting that a new trail in Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve pays homage to those who approach the trails unwashed, unshaven and living the dream. Renegade Trail is just one example of the preserve's route monikers that embrace our Western heritage with seasonings of humor and irony. Examples include, Wrangler, Rustler, Buckshot, Cow Poke and the crown jewel--Whiskey Bottle. Kudos to the preserve's naming committee which I imagine conjure these names over beers at a honky tonk.

A blind corner on Desperado Trail

Tucked into the preserve's northeast corner, Renegade Trail rumbles through a mix of wide open spaces and boulder-choked passages miles from established trailheads. The primary reward of hiking the extra miles to reach this route is escape from the crowds that tend to wander the curiosity-rich trails to the south. Quieter surroundings make for better opportunities to spot the Red-tailed hawks, ravens, coyotes and reptiles that disappear among the area's rocky crevasses when human traffic is high. Like all trails in the preserve, there's more than one way to incorporate the Renegade Trail into a day hike.

The "Michelin Man" 

Here's one circuit that takes you through a gnarly bike path and a scenic box canyon with swings around a "Michelin Man" cactus and a magnificent crested saguaro.

HIKE DIRECTIONS:

Big desert views on Renegade Trail

From the trailhead, follow the 136th Street Trail 2.2 miles north to the Renegade Trail junction. Follow Renegade 2.1 miles to where it ends at High Desert Trail. Backtrack 0.7 mile, veer right onto Desperado Trail and follow it 0.5 mile to Coyote Canyon Trail. Turn left, hike 0.5 mile and head right on Dove Valley Trail. Follow DVT 1 mile to 136th Street Trail, go right and hike 1.3 miles back to the trailhead.

LENGTH: 8.3 miles round trip

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 2,614' - 2,849'

GETTING THERE:

Granite Mountain Trailhead

31402 N. 136th St. Scottsdale.

From Loop 101 in Scottsdale, take the Princess/Pima exit #36 and go 6.5 miles north on Pima to Dynamite Blvd./Rio Verde Dr. Turn right and continue 5.9 miles to 136^th St., turn left and go 1.8 miles to the trailhead on the left. Trailhead is open sunrise to sunset. No facilities.

MAP: http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Assets/ScottsdaleAZ/Preserve/Preserve+North+Area+Trail+Map.pdf

BOOTLEGGER LOOP

WILDFLOWERS on the BOOTLEGGER TRAIL

McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Scottsdale

Bootlegger Trail

Despite abundant winter rains and mild temperatures that raised our expectations for a banner wildflower season, this year's showing of desert blooms has turned out to be a more low-key event. The hype may have fizzled, but there are still plenty of flowering plants to enjoy along Valley trails.

One of the best places to observe a wide variety of specimens is in the far east side of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. In this area of desert, wildflowers thrive best among boulder outcroppings on the flanks of Granite Mountain

where precious bits of shade and trapped moisture nurse blooms to fruition. When the elements dole out perfect measures of rain, warmth and sunlight, poppies and lupines paint the desert floor in blazing shades of purple and orange. This spectacular but rare event is beautiful to behold but, there's also joy in spotting a lone poppy or colorful patch of brittlebush during less productive seasons.

On a recent hike along the Bootlegger Trail, I compiled a list of wildflowers we observed. There were many bloomers, but you'll have to stay alert to see them. Are you up for a scavenger hunt? Here's a partial list. Happy hunting!

1. Lacepod

2. Mexican Gold Poppy

3. Desert Chicory

4. Desert Wishbone

5. Desert Rock Pea

6. Scorpionweed

7. Filaree (Stork's Bill)

8. Desert Lavender

9. Popcorn Flower

10. Fiddleneck

THE HIKE:

From the Granite Mountain Trailhead, hike 1.3 miles on Bootlegger Trail. Head right on Granite Mountain Loop and continue 1.1 miles to Coyote Canyon Trail. Turn right and hike 1.3 miles (note the crested saguaro at the 0.8-mile point) to Dove Valley Trail. Veer right and go 1 mile to 136th St. Express and follow it 1.3 miles back to the trailhead.

LENGTH: 6-mile loop

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 2,415' – 2,822'

GETTING THERE:

Granite Mountain Trailhead, 31402 N. 136^th St. Scottsdale.

From Loop 101 in Scottsdale, take the Princess/Pima exit #36 and go 6.5 miles north on Pima to Dynamite Blvd./Rio Verde Dr. Turn right and continue 5.9 miles to 136^th St., turn left and go 1.8 miles to the trailhead on the left. Trailhead is open sunrise to sunset. No facilities.

INFO & MAPS: McDowell Sonoran Preserve

http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/preserve

MORE PHOTOS:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10204031646430209.1073742073.1795269672&type=1&l=994721c783

COYOTE CANYON

COYOTE CANYON

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Crested saguaro on Coyote Canyon Trail

The next phase of trail development in Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve is underway. Repurposing of existing social paths and new construction in the far north corridor that stretches from Dove Valley Road to the border of Tonto National Forest will continue through 2016. Several fresh routes have already been opened including the Coyote Canyon Trail which is already becoming a hiker favorite because of its unique features. In addition to see-forever views of the Cave Creek

Mountains and Verde River Valley, the route has two signature attractions--- a granite-walled slot canyon and a gloriously gnarled crested saguaro. Since this trail is deep-baked into the heart of the preserve, the only way to get to it is by hiking along connecting routes.

Inside the mini box canyon

Until additional legal parking areas are established, the trail must be accessed from the Granite Mountain trailhead. Here's the most direct circuit. Follow the 136th Street Express 1.3 miles north and turn left onto the Dove Valley Trail. Hike 0.9 mile to the Coyote Canyon Trail junction veer left and trek 1.3 miles to where it ends at the Granite Mountain Loop Trail. From here, there are many options for your return route (download the preserve map for details) but the shortest way back to the trailhead is to turn turn left and go 0.5 mile to the Cow Poke Trail, follow it 0.6 mile back to Dove Mountain Trail and return the way you came.

LENGTH: 6.2 miles (as described here)

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 2,580' – 2,840'

Entrance to the box canyon

GETTING THERE:

Granite Mountain Trailhead, 31402 N. 136^th St. Scottsdale.

From Loop 101 in Scottsdale, take the Princess/Pima exit #36 and go 6.5 miles north on Pima to Dynamite Blvd./Rio Verde Dr.  Turn right and continue 5.9 miles to 136^th St., turn left and go 1.8 miles to the trailhead on the left. Trailhead is open sunrise to sunset.  No facilities.

INFO:

http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/preserve
MAP:

http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Assets/Public+Website/preserve/Northern+Preserve+Map.pdf

MORE PHOTOS:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10202589689462186.1073742011.1795269672&type=1&l=eba169345c