Take the first left on to Phoenix South Mountain Park. Nice hike though. Hike the extension trail that leads to Dobbins Lookout and be rewarded with a magnificent view of the valley below. In 1958 a lookout point was named in his honor. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The last three fourths of the trail didn't really lead anywhere. I didn’t need to stop at all on the way up. On the cooler months, you’ll need to bring lots of water and sun protection like a hat or bandana and, of course, sunscreen to fend off the potentially dangerous dry desert heat. See Directions for both at the bottom of the page. And I was kind of expecting the best view from the top but that wasn’t so. I'm a local in Phoenix so I visit South Mountain every few weeks. Holbert Trail Very Difficult. However, the South Mountain Environmental Education Center at the Holbert TH has been closed since 2010 due to budget cuts, so I would not rely on a water source there. Consider going in the evening for the best views. Is Holbert the gnarliest trail on South Mountain? It was nice and rocky just how I like it. This was a good trail. Good for running in a lot of areas. Holbert Trail Hike Review of South Mountain Park Reviewed December 25, 2012 via mobile Moderate to challenging hike with 1000+ feet elevation gain. Dana Hollister 1,169 views. Super fun, MTB DH. The Holbert Hiking Trails starts with a gentle 1-mile ramble. I loved this trail! The Holbert TH takes you immediately into a passageway of large rock and if you look up you will start to see the ancient Rock Art appearing. Holbert Trail Very Difficult. There is usually always adequate parking here and information on the trail. South Mountain Park: Holbert Trail - See 1,285 traveler reviews, 671 candid photos, and great deals for Phoenix, AZ, at Tripadvisor. From this road, proceed to Holbert Trailhead to continue onto Holbert Trail. Overall it’s an easy hike. With a terrain of mostly sand and loose gravel, the trail is fairly easy and enjoyable to walk on—especially compared to the rockier ground that makes up the majority of South Mountain’s other trails. The Education Center has been closed since 2010. Sunday morning hike. As you near the top of this canyon you will likely encounter more people as you pass Promontory Point, a scenic vista area with a large rock Ramada, with vehicle parking and restrooms. After crossing a couple sandy washes, you'll come to a paved road where you'll turn to the right and follow the signs to continue up Holbert. Start out at the main entrance to South Mountain and make a left past the vistor's center. Holbert Trail, South Mountain Hiking Guide [Phoenix, AZ], Planning – where to park, directions and opening times, Medium difficulty level and distance: challenging enough to be a workout but not too hard, Dobbin’s Lookout offers gorgeous views of downtown Phoenix and the Sonoran Desert, Easy in-and-out with plenty of parking, restrooms, and an entrance close to downtown Phoenix, Ends at an intersection with National Trail for hikers who want to extend the journey, Can be challenging for people who aren’t comfortable scaling ascents and descents on mountains. Turn South on 16th Street and go down to Baseline. There were a ton of people on the trail which slowed down the pace, but everyone was super polite and friendly. Other popular trails include the Fat Man’s Pass, which displays interesting rock formations, and the Holbert trail, which leads hikers to ruins overlooking the city. The trail is comprised of loose gravel and sand, which are nice changes from most of the rockier trails in this area. 24th Street ends here and turns left, changing into Valley View Dr. These petroglyphs were spotted up a dry wash, not far from the Holbert Trail and the first parking lot after entering South Mountain Park. Continue on Central, it curves to … Introduction Articles Sleep + Eat. You cross the road a few times to finish the trail. Recreation Overview; Tour Companies Adventure Trips Balloon Flights Biking Directions This trail is challenging at first. It is nothing to fear, only about as steep as going up a … It is really beautiful. Proper footwear is recommended. The Kiwanis trail, and others like it, show the natural desert landscape that covers most of the state, with unique flora and fauna, rocky mountain peaks, and beautiful sunsets. It was nice and quiet aside from people carrying along a speaker and blasting their own music. You will travel out of the passageway into a fairly open area with more Petroglyphs on large and small boulders along the trail route. Take the first left on to Phoenix South Mountain Park. It's easier than Camelback or Piestewa, but does take longer to complete. Look for a sign just a few feet in from the Trail entering a large rock passageway. Got to the TH about 6:30 am and it was cold. The Holbert TH takes you immediately into a passageway of large rock and if you look up you will start to see the ancient Rock Art appearing. This trail is regarded as the best South Mountain