Brown's Ranch: Map Gaps

Trail construction has been going on in earnest up at Brown's Ranch in north Scottsdale this past winter/spring. I've been exploring some of the new stuff on recent rides, getting a feel for the layout and connectivity of the trails. It continues to be non-technical trail, which is fine. Really. It's nice to have options here in Phoenix where it seems rocks are a plenty. I do hope they incorporate some of the natural features at Brown's Ranch in the next phase of construction, the desert is beautiful up there, very lush with unobstructed views to the north.

Perhaps a little known 'secret' of BR is that it often is 8-10º cooler than the trails down in the city, i.e. South Mountain, Phoenix Mountain Preserve, etc. BR has three things going for it, higher elevation (it's a subtle change as you drive north, but rest assured it's higher sitting near 2000'), the McDowell Mountains blocking the urban heat island and no crowds.

I shot up there one recent Friday after work, it was 104º when I hit the road. By 3:30p at the BR trailhead it was 95º!! Trust me, 95º with next to no humidity is quite pleasant. I wanted to ride some more new stuff, hit Hawknest trail from the west and basically hit all the older trails that hadn't yet been added to the Trailforks database.

All I can say, it was a great ride at a brisk pace into the fading light. Great afternoon to be out in the desert riding trail.

Desert crossroads on newly constructed trails.

Dead end pointing east, trailflagging marking the route.

Another dead end near the northern boundary...

...but more flagging for future routes.

Almost ran over this fella, missed him by a mere inch as he was stretched out alongside the trail. He kindly posed for my picture without giving me a rattle.

More fast-track.

Brown's Ranch trailhead off Alma School rd.