"Hikernators" Find Inspiration on Scottsdale's Tom's Thumb Trail
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| Iconic Tom's Thumb in McDowell Sonoran Preserve. |
For Valley
hikers, autumn’s balmy temperatures are at the center of a triple conjunction
of will, weather and wherewithal that rekindles desert hiking envy.
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| Tom's Thumb seen from the Prairie Falcon Overlook. |
The inertia is palpable
as swarms of “hikernators” emerge from air-conditioned gyms, the darkness of
night or mountain climes to once again walk in desert sunlight.
It’s a heady
time of year for hikers who are anxious to shake off the smell of pine and
ditch the 4 a.m. start times.
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| The Preserve is open from sunrise to sunset daily. |
What better way
to inaugurate a new season than to climb to one of the Valley’s iconic geological
features for tantalizing views and a chance to build your checklist of places
to hike over the coming cooler months.
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| Granite boulders line the upper parts of Tom's Thumb Trail. |
With its challenging grade and Valleywide
panoramas, Tom’s Thumb Trail is one of the most popular routes in Scottsdale’s McDowell
Sonoran Preserve. The 5-mile-long trail makes a constant but manageable ascent
on the north flanks of the McDowell Mountains with scenic viewpoints that frame
dozens of hiking hubs.
From the Tom’s
Thumb trailhead, the path begins with a moderate “warm up” section before
taking on the switchbacks that ascend among massive granite outcroppings and classic
desert vegetation.
After roughly
300 feet of climbing, mountain vistas to the north and east begin to shine.
Directly below, a
maze of dirt trails can be seen winding through McDowell Mountain Regional
Park. As the trail ascends, the familiar profiles of the Superstition Mountains
jut from the eastern horizon.
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| Tom's Thumb |
Hikes in the “Supes” are perennial bucket-listers
for locals and winter visitors alike. Located at the cusp of suburbia and the
mineral-rich Copper Corridor, the wilderness has trails that range from groomed,
easy access favorites to feral and remote backcountry treks.
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| View of Tom's Thumb from near the trailhead. |
At the 2-mile
point, the major climbing ends where a short spur path leads to the base Tom’s
Thumb. Visible from many spots around town, the soaring lump of craggy granite is
even more impressive up close. The 0.3-mile spur entails some minor scrambling to reach the goal. Wander
around Tom's Thumb perimeter to see shallow caves and a cathedral-like corridor with a breezeway
that opens to views of Elephant Mountain in Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area and
peaks of the Cave Creek Mountains and Tonto National Forest. The mountains may
seem beyond reach, but you can get to them from the McDowells by hiking the Valley-circumnavigating
Maricopa Trail that connects 10 county parks, suburbs, cities and open space
over its 300+-mile, non-motorized course.
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| The trail ascends over 1300' on a gravely surface. |
Many hikers are
satisfied to call the Tom’s Thumb formation their turnaround point for a 4.6-mile trip.
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| Hikers take a break at Vulture View Scenic Point. |
However,
the trail bends to the southwest and continues on a deceptively easy-looking
descent to its terminus at Windgate Pass Trail. Once you commit to following the
trail to this point, you’ll need to decide if you want to complete the hike
with a tough long loop, car-shuttle one-way or an out-and-back hike.
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| Metro Phoenix sprawls out below Tom's Thumb Trail. |
Use the
preserve’s free downloadable maps to navigate its over 200 miles of pristine
desert trails.
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| Looking northwest from the trail. |
Although trails within the preserve alone could fill an entire hiking
season, vistas from its airy high points provide inspiration for years of desert
roaming.
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| Many mountain hike destinations can be seen from the trail. |
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| View from the base of Tom's Thumb. |
LENGTH: 2.3
miles one-way to Tom’s Thumb, or 5 miles one way for entire trail
RATING:
difficult
ELEVATION:
To Tom’s Thumb:
2813- 3925 feet
Entire trail: 2438
- 3925 feet
GETTING THERE:
Tom's Thumb Trailhead: 23015 N. 128th St. Scottsdale, AZ
85255.
From Loop 101 in Scottsdale, take the Pima/Princess Road
exit 36 and continue 5 miles north on Pima to Happy Valley Road. Turn right (east) and go 4.1 miles on Happy
Valley to Ranch Gate. Turn right on Ranch Gate, follow it 1.2 miles then turn
right onto 128th St. and continue 1 mile on 128th to the signed trailhead.
Roads are 100% paved. The preserve is
open from sunrise to sunset daily.
INFO & MAPS:
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