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Weekend Warriors Arizona Hiking Guide
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*** Update December 5th, 2009 *** If a steady climb to great views in the Scottsdale area appeals to you, this is your hike. This hike is located near Scottsdale, AZ. From the Phoenix area, take state HWY-101 North to the Pima Road exit.
Drive north on Pima road and turn right onto Happy Valley road. From Happy
Valley road, turn right onto Alameda Road (also signed as 115th street).
Drive 0.5 miles and turn right onto 119th Way. Drive 0.4 miles and turn
left onto Casitas Del Rio. Take this road 0.4 miles and take a left turn
on Paraiso Drive. After about 0.1 miles on this road, it will turn to
dirt. Drive another 0.2 miles The typical trailhead and parking to Tom's Thumb is closed. Follow the signs that point you in the direction for the temporary trailhead parking. From the above directions, continue 0.3 additional miles to an unnamed dirt road and turn right. Drive 0.4 miles to the primitive parking area. Please note this will add some additional distance to the trail to Tom's Thumb. Please respect private property here so we can continue to enjoy access to this area!! NOTE: This area is currently being developed, so the above directions can change. This is current as of December 6th, 2009. Be Aware of: Route finding, scrambling, bushwacking 30 yr old Recommendation: Nice views and convenient access from the Phoenix area. This is a Moderate difficulty hike. Elevation change: about 800 ft gain.
One way elevation gain for the first 0.6 miles
One way elevation gain for the next 0.6 miles to Tom's Thumb Distance: 3.0 miles for the round trip Time: It took us 2 hours and 30 minutes. Time of year: All year (hike early in the day during the summer) Solitude: Very good, we only saw two other hikers. Map: Click here for a map. Tom's thumb is a prominent granite bump in the McDowell Mountain preserve, easily visible from the Scottsdale area. This popular climbing destination is also a fun hike to some impressive views. After following the driving directions, it should be clear to you that this area is in a state of flux. Building is ongoing here. Regardless of what it looks like in the future, be sure you are courteous and respectful of the private property so we can guarantee future access to this area. There are two ways to get to Tom's Thumb. We started on the trail marked on the map as 'East Trail'. To find this trail, start along the desert wash heading for the notch in the mountain range to the left of Tom's Thumb. There is a faint trail here, but it can be tricky to find. There are pink paint arrows and paint dots to help. Some bushwhacking and scrambling will be needed to get up to the ridgeline. Luckily, Tom's Thumb stays visible most of the hike, so it is easy to set your bearings in relation to your goal. After your climbing you are rewarded with the views of the surrounding area, including the Four peaks, Piestewa Peak, and Camelback mountain. If you're lucky, you may get to watch some rock climbers practicing their art here. Interestingly, there's more! Just west of the Thumb is a path that leads to the Ogre's den. It is a cave that was created by boulders leaning up against each other. There is a hiker log there, along with some interesting trinkets and rock art. It is a bit tricky to find, so you may have to search around a bit. While we were up at the top, we ran into fellow hikers Brent and Colleen, who showed us the location of the Ogre's Den (Brent and Colleen: thank you!) and an alternate route back down. The 'West Trail' was actually easier to follow and required less bushwhacking and scrambling. However, it ended up at private property, so access to this trail is likely going to be problematic in the future.
[Tom's Thumb as seen from the parking area]
[Blooming Saguaro and views]
[Flowering Cholla]
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