15 INDIAN BEND WASH GREENBELT

KEY AT-A-GLANCE INFORMATION

LENGTH: 5 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 100 feet

CONFIGURATION: One-way

DIFFICULTY: Easy

SCENERY: Parks, golf courses, lakes, Camelback Mountain

EXPOSURE: Mostly exposed, except for occasional tree cover

TRAFFIC: Moderate to heavy

TRAIL SURFACE: Pavement, grass

HIKING TIME: 3 hours

WATER REQUIREMENT: 2 quarts

SEASON: Year-round; hot in summer

ACCESS: Sunrise to 10 p.m.; free parking

MAPS: USGS Tempe, Paradise Valley

FACILITIES: Parking, water, restrooms, picnic areas, various |recreational facilities

DOGS: Yes, leashed

COMMENTS: The Greenbelt Pathway runs through a unique system of parks built along Indian Bend Wash. For more information, visit www.scottsdaleaz.gov/parks, or call (480) 312-PARK.

GPS Trailhead Coordinates

UTM Zone 12S

Easting 0415288

Northing 3701539

Latitude N33°27.102'

Longitude W111°54.730'

Directions

Take Loop 101 to any of the following exits: McKellips Road, McDowell Road, Thomas Road, Indian School Road, Chaparral Road, and McDonald Drive. Turn west and drive approximately 1–1.5 miles to the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt. Parking is available throughout the park system.

To hike the suggested 5-mile one-way route, park one vehicle at McKellips Lake Park, approximately 0.3 miles west of Hayden Road, and another vehicle at the northern end of Chaparral Park, on Hayden Road south of McDonald Drive.

IN BRIEF

The Greenbelt Pathway snakes through a wide swath of greenery in the middle of a thriving desert city, providing a lush oasis for numerous outdoor activities. The Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt not only controls the city’s seasonal floods but also creates ample open spaces for recreation and the setting for an outstanding urban hike.

DESCRIPTION

Flooding in a desert may seem improbable, but seasonal storms can easily overcome the often inadequate drainage systems in arid areas. While attempting to solve this problem, Scottsdale planners back in the 1960s had a stroke of genius. They constructed the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, an innovative flood-control system and desert oasis rolled into one. Taking advantage of the seasonal nature of flash floods, the city built a row of parks in Indian Bend Wash offering its residents a plethora of outdoor pursuits. The Greenbelt channels occasional floodwater toward the Salt River while accommodating a wide variety of recreational activities.

The Greenbelt spans nearly 12 miles from Tempe Town Lake north to Cactus Road. While private golf courses consume some of the Greenbelt, its southern half is easily accessible to the general public. Bounded roughly by Hayden and Miller roads, the Greenbelt encompasses miles of parks, lakes, golf courses, picnic areas, and various sporting venues. Tunnels and overpasses protect visitors from traffic, and a multiuse Greenbelt Pathway carries patrons on foot, skates, and wheels through the park system.

Over the years, the Greenbelt has steadily gained popularity and has become one of Scottsdale’s prime attractions. It’s just one of the many reasons why Scottsdale has been honored as the Most Livable City by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and as a Sports Illustrated Sportstown. The Greenbelt is a haven for health-conscious joggers, bikers, and skaters, active sports teams, stroller-pushing parents, idle picnickers, and even migratory birds. In this tranquil setting, the Greenbelt Pathway offers an excellent urban hike and plenty of people-watching opportunities.

Many parking lots throughout the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt provide convenient access to its amenities, and you can hike as little or as much as you’d like. A reasonable scenic route is the 5-mile stretch from McKellips Road to McDonald Drive. South of McKellips Road, the Greenbelt runs along Rio Salado Golf Course and then through an undeveloped section before terminating at the northern shore of Tempe Town Lake. North of McDonald Drive, the Greenbelt Pathway passes Saguaro High School and skirts another string of golf courses near the resort-studded McCormick Ranch.

Begin your hike from McKellips Lake Park, where you will find the Greenbelt Pathway’s signature green sign. Many paved walkways cross the park system, and it really doesn’t matter which route you take. You can even cut through the grass if you’d like. However, if you wish to stay on the official Greenbelt Pathway, look for its telltale yellow center line, which keeps bikers and skaters heading in opposite directions from colliding with each other.

McKellips Lake Park encircles a large lake where many migrating waterfowl make their homes. It’s the southernmost lake in Scottsdale and a pleasant place to relax. As you walk north, the pathway passes imperceptibly into Vista Del Camino Park, which boasts tree-lined walkways next to a quaint canal. Ducks and even herons share the shade with human visitors. The park continues past curvy Roosevelt Street where a playground and spray pad keep kids entertained on a warm summer day. A softball field and a disc-golf course lie on the western side of the waterway.

Cross McDowell Road via the underpass and enter Eldorado Park, the second major park along the Greenbelt Pathway. Embedded within Eldorado Park is a large concrete skating facility called Wedge Skate Park. This relatively new addition to Eldorado Park allows inline skaters to show off their stunt skills. The pathway veers slightly east and comes parallel to 77th Street. Sand volleyball courts, a large playground, and another lake line the trail. Cross the street where 77th Street bends into Murray Lane, and continue hiking north. A large parking lot and a public aquatic center lie at the intersection of Murray Lane and Miller Road, just west of 77th Street.

The Greenbelt Pathway then cuts through Coronado Golf Course via a shaded passage lined with palo verde trees and sandwiched between the golf course and a lake. Continue north through the golf course and cross Thomas Road via another underpass. At 2.5 miles from McKellips Road, follow the Greenbelt Pathway as it passes over Osborn Road with a large driving range to the right and Osborn Park on your left. The path straightens and rides atop a small berm in the shade of pine trees.

Skirt the edge of some housing developments and veer slightly east again until you reach a pond at the intersection of Indian School and Hayden Road. Cross under Indian School Road, and enter the third major park along Indian Bend Wash. Indian School Park caters to a wide variety of sports enthusiasts. There are baseball diamonds, and basketball, tennis, racquetball, and volleyball courts. Even horseshoe and bocce ball fans won’t be disappointed. The Greenbelt Pathway runs along the western side of Hayden Road whereas most of the sporting facilities lie across the street. There are several tunnels to keep you safe from speeding traffic should you desire to cross the road. Club SAR at the intersection of Camelback Road and Hayden Road has an indoor training facility for boxing, weights, and aerobic exercise.

The half mile between Camelback Road and Chaparral Road has just become the newest part of the entire Greenbelt. A former eye-sore, Villa Monterey Golf Course along the east side of Hayden Road has been commpletely remodeled into an open-space park. The newly created Camelback Park now covers both sides of Hayden Road just north of Scottsdale Culinary Institute located on Camelback Road.

At Chaparral Road, the Greenbelt Pathway crosses Hayden Road and meets the fourth and final large park on the Greenbelt. Chaparral Park boasts a large lake that caters to fishing buffs and offers a wheelchair-accessible fishing pier. Within the lake, a small island harbors migratory birds and keeps them out of the reach of kids and dogs. The fishing pier is an excellent place to catch the reflection of a desert sunset over Camelback Mountain. North of the lake, pass the public pool and more baseball and soccer fields. Finish the 5-mile hike near the new water-treatment plant and off-leash dog park just south of McDonald Drive.

NEARBY ACTIVITIES

Located west of the Greenbelt on Osborn Road, Scottsdale Stadium hosts the San Francisco Giants’ spring training. Tempe Town Lake lies at the southern tip of the Greenbelt and offers additional recreational activities. Camelback Mountain and Papago Park provide other hiking trails and are both within 3 miles of the Greenbelt.