Beverly Canyon Loop

I have renamed this hike the "Fry's Electronics Hike" because the only real reason I decided to try it is because I needed to trek out to Fry's, and the trailhead is only a few blocks away. I make no secret of my preference for the desolation and lush vegetation of the Superstitions, but South Mountain has certain conveniences. Really, the Fry's Electronics theme is carried on right up to the trailhead parking lot which is next to an industrial park. I made sure to grab a parking space adjacent to the security kiosk for the warehouse figuring that the security guard might notice if my car was getting broken into . . . which would further the Fry's Electronics theme to, "Here's the place where I lost my purchases."

I have found, though, that some of my best hikes have been those that I have had the lowest expectations, and this hike is no exception. We have been blessed with some beautiful weather this winter, here in the desert, creating a somewhat early spring. We started the hike on the west side of the trailhead parking lot with the Javelina Trail, and not more than 200 feet up the trail did I find my first wildflower:


Mexican Gold Poppy


The flowers are just starting to bloom along the northern flanks of South Mountain along this portion of the Javelina Trail. A little further up the trail, we also saw some lupines and brittlebush just starting to bloom. Javelina Canyon is really lovely with birds singing on top of the saguaros, and on a Friday afternoon, we passed just a few other hikers. Every so often we would turn around and look north towards the Phoenix skyline and catch an airplane taking off or the bustle along the highways. We sat to break along the trail and noticed our dogs getting excited about something. We figured it was just a rodent or a lizard, but then we looked on the hillside above where we were sitting, and we caught three coyotes trotting along on their way down the canyon. I quickly grabbed my camera to catch the last one in the group:

At the top pf Javelina Canyon, you will turn left (east) along the Ridgeline Trail. There are some really great views from up here. The further you go, the more Phoenix landmarks become apparent, and soon you will be making out Camelback Mountain, the Papago Buttes, Usery Mountain, Four Peaks, and the Superstitions. The views are great! However, it is pretty steep in sections with loose-packed rocks, great for sliding while being pulled by two dogs. Next time, I will bring my mountain goat instead. I also noticed a lot more hikers along the Ridgeline section, and it seemed like they hiked this trail everyday, and I was just an obstacle in their path. I definitely got an "urban hiking" feel from this hike, and I can't imagine what it would be like on a Saturday. Here's a sample of a part of the Ridgeline section:



After coming down the last hill of the Ridgeline Trail, you will turn left (north) onto Beverly Canyon Trail which feels like a paved superhighway after what you just finished. There is also a LOT of traffic along the Beverly Canyon Trail, both hikers and mountain bikers, but you can move pretty quickly along here by just following the overhead power lines back to the trailhead. It was a nice shaded end to the hike, if you complete the hike in the afternoon.

Length: 3.9 miles
Elevation gain: 500 feet
Time it took us: 2.5 hours
Fees: none
Directions: From Baseline Road, go south on 46th Street to the end of the road.