McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Welcome to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, a vast and untamed sanctuary situated right on the edge of urban civilization in Scottsdale, Arizona. As you stand here at the Gateway Trailhead, located at eighteen three three three…

Our journey begins properly here at the primary entrance plaza of the Gateway Trailhead. Take a moment to absorb the architectural integration of the trailhead facilities with the surrounding desert environment. …

Branching off near the trailhead is the entrance to the Bajada Nature Trail. Notice how the surface of the ground changes here. …

We now step onto the Gateway Loop Trail, a four and a half mile dirt path that serves as the main artery for hikers venturing into the deeper preserve. As the stabilized surface gives way to natural rock and sand, look upward. …

Following the trail, we gradually descend into a geographic depression known as a desert wash. Notice how the temperature drops subtly as we enter this lower, shaded area. …

As the trail begins to incline steadily upward, leaving the shaded wash behind, the composition of the plant life shifts dramatically once again. You are now entering a dense, almost otherworldly patch of Teddy Bear Cholla. …

The trail now challenges us physically as we engage the steeper slopes of the McDowell Mountains, taking the counterclockwise route upward toward Bell Pass. Notice how the smooth gravel of the lower trails has transitioned into…

You have arrived at the summit of Bell Pass, standing at an elevation of roughly three thousand two hundred feet. Feel the cooling wind sweeping across the saddle as you catch your breath. …

As you make your way back down the trail, returning toward the Gateway Trailhead, the physical exertion of the hike gives way to the ease of the descent. Hikers often find that while the uphill climb heavily taxes the muscles and…