Phoenix Mountain Preserve — Official Ultra Route
Four Mountains • One Continuous Line • No Aid • No Shortcuts
▼ Route Details Below
Route Overview
The Phoenix Phearsome Phour 70K is a continuous out-and-back ultra linking all four major summits of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve: Camelback Mountain, Piestewa Peak, North Mountain, and Shaw Butte. Start and finish at street parking on 36th St at Pima Canyon Dr. Eight total summit hits. One continuous push.
The route is not a simple point-to-point. It opens with a Camelback yoyo: south on 36th St to Lincoln Dr, east on Lincoln to Tatum Blvd, south on Tatum to Echo Canyon Trailhead, up to the Camelback summit, down Cholla, back up Cholla, summit again, back down Echo Canyon, west on Lincoln, north on 36th St to the entrance of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, then left heading west to the Piestewa Peak Trailhead: east side up, 302 connector and Freedom Trail down, Pearl Charles Trail, Dreamy Draw, west on Trail 100 through the SR-51 and Cave Creek Road tunnels to 7th Street Trailhead, North Mountain out-and-back to the Quechan Area 7 ramada and back (summit hit twice before moving on), then Shaw Butte double summit as the turnaround. After Shaw Butte, runners return to 7th Street Trailhead for the final time, then head east on Trail 100 through the Cave Creek Road and SR-51 tunnels to Dreamy Draw. From Dreamy Draw it is the same route in reverse all the way back east: Pearl Charles Trail, Freedom Trail, 302 connector, up Piestewa one last time, east-side descent, north then east on the preserve trail back to 36th Street, east on Lincoln, south on Tatum, east on Lincoln, south on 36th St to the finish.
This is the first time this route has been formally defined and documented. This page and the official TCX file are the canonical record going forward. Any prior attempts were made before this route was officially defined, so they predate the official record rather than count against it. The clock starts now: there is no official FKT yet, and the record is open for whoever sets it first.
Elevation Profile
The route opens with a Camelback yoyo, hitting both summits before mile 7. After passing back through the 36th and Lincoln intersection, it heads north through Piestewa, North Mountain, and Shaw Butte. The turnaround at Shaw Butte sits near the midpoint. The return mirrors the outbound in reverse, with Piestewa as the final major climb before the descent home. Symmetric elevation gain and loss: 11,312 ft each way.
Key Waypoints
All coordinates are from the official TCX file. Camelback is summited twice at the start before heading north. Piestewa, North Mountain, and Shaw Butte are each hit once outbound and once on the return. The turnaround is the second Shaw Butte summit near mile 27.4.
| Mile | Location | Elevation | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 36th St at Pima Canyon Dr Start Street parking, west side of 36th St |
1,474 ft | 33.53542, -112.00235 |
| ~2.70 | Echo Canyon Trailhead Water Stop 36th St south → Lincoln Dr east → Tatum Blvd south → Echo Canyon. Fountain, restrooms, soda machine with Gatorade. |
1,320 ft | 33.52702, -111.97576 |
| ~3.79 | Camelback Mountain Summit Summit 1 of 8 Echo Canyon up → summit → Cholla descent → Cholla back up |
2,660 ft | 33.51473, -111.96171 |
| ~5.19 | Cholla Trailhead Water Stop Bottom of Cholla descent between the two Camelback summits. Restrooms, wash sink, water. |
1,359 ft | 33.51132, -111.94341 |
| ~6.6 | Camelback Mountain Summit Summit 2 of 8 Echo Canyon descent → Tatum north → Lincoln west → 36th St north into preserve |
2,660 ft | 33.51473, -111.96171 |
| ~7.67 | Echo Canyon Trailhead Water Stop Bottom of Echo Canyon descent. Fountain, restrooms, soda machine with Gatorade. Last water before Piestewa. |
1,320 ft | 33.52702, -111.97576 |
| ~10.10 | 36th St and Lincoln Dr Intersection Turn right heading north on 36th St toward the Phoenix Mountain Preserve entrance. |
1,320 ft | 33.52702, -111.97576 |
| ~11.84 | Upper Ramada Water Stop Parking, water, restrooms. |
||
| ~12.11 | Freedom Trail Trailhead Water Stop Freedom Trail starting point. Parking, water, restrooms. |
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| ~12.50 | Piestewa Peak Trailhead Water Stop Main east-side trailhead. Parking, water, restrooms. |
