North Mountain Trail

Click on photograph to enlarge

The North mountain Trail (40 / 44 trail) is another popular trail in the Phoenix Mountain preserve.  The trail, like Shaw Butte Trail is a vehicle service road from the one of the parking areas to the radio towers on the summit.  Like Shaw Butte Trail it is somewhat of a challenge.  A hiker can access the trail from a number of different locations but the most common is the Maricopa Ramada which is located in the park to the west of 7th st. and Peoria Ave.  The trail is a loop trail but most hikers hike from the parking area to the summit and return.  That part of the trail is 0.74 miles in length one way.  The elevation at the start is 1,492 ft.; and is 2,065 ft. at the summit.  The trail is all a steady grade from the bottom to the top and averages 14.66% over the entire length.  This is relatively gradual in relation to the 19.06% average grade of the Squaw Peak Summit trail.

Trailhead at the Maricopa Ramada	Start of trail to top

Once in the parking area, you pass through the Ramada where you will find drinking fountains.  You then proceed up the trail in front of you.  The first section of the hike is relatively steep and is  a stair step section of rock similar to the Squaw Peak Summit trail.  This section only consists of 2 tenths of a mile in length before you come upon the paved trail.   The remainder of the trail is maintained asphalt with the exception of the last 100 yards to the summit.  Again this trail is steep but easy to hike.

Top of the first grade	Paved the rest of the way

  At the summit you can either continue down the other side and around to parking area, or return to the parking area the same way you came up.

The summit of North Mountain	A view from the top

In this hikers opinion, The North Mountain Trail is a excellent running trail except for the very top and the very bottom.  Even at the bottom section the hiker has the option to take the paved trail all of the way down and then around to the parking area.  Again, this might be another option for a runner.  I would still highly recommend this trail as a method of varying a persons training schedule.

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Larry Wayt (gnhikn@cox.net)