trail for petroglyph sightings. The most noticeable increase in elevation doesn’t happen until the last mile of the trail. Nice trail - wouldn’t consider this “Hard” but a decent hike with some incline. It is a perfect trail for toneing your skills and learning how to link up turns and switchbacks. Only one there but a couple people came down the mountain. Read about it's historically famous Colossal Cliffs in the Telegraph Pass guide. The difficult rating must be due to the terrain, not the elevation. Go to the end of the road to the beginning of Holbert Trail. I am confident, clean, and rolling everything in sight. Don't forget to turn around every once in awhile and enjoy the views of the canyon and the city behind you. "this trail will ALWAYS hold a spot in my heart. Photoset • Walkingbambam • 2020-01-06. Take a left after the park entrance and find a place to park. These petroglyphs were spotted up a dry wash, not far from the Holbert Trail and the first parking lot after entering South Mountain Park. After a short walk the trail leads to a paved road which you'll follow about 20 yards before the trail begins again. Public restrooms are available at the parking lot—a nice perk, as you won’t find bathroom facilities at most other trails on South Mountain. Lodging RV Parks Camping RV Rental Dining Sightseeing. Start out at the main entrance to South Mountain and make a left past the vistor's center. Hike the extension trail that leads to Dobbins Lookout and … And then slow motion begins. It’s a modest distance at 3.8 miles start to finish, with its trailhead conveniently located just 15 minutes south of downtown Phoenix. I am not sure I would consider this a difficult trail. I usually hike Holbert Trail which starts at the main entrance (Central Ave) and you make a left turn right after the gate. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. There are no Water Sources on the trails themselves. Got to the TH about 6:30 am and it was cold. Fairly rocky terrain so I will echo what others said about the similarity to Camelback. Sightseeing Overview; Attractions Casinos Scenic Drives Shopping Sightseeing Tours Scenic Flights Recreation. I usually hike Holbert Trail which starts at the main entrance (Central Ave) and you make a left turn right after the gate. This is not a hike to embark upon sporting your old trusty pair of rainbow flops (as great as the open air may feel on your toes). The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. And then slow motion begins. The Holbert TH is just South of this area, across the Main Road that you just drove in on. It's accessible by road or by trail with no entry fee. Happy trails! See 15 photos and 4 tips from 155 visitors to Holbert Trailhead - South Mountain. Located immediately south of Phoenix, most of South Mountain is thought to be a metamorphic core complex, containing rocks that were formed by movement on a major fault line. If you go on a clear day all the views of the city are magnificent. Yet it is considerably shorter in both distance and time than South Mountain’s National Trail (which is 13.9 miles of mixed terrain, spanning the park’s border east to west). From this road, proceed to Holbert Trailhead to continue onto Holbert Trail. Cross the road and you'll find the trailhead on the south side. Note: As of November 22, 2020 users have reported that the Dobbins Lookout is CLOSED. Great trail. 4.3 (3) Areas; AZ … Phoenix Metro; South Mountain Park/Preserve “ Classic South Mountain technical downhill. This trail is challenging at first. This trail is particularly revered for hiking after sundown thanks to the stellar way the city lights sparkle from afar, illuminating the night sky from the lookout point—Dobbin’s Lookout—offering hikers a rare and spectacular sight. Even though the Holbert Hiking Trail practically sits on Phoenix’s southern rim, this hike up South Mountain can be surprising in its natural beauty and lack of crowds.. But there are a few shaded spots along the trail where you’ll be able to take a break and find reprieve from the sun in the shadows cast by rock formations along the way. South Mountain Park/Preserve ... Holbert Trail starts off relatively flat and is wide and smooth. the views are fenomenal. Right after the turn, you will see the Parking Area for the Mormon TH. Yet it is considerably shorter in both distance and time than South Mountain’s National Trail (which is 13.9 miles of mixed terrain, spanning the park’s border east to west). I enjoyed this trail but would not do it again because there were too many people. Like Peralta Trail, the Holbert Trail packs a lot into a relatively short distance. An easy trail for me. The Holbert Trail starts off in the center of South Mountain Park, immediately leading into a canyon. people of all ages..." Trail in Phoenix, AZ. The first street on your left going west is Euclid Ave. Take Euclid Ave. going West to 20th Street. Holbert Trail – South Mountain. It’s a nice slow incline hike. Holbert Trail, rated as a difficult hike, also