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| ~13.6 | Piestewa Peak Summit Summit 3 of 8 East-side trailhead up → summit → 302 connector → Freedom Trail descent |
2,542 ft | 33.54762, -112.02111 |
| ~16.75 | Dreamy Draw Recreation Area Water Stop Westbound outbound. Fountain, restrooms, ramadas. After leaving Dreamy Draw, head west on Trail 100 through the SR-51 and Cave Creek Road tunnels to 7th Street Trailhead. |
1,389 ft | 33.56479, -112.02914 |
| ~16.94 | Trail 100 Tunnel Underpass beneath SR-51 motorway. Follow Trail 100 through the tunnel heading west toward 7th Street Trailhead. |
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| ~17.73 | Cave Creek Road Tunnel Underpass beneath Cave Creek Road heading westbound toward 7th Street Trailhead. |
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| ~21.53 | 7th Street Trailhead / North Mountain Visitor Center Water Stop Fountain, restrooms, snack shop (hours vary — verify before your attempt). Reached via Trail 100 westbound from Dreamy Draw through the SR-51 tunnel then the Cave Creek Road tunnel. |
1,389 ft | 33.56479, -112.02914 |
| ~22.8 | North Mountain Summit Summit 4 of 8 Out-and-back from 7th Street Trailhead: up and over to Quechan Area 7 ramada |
2,061 ft | 33.58530, -112.07212 |
| ~24.0 | North Mountain Summit Summit 5 of 8 Return from Quechan Area 7 ramada back over summit to 7th Street Trailhead |
2,061 ft | 33.58530, -112.07212 |
| ~25.30 | 7th Street Trailhead / North Mountain Visitor Center Water Stop Fountain, restrooms, snack shop (hours vary — verify before your attempt) |
1,389 ft | 33.56479, -112.02914 |
| ~26.06 | Shaw Butte Trailhead Water Stop Fountain at the base before the Shaw Butte double summit |
1,374 ft | 33.60273, -112.07406 |
| ~27.41 | Shaw Butte Summit Summit 6 of 8 Turnaround First Shaw Butte summit. Begin descent to valley before second summit. |
2,124 ft | 33.59413, -112.08659 |
| ~28.79 | Shaw Butte Trailhead Water Stop Fountain at the base between the two Shaw Butte summits. |
1,374 ft | 33.60273, -112.07406 |
| ~30.12 | Shaw Butte Summit Summit 7 of 8 Second Shaw Butte summit. Begin descent heading back south. |
2,124 ft | 33.59413, -112.08659 |
| ~31.41 | Right Turn — Return to 7th Street Trailhead Turn right here after the second Shaw Butte summit. Head back east to 7th Street Trailhead for the final time. |
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| ~32.15 | 7th Street Trailhead / North Mountain Visitor Center Water Stop Fountain, restrooms, snack shop (hours vary — verify before your attempt). From here head east on Trail 100 through the Cave Creek Road tunnel, then the SR-51 tunnel, continuing east to Dreamy Draw. |
1,389 ft | 33.56479, -112.02914 |
| ~34.00 | Cave Creek Road Tunnel Underpass beneath Cave Creek Road heading eastbound toward Dreamy Draw and Piestewa. |
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| ~36.76 | Trail 100 Tunnel Underpass beneath SR-51 motorway. Follow Trail 100 through the tunnel heading east toward Dreamy Draw and Piestewa. |
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| ~37.03 | Dreamy Draw Recreation Area Water Stop Eastbound return. Fountain, restrooms, ramadas. Head back to the Freedom Trail to summit Piestewa one last time. |
1,389 ft | 33.56479, -112.02914 |
| ~40.15 | Piestewa Peak Summit Summit 8 of 8 302 connector up → summit → east-side descent to trailhead |
2,542 ft | 33.54747, -112.02111 |
| ~41.67 | Piestewa Peak Trailhead Water Stop Main east-side trailhead. Parking, water, restrooms. |
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| ~42.00 | Freedom Trail Trailhead Water Stop Freedom Trail starting point. Parking, water, restrooms. |
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| ~42.28 | Upper Ramada Water Stop Parking, water, restrooms. |
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| ~43.2 | Turn right onto 36th St Head south on 36th St to finish. It's all downhill from here. |
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| 43.8 | 36th St at Pima Canyon Dr Finish It's all downhill from the preserve exit. You earned this. |
1,474 ft | 33.53542, -112.00235 |
Hydration
Seven confirmed public water sources on the outbound leg, all accessible again on the return. That is 14 total water access points across the full route. For a self-supported desert ultra, that is unusually good coverage. Use every one of them. The gaps between stops can still span several miles of exposed climbing in full sun.
