Phoenix, Arizona (March 9, 2025) There are more trails in Greater Phoenix than I could possibly hike in a year—which means, for the foreseeable future, I’ll explore a new trail each time I hike. And that was how this day unfolded, when I hiked Shaw Butte Loop, a gem of a trail within the 2,000-acre North Mountain Preserve.
I hit the “daily double” with Shaw Butte Loop—a great workout and a mix of scenic views and desert beauty.
I hiked the trail in the morning when the weather was picture-perfect—about 60 degrees, blue sky, slight breeze. And while I passed—or was passed by—more than 100 fellow hikers (and a few joggers), I never felt crowded.
I hiked the trail in the morning when the weather was picture-perfect—about 60 degrees, blue sky, slight breeze. And while I passed—or was passed by—more than 100 fellow hikers (and a few joggers), I never felt crowded.
I Had a Great Workout
According to AllTrails, my go-to app when I hike, Shaw Butte Loop is 4.1 miles in length with an elevation gain of 836 feet. It is rated “moderate.” I explored two side trails—both were in and out and the second took me to the top of Shaw Butte—so from start to finish, I hiked 5.4 miles with an elevation gain of 1,545 feet.
|
|
My thigh muscles burned a bit on my drive home, but as the saying goes…
No Pain, No Gain!
I accessed the trail via a trailhead off North 7th Avenue. I had a short hike to the loop...and then a “major” decision: Should I go right or should I go left.
Right offered a steady rise over a longer distance to the trail's peak elevation on the north side of Shaw Butte, while left was a steep incline over a shorter distance to the same point.
I decided to tackle the steeper elevation gain at the git-go, so I went left to hike the loop in a clockwise direction. All was good, as I took my time and stopped every so often to catch my breath.
Right offered a steady rise over a longer distance to the trail's peak elevation on the north side of Shaw Butte, while left was a steep incline over a shorter distance to the same point.
I decided to tackle the steeper elevation gain at the git-go, so I went left to hike the loop in a clockwise direction. All was good, as I took my time and stopped every so often to catch my breath.
|
|
|
Here’s a few observations about the trail, to help you when you hike it: It’s wide, clearly marked, and mostly made of rock—some loose, some embedded—and dirt. There were also a few places where I scrambled over the foot of the mountain, that is, the mountain’s rocky base. I found the trail rugged yet accessible.
|
|
|
The second side trail I hiked led me to the top of the butte, where I saw many radio and communication towers—not exactly a seamless blend with the surrounding desert scenery, but I was rewarded with views of the valley and Phoenix skyline, which I will share with you in a bit.
|
There was a cairn atop the butte—a human-made pile of small boulders and stones, four to five feet high. Nothing intricate about it—just a simple pile of rocks built over time. Someone had planted a small American flag at the top of the cairn, and in due course, others added more flags.
Within the hiking community, placing a rock on a cairn was often a symbolic jester that might represent respect for nature, good luck, or leaving one’s mark without disrupting the environment. And so, it was with me when I placed a rock on the cairn to say, “I was here!” |
I’ll leave it to you to discover more about the hiking part of Shaw Butte Loop when you take up the challenge.
And I Loved the Scenic Beauty
I doubt that Shaw Butte Loop is unique in this respect, but it sure was special: At nearly every turn on the trail, and at the summit, I was treated to spectacular views of the Valley of the Sun. Here are a few examples of what I saw:
Looking northeast, with a great view of Camelback Mountain
A view toward the West Valley that stretched to the White Tank Mountains
Looking south, through a haze, at the Phoenix skyline and South Mountains
Phoenix is surrounded by the Sonoran Desert, one of the most biologically diverse deserts in the world. So, it was no surprise that I encountered an ecosystem with a blend of unique desert vegetation that featured brittlebush, cholla plants, iconic saguaro cacti, and Palo Verde trees. The latter is a small tree, native to the Southwestern desert, with green branches and (when in bloom) yellow pea-like flowers.
|
|
|
This desert is a land of striking contrasts—lush and arid, flat and jagged, a color palette that shifted with the seasons—that created (IMHO) an awe-inspiring landscape!
It is also a harsh environment, with intense heat, minimal water (so be sure to carry plenty when you hike in it), and isolation, yet it supports an incredible diversity of life, including coyotes and bobcats, roadrunners and cactus hawks (Arizona’s state bird), Gila monsters and rattlesnakes, scorpions and tarantulas, and even a few amphibians.
I didn’t spot any of these animals as I hiked, but I saw many ground squirrels and small birds, especially when I sat atop a boulder near the summit of Shaw Butte.
I didn’t spot any of these animals as I hiked, but I saw many ground squirrels and small birds, especially when I sat atop a boulder near the summit of Shaw Butte.
|
|
|
Birds fluttered through the air and paused now and then to perch on a nearby rock. Ground squirrels, along with other nimble rodents, darted to and fro. Every so often, a face appeared through a hole in the rocks—nervous and cautious, but curious, too. One particularly daring squirrel dashed onto a rock just a foot or so away. He seemed to study me…or maybe he hoped I’d share the protein bar I munched on.
|
It was delightful to be among these tiny creatures—to be a part of their world and observe them as they carried on with their lives, seemingly indifferent to my presence.
It’s the start of a new week as I write this story, and there will be another trail for me to hike. I look forward to sharing my experience with you.