Maricopa Trail: Bronco Trailhead to Cave Creek Rangers Station

This hike beings at Spur Cross Ranch in Cave Creek, which is a lush riparian area flowing with Saguaros. Starting at the trailhead, you will start this loop by hiking clockwise on Tortuga trail which will connect with the Elephant Mountain trail at 1.5 miles. As you start to ascend the Elephant Mountain Trail, you will start appreciate some magnificent desert views!As you adventure around the n...

Upper Ranch and Brown's Ranch Road Trail is a loop trail where you may see wildflowers located near Scottsdale, Arizona.

As you park at the trailhead, you have the option to take this trail in either direction. I recommend that you travel north, which will immediately provide 0.75 miles of elevation gain. You will then reach a pass with panoramic views of the Tonto National Forest. A bench in this area provides the perfect spot to catch your breath! As you continue North, you will start to descend as you note an ...

Pima and Dynamite Loop is a loop trail that provides a good opportunity to view wildlife located near Scottsdale, Arizona.

Pueblo La Plata is the largest ancient Indian ruin in Agua Fria National Monument and dates back to before 1200 A.D. The ruin at one time had 80 to 90 rooms for living quarters. Now the sight seems like just a pile of rubble. However there is significant research continuing on the mesa of Agua Fria which has about 400 sites. The community was quite large.Today, few people visit the site because...

Pinnacle Peak is a 3.8 mile out-and-back hike along a beautifully groomed trail with a moderate gain of ~1,000ft. This distinctive 600ft granite summit can be seen from most of the surrounding valley and offers spectacular views of the McDowell Mountains, iconic Four Peaks, Granite Mountain and the Cone Mountains. This serene slice of Sonoran Desert is home to a wide range of wildlife including...