52 FORD CANYON TRAIL AND MESQUITE CANYON TRAIL

KEY AT-A-GLANCE INFORMATION

LENGTH: 10.3 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 1,425 feet

CONFIGURATION: Loop

DIFFICULTY: Moderate

SCENERY: Desert, mountain vistas, rock formations, white-granite creek bed

EXPOSURE: Partial shade in creek bed, otherwise exposed

TRAFFIC: Light

TRAIL SURFACE: Packed dirt, sand gravel, rocky creek bed

HIKING TIME: 4.5 hours

WATER REQUIREMENT: 3.5 quarts; 4–5 quarts in summer

SEASON: Year-round; hot in summer

ACCESS: Open 6 a.m.–8 p.m. (Sun.–Thu.), 10 p.m. (Fri.–Sat.); $6 per vehicle entrance fee

MAPS: USGS White Tank Mountains, park maps available from visitor center and Web site.

FACILITIES: Restroom, drinking water, picnic areas, visitor center, horse corral, competitive track

DOGS: Yes, leashed at all times

COMMENTS: The topographical map found at www.maricopa.gov/parks/white_tank. is especially useful. Call (623) 935-2505 for more information.

GPS Trailhead Coordinates

UTM Zone 12S

Easting 0359953

Northing 3718649

Latitude N33°36.010'

Longitude W112°30.606'

Directions

Drive west from Phoenix on I-10. At 9.5 miles west of Loop 101, exit at Cotton Lane, drive north, and then follow signs for Loop 303. Continue 7.5 miles on Loop 303 to Olive Avenue. Drive west on Olive Avenue 4.5 miles to the entrance of White Tank Mountain Regional Park. Pay the entrance fee. Drive 3 more miles inside the park, and turn left onto Ford Canyon Road. Drive 0.5 miles to Picnic Area 9, where you see a sign for the Ford Canyon Trail.

IN BRIEF

Ford Canyon Trail and Mesquite Canyon Trail showcase the best features of the White Tank Mountain Regional Park west of Phoenix. This 10-mile loop takes visitors through beautiful rocky canyons, sandy washes, and grassy hillsides.

DESCRIPTION

The White Tank Mountains form a massive wall northwest of Phoenix. Seemingly a single mountain running north–south when viewed from town, the White Tank Mountains actually consist of a complex network of mostly east–west ridges and scenic canyons. The White Tank Mountain Regional Park encompasses 30,000 acres of desert wilderness on the mountains’ eastern flank, which faces the metropolitan Phoenix area. Within the park, 25 miles of hiking trails tempt visitors with sculpted canyons, sweeping panoramic views, seasonal waterfalls, and rugged desert scenery.

The Ford Canyon Trail is particularly scenic. It takes hikers from the desert floor up through a canyon carved from white granite. Turquoise-colored water from drenching desert storms and the resultant flash floods pool in deep pockets or “tanks” eroded into the white bedrock, giving the mountains their name. Even though these mountains are in a desert environment, some pools of water remain throughout the year. The Ford Canyon Trail eventually climbs out of the canyon and intersects the Willow Canyon, Mesquite Canyon, and Goat Camp trails. Returning via the Mesquite Canyon Trail makes a reasonable 10-mile loop.

Begin your hike from the trailhead opposite Picnic Area 9 on Ford Canyon Road. Though the official trailhead is at the Trailhead Staging Area, starting from Picnic Area 9 saves a long flat approach. Follow the short access path as it crosses a dry creek north of the road and connects to the Ford Canyon Trail. Turn west here and hike toward the mountains. Enjoy the unspoiled beauty of the desert, graced by tall saguaros, prickly chollas, and hardy creosote bushes. Pass signed junctions with the Ironwood Trail and the Waddell Trail at 0.4 and 0.6 miles, respectively. Continue hiking northwest toward the mouth of Ford Canyon. At 1 mile the trail climbs over a small saddle into a flat valley and heads west into Ford Canyon.

