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Shaw Butte Circumference Trail (Trail 306)
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Click on photographs to enlarge
Total hiking distance covered (per the GPS) 3.74 Miles
Total time on trail 1 hour 23 Minutes
Maximum elevation 2,035 ft.
Starting elevation 1,3401 ft.
Steepest grade 21%
On Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Tom and I hiked the Shaw Butte Circumference trail (Trail 306). Although I had hiked to the summit of Shaw Butte on many occasions, this is the first time I completed the total circumference trail and was quite impressed. I then opted to retrace the trail in order to add a trail report to our list of trails.
On Friday, July 25th, I again hiked the Shaw Butte Circumference Trail, this time with both my camera and my GPS. A started at the Central Avenue Trail head (as indicated in my Shaw Butte Trail report) and started up the trail at about 7:30 A.M. Although it was already hot there were quite a few hikers still on the trail. As in my other report, the trail is a well maintained relatively smooth trail. There are three places on the trail where the rise of the trail is gradual, the remainder is very steep.
Click on photographs to enlarge
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| Trail 306 Trail Head | The First Trail Post |
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| First Turn | North Mountain From the First Flat |
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| Onward and Upward | The Turnoff to the Top |
As you reach the top gate, where you would turn left to go to the summit, you proceed straight ahead and start down a very steep road. It is paved but is covered with gravel which makes it slippery. At the bottom of the grade there is a saddle and trail that turns off to the left, and one that goes up to some other towers. You take the trail to the left and start down the mountain side. The trail isn't very steep but is covered with skree. Within about one quarter of a mile you come upon the remains of the once posh Cloud Nine Restaurant which burned to the ground in the late 1960's. Many Phoenix residents had the opportunity to visit the Cloud Nine and we, as hikers still have that ability. After passing to the west of the remains the trail continues down the old road toward the valley. The trail remains well marked but becomes much rougher. This is also the area where you encounter the steepest part of the trail
Click on photographs to enlarge
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| The Way Down | To the Saddle |
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| Remains of the Cloud Nine Restaurant | View from the Cloud Nine |
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| Where We Came Down | Link With Trail 100 |
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| Back To the Trail Head | Back to the Parking Lot |
At the bottom of the mountain in the valley the trail levels off and is quite easily hiked. There is a short length of the trail that conjoins Trail 100 and then you bear off to the left and continue on to the Trail Head and the parking lot. As with both North Mountain, trail 100 and this trail, trail 306 you can also park at the Phoenix Mountain Preserve Visitors Center and complete this hike.
I have also hiked trail 306 in the reverse (clockwise) direction. That direction has advantages and disadvantages over going directly to the top and around. The advantage is that the first mile and a half of the trail is flat. That gives you plenty of time to warm up making the climb to the top easier. The disadvantage is that the incline is longer and steeper in sections. To make it worse you are climbing in skree which makes your footing hard to get. It is still worthwhile to hike that direction if you are preparing for the Grand Canyon.
I would consider this trail to be an equivalent to the Freedom trail around Squaw Peak and the difficulty is similar. Although it isn't what I would consider a Grand Canyon training trail it is very enjoyable.
Larry Wayt (gnhikn@cox.net)