connects hikers to Dobbins Lookout, a popular spot for panoramic views of the city. May 1, 2008 by Racerx 2 Comments. I was surprised that you have to cross two roads to reach the end of this trail. You are here: Home / Arizona Trail Reviews / Phoenix Area Trails / South Phoenix Trails / Holbert Trail – South Mountain. Excellent trail, it's about the same vertical elevation increase as Camelback or Piestewa, but about twice the horizontal length. Rated difficult on AllTrails.com due to the incline along the route, popular opinion lists the hike as moderately challenging—and well worth the views of the city from the mountaintop. A short hike will bring you to some great petroglyphs, showing “pipettes”, big horn ram, lizards, humans, and more. Goat Hill via Ranger Trail and Las Lomitas Loop, Ranger, Bajada, and Max Delta Trails Loop, Telegraph Pass, Goat Hill, and Kiwani's Trail, Alta Trail and Bajada Trail Loop from Summit Road, Ranger, Pyramid, Bees Knees National Trail Loop, Telegraph, National, Corona and Desert Classic Loop, Phoenix South Mountain Wheelchair Accessible Trail. Steady incline. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Trailblazers can find plenty of parking in the surrounding area as well as in the designated parking lot off Phoenix South Mountain Park Road next to the trailhead. If you plan to hike to the top, the shortest route is the Holbert trail. Great trail with a steady incline. Holbert Trail on Trailforks.com. At about a quarter mile in, the trail dips into a small wash, then back out. Wow i cant even explain how awesome this trail is. The South Mountains are split fairly evenly between two main rock types: metamorphic rocks on the western half that were formed under high temperatures and pressures about 1.7 billion years back during the Precambrian Era, and granitic rocks on the eastern half that were formed only 25 million years ago when molten rocks solidified below the earth’s surface. people of all ages..." Trail in Phoenix, AZ. I went to the end then came back to Dobbins Lookout. - Duration: 13:35. Holbert Trail Driving directions: 10919 S. Central Ave. Drive south on Central Ave., past Baseline road and Dobbins road. Difficulty: Difficult Access: Start at the Park Main Entranced. During the hike one will often be able to see TV towers atop Mount Suppoa to the left, which is the high point of South Mountain. Going up only saw a few people, very busy coming down. Charles M. Holbert was referred to as the "Old Man of the Mountain". Also, pretty crowded on Sunday 08:30. This trail offers a steady climb to the upper areas of South Mountain Park. Go East on Baseline to 24th Street. This was a great hike! May have rated it higher if it weren't rated as "Difficult". This is an enormous parking area, but stay on the road until you see another building with another large parking area beyond that. The Desert Classic Trail continues on for about 9 miles through the foothills on the south side of South Mountain and terminates at the south ramada area in Pima Canyon. Take the first left on to Phoenix South Mountain Park. The Trail starts turning here to the south and the grade becomes a little steeper. Exerpt from one of my rides down Holbert, Proof of Life. Lots of people with loud music in their backpacks and dogs not on leashes. This description starts from the Holbert TH and ends at the Mormon TH. I ride south mountain at least 3 times a week and most of the time im riding holbert. After you encounter a large picnic area, the trail going east will gradually start to climb and soon you will parallel a paved road going to a large water tank against a hill. The Holbert Trail is another one of the best hikes around Phoenix. It is OTB central for inexperienced riders (OTB=Over The Bars crash) The level of difficulty is best judged by one’s comfort level with pacing at an incline. I am confident, clean, and rolling everything in sight. You will travel out of the passageway into a fairly open area with more Petroglyphs on large and small boulders along the trail route. Too easy. Go to the end of the road to the beginning of Holbert Trail. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The trail was very well marked and had decent views all the way to the top. The majority of your hike will be a slight but steady incline, relatively flat. Downhill, Shed to the wheels fall off!!!! You are here: Home / Arizona Trail Reviews / Phoenix Area Trails / South Phoenix Trails / Holbert Trail – South Mountain. It is very rocky, not much of a flat dirt trail. Only one there but a couple people came down the mountain. See 15 photos and 4 tips from 155 visitors to Holbert Trailhead - South Mountain. About halfway, the trail gets a bit steeper. The best address to plug in to navigate to the trailhead is 10919 S Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85042. Drop a car here. The South Mountain Preserve includes most of the South Mountains and is a part of the Phoenix Parks System—which is also known as the largest municipal park in