McDowell Mountain Sonoran Preserve

View of Thompson Peak from the Bell Pass trail (or near it)

In preparation for the trip to Horton Springs (really just trying out my new hiking boots) I took a trip to the McDowell Mountain Sonoran Preserve, just (north) east of Scottsdale on Thompson Peak Boulevard.

At the trail head, I followed the Gateway Loop to the right. It connects with many other trails along the way and is a very easy hike (even by my present standards).

Tom's Thumb (in background, the rock formation on the mountain) from the gateway loop

I don't know if I succeeded, but I was aiming for the Bell Pass Trail. This trail takes you through a pass (DUH!) to fountain hills. Being an late morning hike in the Sonoran Desert (in the summer!), I didn't aim to hike that far. I hiked for a thirty minutes and back tracked toward the trail head.

By the time I got back, I was feeling the heat. Though I was born and grew up in the desert, I still feel the effects of the heat on my body. I had plenty of water, dehydration wasn't a problem. Hyperthermia could have been a problem had I stayed out any longer.