Note: The church fountain at Lincoln and 36th St is community-reported and not city-maintained. Verify it is operational before your attempt. All other stops are city-maintained public facilities.
| Approx. Mile | Water Stop | Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| ~2.70 / ~7.67 | Echo Canyon Trailhead | Fountain, restrooms, soda machine with Gatorade |
| ~5.19 | Cholla Trailhead | Fountain, restrooms, wash sink |
| ~10.0 | Lincoln Dr and 36th St, SW corner church | Outdoor fountain, 24/7. Community-reported. |
| ~12.5 / ~41.67 | Piestewa Peak Trailhead | Fountain, restrooms |
| ~16.75 / ~37.03 | Dreamy Draw Recreation Area | Fountain, restrooms, ramadas |
| ~21.53 / ~25.30 / ~32.15 | 7th Street Trailhead / North Mountain Visitor Center | Fountain, restrooms, snacks and water for purchase at Visitor Center (hours vary — verify before your attempt) |
| ~26.06 / ~28.79 | Shaw Butte Trailhead | Fountain |
Route Rules
Before You Go
That is not hyperbole. The Phoenix Phearsome Phour 70K is 44 miles of fully exposed Sonoran Desert with over 11,000 feet of climbing across some of the most technical urban trails in the country. There is no shade. Not on any of the peaks. Not on the trails between them. Not on the road connectors. Nowhere. The sun will find you because there is nothing to hide behind.
Official Stance of the Phoenix Phearsome Phour Challenge
We strongly encourage you not to attempt this route.
Seriously. We built it, we documented it, and we are telling you right now that attempting the Phoenix Phearsome Phour 70K is an objectively bad idea that a reasonable person would not pursue. You will be alone on 44 miles of desert trail in the sun, climbing over 11,000 feet across four mountains, dodging rattlesnakes, pulling cholla out of your legs, navigating around angry locals who did not come to Camelback to watch you suffer, and stepping around Runfluencers stopped dead on the trail trying to get the perfect shot for the Gram. All of this while questioning every decision that led you to this moment somewhere around mile 28 on the return leg of Piestewa while the Phoenix sun does what it does best.
There is no organization behind this. No one will pull you from the course when you stop making sense. No medic is standing by at Dreamy Draw. No one is tracking your dot. If something goes wrong out there, the desert will not care, and neither will the cholla.
If you choose to attempt this route anyway, you do so entirely by your own choice, of your own free will, under your own power, and at your own risk. The Phoenix Phearsome Phour Challenge, its creator, and anyone associated with it accept zero responsibility for what happens to you out there. That includes blisters, sunburn, dehydration, heat stroke, snake bites, cactus-related injuries, twisted ankles, existential crises, or the look on your family's face when you explain what you spent your weekend doing.
You have been warned. Repeatedly. In writing. On a website you had to find on purpose.
Now go drink some water and think about it.
Source File
The route is documented on Strava as a saved route. This is the authoritative source for navigation. Load it into your GPS device or phone before attempting the route. Do not rely on memory or third-party route interpretations.
Strava Route #3504854829813372808 • Documented by Matthew Hinman @cosmicsea • Type: Trail Running
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