the world. We started early so not much of hikers. When you reach that building area, turn into the actual Parking Area and park in the area between the building and the Median area on the South Side. (An added bonus is the milder temperatures in the morning). We enjoyed the beautiful rocks, wildflowers and desert botany. Holbert Trail is super rocky, steep drop, very very technical. Holbert Trail takes hikers approximately 2-4 hours to complete, depending on their pace and number of stops made along the way to rest and take in the scenery (also remember to factor in ease at moving at an incline and changing elevations). Water Sources: South Mountain Phoenix Preserve shows water availability at both the Holbert and Mormon TH's. ! At 24th Street, turn South and follow it to the end. These petroglyphs were spotted up a dry wash, not far from the Holbert Trail and the first parking lot after entering South Mountain Park. Dobbins Lookout can also be accessed by car and therefore attracts plenty of tourists and travelers taking a shortcut to the gorgeous city view—sans 4-mile hike. Holbert Trail is a 4.6 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Phoenix, Arizona that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. There is more than enough parking, so that is never an issue. This is the kind of trail that makes you a better rider if you don't break yourself. He was SoMo's first park custodian starting in Feb of 1929, lasting ten years. Get to the top and make a right to Dobbins Lookout. To hike I thought the trail was great. From the West Valley, take I-17 South to the 16th St exit. I went on 10/29/19 with classmates and it was good. Holbert Trail (South Mountain) South Mountain’s Holbert Trail is one of the best hikes around Phoenix for petroglyphs. The canyon serves as a large drainage and judging from the rock and steepness, is probably quite a site after a very large rainstorm. It is a perfect trail for toneing your skills and learning how to link up turns and switchbacks. Holbert Trail – South Mountain. South Mountain Park: Morning hike on Holbert trail - See 1,287 traveler reviews, 671 candid photos, and great deals for Phoenix, AZ, at Tripadvisor. May 1, 2008 by Racerx 2 Comments. There is no entrance fee to hike or drive Holbert Trail. Inclines will definitely get your heart beat going. Some Hohokam petroglyphs can be seen along this trail. Print Version Turn South on 20th Street and after a couple of blocks, 20th Street curves to the West and becomes Dobbins Road. MyOpenCountry is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Start out at the main entrance to South Mountain and make a left past the vistor's center. In this guide, we will be covering the following: Holbert Trail is a South Mountain treasure with its beautiful wildflowers, saguaros (aka giant cactuses) and petroglyphs carved into the desert varnish on the rock formations along the route, all native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. Absolutely stunning views!!! If it’s an option, try going on a Tuesday or Wednesday, which are the two least popular days of the week. Exerpt from one of my rides down Holbert, Proof of Life. Holbert Trail is a 4.6 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Phoenix, Arizona that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. ! Most people drop off at the dobbins look out so it was wide open from there on. I will be back. Overall condition of trail is very nice and it’s worth the hike. I wouldn’t rate it hard, but like others mentioned it is rocky. After you pass the Paystation, take an immediate left following the directions to the Education Center. Holbert Trail is super rocky, steep drop, very very technical. You enter a large canyon and the trail becomes steeper yet, but is far from unmanageable and is well defined. Super fun, MTB DH. You’re in the right place! Holbert Trail (South Mountain) Phoenix In Depth. Facing into the mountain, it’s easy to forget the urban panorama at your back. More like moderate. From the East or Southeast Valley take I-10 to the Baseline Rd exit and proceed West on Baseline Road to 24th Street. 4.3 (3) Areas; AZ … Phoenix Metro; South Mountain Park/Preserve “ Classic South Mountain technical downhill. A short hike will bring you to some great petroglyphs, showing “pipettes”, big horn ram, lizards, humans, and more. Holbert is a very technical steep trail full of boulders/drops/switchbacks and is not for the faint of heart. Great views too! 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Also able to use this trail offers a number of activity options and is best used October! 'S easier than Camelback or Piestewa, but like others mentioned it is a main that... Is best judged holbert trail south mountain one ’ s easy to forget the urban panorama at your back will ALWAYS hold spot! Took me a hour the first time to climb up ; AZ … Phoenix Metro ; Mountain... Increase in elevation doesn ’ t rate it hard, but does take to...
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