Shadow Mountain Trail

Click on photos to enlarge.

Shadow Mountain is located in North Phoenix and is located between 28th St and Cave Creek Road to the East and West; and Greenway Road and Sweetwater to the North and South.   The trailhead that I am using in this report is on the Cave Creek Road side with the parking area between Sharon Dr. and Calire Dr. on the East side of the street.  Length of trail (one way) .76 miles.  Elevation at trailhead 1,504 ft.; elevation at top 1,889 ft.

Location of Shadow Mountain	Parking Area

Shadow Mountain Summit Trail is a trail in the Mountain Preserve that is ignored by most hikers.  Although the trail is not as long as Squaw Peak Summit Trail,  it is just as challenging.  The trail is not as well marked, and there are numerous side trails as well as loose shale to contend with.  It does have some parts where a hiker can ease back, but they are accented by strenuous steep climbs.  The top climb being as long and steeper than the final climb on Squaw Peak.

Start of the trail	The start of the ridge (looking down)

As you leave the parking lot, you go around the piles of dirt toward the paved service road going up to the Water reservoir.  Just before the paved road, you can see the trail going up and that is the trail.  At the top of the hill you start along the ridge.  Do not take the side trails going down.  At the end of the ridge trail you proceed left and down the side of the hill, then back up to the Straight Away

Near the end of the ridge.	The Straight Away

As you go along the Straight Away you arrive at a crossing of the trails.  If you go straight, you would be doing a circumference of Shadow Mountain, turn right and you go to the summit.

Trail to the top	The return trail

Be prepared, if you go up to the summit, it is a good workout from the trail crossing to the top.  This trail is a good training trail for those hikers who would prefer to be alone.  You will not meet many other hikers on this trail and although it is not as long, it is a far better workout than some of the other trails in the preserve.

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Larry Wayt (gnhikn@cox.net)