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TURPENTINE TRAIL
McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Who knew that the ambrosial, mood-altering magic of
fragrance could be so pronounced on a trail dubbed "Turpentine"? Named for Ericameria laricifolia, a knee-high bush in the sunflower family, the
Turpentine Trail in Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve celebrates this
tenacious plant's olfactory contribution to desert hiking. Instead of the
expected nasal membrane singeing vapors, the needle-like leaves of the
turpentine bush emit a complex cloud of piney perfume with hints of citrus and
sage when pinched gently between the fingers. The late bloomer is at its best
during the winter hiking season boasting yellow, broom-shaped blooms from
August through December followed by frothy, flightily seed globes. The plants grow in perfusion throughout
the preserve's sandy, crushed granite terrain but are especially robust in
the north sector around the Fraesfield and Granite Mountain trailheads, both of which can be used to access the Turpentine Trail. Maps available online coupled with meticulous on-trail signage show numerous ways to weave this trail into
a day of exploring. One option begins at the Fraesfield trailhead with a 1.6-mile trek on Black Hills Trail, to the Turpentine junction. From here, go left and hike 1.4 miles to Whiskey Bottle Trail, veer left and continue 1.6 miles
back to the trailhead. This loop has terrific views of the Superstition
Wilderness, Four Peaks and the Cave Creek Mountains.
LENGTH: 4.6 miles as described here
RATING: easy
ELEVATION: 2300' - 2656'
GETTING THERE: Fraesfield Trailhead
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 go 5.6 miles to the trailhead on the left. There's a restroom but no water at the trailhead.
INFO & MAPS: McDowell Sonoran Preserve, 480-312-7013
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