As you have probably imagined so far, Fat Mans Pass is a very narrow path that is incorporated into the trail. It is steep in places, but moderate in most places. Join us for one of my favorite hikes at South Mountain. The Hidden Valley Trail via Mormom Trail offers interesting tunnels, dry waterfalls, and a Throughout the trail, marked poles with the letter M lead the way so that you will not get lost. To get to the Mormon Trailhead, take exit 155 for Baseline Rd. Dog-Friendly: Yes, dog must be on a leash. Pima Wash Trail, South Mountain Park Length: 3.2-mile loop as described here. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Once youve made it through Fat Mans pass (hopefully with pictures as proof), you can turn around and trace your steps back to the trailhead. From Pima West Loop, turn right to proceed to Pima East Loop. Access: Start at the Park Main Entrance. Mile 0.0: The trailhead for the Mormon Trail is located at the end of 24th Street in Phoenix. WebMormon Details. On average it takes 1 minutes to complete this trail. 1. At around a total of 1.9 miles there may be some confusion. You will begin to appreciate why some hikers consider this a moderate or difficult trail. This is one of those hikes you want to do in the early morning. Access: Start from Warpaint Dr. Access Trailhead. 4. The rocks are extremely smooth, due to being hidden and protected from weather erosion so sliding down is as easy as sliding down any other slide in a playground. There are two big boulders that are very close together, creating a narrow pathway for hikers to go through. When you come to the Hidden Valley, Mormon Trail Junction, continue to take Mormon Trail. Most people take the Mormon Trail to the National Trail and the national trail to either end of Hidden Valley. This makes a good loop starting from the Pima Canyon Trailhead. Ramada Usage inSouth MountainPark/Preserve: The ramadas inSouth Mountain Park/Preserveare available for public use, andseveral require a reservation. Although allowed, bikes are not recommended on the Mormon Trail due to the high numbers of hikers usually on the trail. Note:The park'sscenic roadways are shared by motor vehicles, bikers and hikers. 8. Especially for the hike back down. 4. Features: Steep climb, rocky terrain, scenic overlooks, historic trail. WebMormon Trail South Mountain I'd like to give credit to alltrails for some of my imagery The Mormon Trail The Mormon Trailhead is a popular hiking trail in South Mountain Park and Preserve, located just outside of Phoenix, Arizona. Nice, scenic hike with views of the entire valley. Therefore you will see two separate trail markers for Hidden Valley. (Meet by the veranda). The Mormon Trail was used for more than 20 years after the Mormons used it and has been reserved for sightseeing. Follow 24th St down for about .8 mile, where the street curves to the left. The passes furnish a natural crossing point of the Rockies. Desert FoothillsTrailhead14251 S. Desert Foothills Pkwy. Because its close to town, the route can get very busy. Use the ModernHiker mobile app to download this map and complete trail description for offline access. Access: Start at Geronimo Trailhead. Review"Take a Hike. Access: Start at Pima Canyon Trailhead. To learn more please refer to our Hiking Disclaimer. Desert dweller always in search of new hiking adventures. Mile 0.8: The trail becomes steeper as you approach Fat Mans Pass, a narrow slot in the rocks that requires some scrambling to navigate. Not a trail for the faint at heart. Proceed to Geronimo Trail. Stopping at a gas station if you lose your way will allow you to get better directions. WebJoin us for one of my favorite hikes at South Mountain. Elevation: 1,280-2,080 feet. We did not do the loop. South Mountain Park/Preserve Trails Master Plan, Register for Hikes and Outdoor Nature Programs, Learn AboutSouth Mountain Park Trails Master Plan, South Mountain Towers Contractor Information, Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department facility. Although the name implies a rock feature, stacking rocks is not only not recommended, it is illegal. About halfway up the trail, hikers will reach a scenic overlook that provides a great spot to rest and take in the views. WebThe Mormon Trail begins with an immediate incline and it doesnt let up until you are at the junction with National Trail. Continue right to Pima Wash Trail. WebFrom there, we will make our way through Hidden Valley and scramble over a variety of interesting rock formations. Corona De Loma Trail is a little difficult to access from the bottom due to the number of spur trails in the area. It is a 1/2 mile walk from the San Juan gate to the start of the trail on the north side of the road. Once you have reached the ending trail marker for Mormon Trail youll see two trail markers. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. I had to take off my hydration pack in order to squeeze through. Take another left from Desert Classic to connect to Lower Corona. Tower workers, City staff and emergency vehicles may be on the roads at any given time, however. Mormon Trail to Fat Man's Pass is easily one of my favorite hikes. Do not expect to receive a spot in the lot (not along the road) if you want to hike in any combination of: weekends, during tourism season, before noon. Dress in layers, as temperatures can vary significantly between day and night. But its a mistake to let these spoilers suck all the air out of the room. Access: Start at Mormon Trailhead to proceed to Mormon Trail. The trail will start out easy and flat, then ascend up and traverse the hills behind the ranger station. Wear sun protection such as a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen to prevent sunburn and heat exhaustion. Dogs are also allowed on the trail but must be kept on a leash. Mormon Trail: South Mountain - Phoenix, AZ I don't think of Phoenix as having extreme weather, but I say this last week was interesting. Hang a left and walk the 1.1-mile return leg that traces a ridgeline embellished with a major rock-art site and a wash with many more petroglyphs etched by the ancient Hohokam people who were active in the area from roughly 450 to 1450. This is a very popular area for hiking, mountain biking, and running, so you'll Continue right onto Pima Wash Trail. Take the first left on to Phoenix South Mountain Park. For this article, I started Hidden Valley at Fat Mans Pass. The Track and Waypoints refer to downloadable GPS data. Moving your way to the top of the first hill only rewards you with another couple of hills to hike up. Hike starts promptly at 9:00 am. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 28 min to complete. When approached from a see-the-forest perspective, even oft-maligned, old standard trails can qualify as top destinations. Want to report conditions for this trail? Proceed to Dirt Road Trail. The trailhead parking lot entranceis open until 9 p.m. Natural Resources Office(business hours only):602-495-5458, Contact Natural Resources Division staffor call602-261-8318. Required fields are marked *. Bring at least 1-2 liters of water and be sure to be well hydrated. There are some significant drops and features along the way that may require scouting a line especially the waterfall. DISTANCE: 3.6 mile Lollipop ELEVATION Gain: 925 feet DURATION: 2 hrs and 15 minutes or so FACILITIES: None START TIME: 4:00 PM. Activities: //