The trail begins to climb at 1.75 miles, crossing a series of dry washes along the way. The nicely packed dirt trail deteriorates into unsteady rocks and boulders. Most mountain bikers riding along the Ford Canyon Trail turn around here. At 2.25 miles the trail bends southwest and skirts some huge boulders. From here catch your first view of the white granite rocks that form the dry riverbed. Continue climbing up steep switchbacks for a quarter mile and come to the base of a large overhanging boulder where obvious trail markers guide you up and around it. At 2.6 miles reach a rocky area on top of the white granite boulders, and some small pools of water. The elevation here is about 2,100 feet, 600 feet higher than at the trailhead.

Once on top of the white granite river bottom, the trail becomes somewhat difficult to follow. Look carefully for cairns and footprints in the sand. When in doubt, go over any rock obstacles and head straight up the streambed. At 3.2 miles a 5–6-foot rock wall obstructs your path. Climb up this wall and look for an abandoned dam built out of stones and mortar. Take a break here to enjoy the scenic white rocks and pools of water. Some hikers make this point the end of their quest and return via the Ford Canyon Trail. If you choose to continue, it becomes easier to loop back via a different trail than to backtrack.

Beyond the dam the Ford Canyon Trail continues to follow the sandy wash bottom and eventually turns south. Here, you can enjoy the hike in almost complete isolation and find patches of shade created by small riparian trees and shrubs. Pass a side stream at 3.5 miles, and climb another 6-foot wall at 3.7 miles. The climb is easy, but watch your footing on the slippery smooth rock.

The trail departs the sandy wash at 4 miles from the trailhead, climbing gently up an open hillside replete with golden desert grasses that sway in the breeze like grain fields of the Midwest. This part of the hike offers a completely different experience than going through Ford Canyon. The ascending trail takes you up to a ridge crest where you can see the radio towers on top of the tallest peak in the White Tanks. At 5.5 miles the Ford Canyon Trail drops into a bowl where it intersects the Willow Canyon Trail. The elevation here is 2,525 feet, and if you can’t withstand another 400-foot elevation gain, you should take the Willow Canyon Trail toward the east.

For those diehards who wish to finish the Ford Canyon Trail, continue straight across the bowl and climb directly to the south. The remainder of the Ford Canyon Trail ascends this slope via a series of long switchbacks to the highest point of the hike at 2,950 feet. Atop this ridge and at 6.4 miles from the start, find the confluence of three major trails in the park: Ford Canyon, Mesquite Canyon, and Goat Camp. Turn east here onto the Mesquite Canyon Trail.

Your return hike via Mesquite Canyon begins with a commanding view to the east, where you can see the canyon below and the city in the distance. Next to the trail, shrubs such as Mormon tea, brittlebush, and sage paint the landscape in lively colors. A short but fairly steep descent on gravel-covered switchbacks at 6.75 miles requires some careful stepping. Soon thereafter, hike across a small bowl full of jojoba, goldenrod flowers, and prickly pear cacti. The trail can be somewhat faint here; be careful to follow it to the east.

Climb out of the small bowl and descend into a large drainage. The trail cuts to the south but makes a sharp bend north and intersects the lower end of the Willow Canyon Trail at 7.9 miles. Had you taken the Willow Canyon Trail earlier, you’d emerge here next to a thicket of mesquite trees and a scenic creek bed with the signature white granite and pools. Follow the Mesquite Canyon Trail toward the east along the creek. Half a mile farther, catch one last glimpse of the red rock-lined canyon ahead, and climb over a ridge to the southeast. At 8.6 miles descend via long switchbacks into the next canyon and hike east for another mile to the Waddell Trail junction near Picnic Area 7.

Finish the hike by taking the Waddell Trail north 0.5 miles to a sign that reads “Trailhead” and points east. Turn east here and hike a short distance to the paved Ford Canyon Road. Finally, follow the road northeast back to Picnic Area 9, completing the 10.3-mile loop.

NEARBY ACTIVITIES

White Tank Mountain Regional Park contains many hiking trails including the Waterfall Trail, which is popular after heavy storms. The Wildlife World Zoo (www.wildlifeworld.com; (623) 935-WILD) is 6 miles from the park entrance.