See weather in action on Cloudburst Trail
Funny thing about mountains; they’re rain makers. The phenomenon isn’t unusual or magic. It’s something called orographic precipitation, which is basically rain produced when warm moist air rises and cools over mountain ranges.
The process is fascinating to watch — it rolls out as if trapped in a sort of realtime time-lapse. Clouds rapidly build over peaks to the break point when they drop their payloads.
This amazing weather event is easily observed in the mountain ranges that circle metro Phoenix where the massifborne rain flows down foothills into ephemeral streams and washes in gentle sheets or roiling deluges.
Higher elevations such as north Scottsdale and Cave Creek, where mountains reach to a cloud-summoning 4,000-plus feet of elevation get the lion’s share of water.
Phoenix gets the dregs. While Phoenix is situated at around 1,100 feet, north Valley locations like Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve rise to over 2,500 feet and that makes all the difference in terms of taking the edge off city heat islands and soaking up residual mountain rain.
The extra height also accounts for the occasional coating of winter snow that frosts saguaros in picture postcard splendor.
How to hike the Cloudburst Trail in Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve
The fascinating workings of elevation and mountains on the desert landscape beg to be ogled, and the Cloudburst Trail feels like a purpose-built platform for the mission. The aptly named hiking trail in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve gives front-row-style access to the spectacle of rain-making mountains in action.
The 0.9-mile trail coils along the base of 3,061-foot Cone Mountain with flattopped Browns Mountain standing at 3,253 feet high to the east. The twisting single track in the preserve’s north region overlooks a gorgeous expanse of desert that abuts the hilly terrain of Tonto National Forest.
There are numerous ways to access the route but using it as leg in a loop around Cone Mountain adds panoramic vistas and interesting geology to the mix.
Maps available online and at the trailhead show multiple ways to weave the Cloudburst Trail into a day hike.
Try this McDowell Sonoran Preserve loop hike
One option is to create a loop using Upper Ranch, Cone Mountain, Hackamore and West Express trails for a moderate 5.3-mile trek. Each leg of the route works a different facet of the preserve’s many characters. The West Express and Hackamore trails bump up against bizarre granite formations and cross paths with powerlines that oddly mimic wiry tendrils of ocotillo cactus.
The Upper Ranch and Cone Mountain trails showcase the preserve’s two distinct peaks and views of iconic Pinnacle Peak and western ranges.
But, on days when rain is in the forecast, Cloudburst outdoes itself. Traversing a shelf-like edge hanging over acres of saguaros, the trail has unobstructed views of churning clouds rising among layers of misted ridges and peaks.
The route is easy to pick out or customize using maps available online or at the trailhead. Here’s one option. From the Browns Ranch trailhead, begins with a short walk on Browns Ranch Road to the Upper Ranch Trail. Follow Upper Ranch 1.2 miles to emergency marker UR5 and turn left at the Cone Mountain connector.
Hike 0.2 mile, turn right onto Cloudburst at emergency marker CN3. Follow Cloudburst to emergency marker HW33 and continue 0.1 mile to West Express at emergency marker HW35. Follow West Express 0.4 mile to emergency marker WE17 and turn onto Hackamore.
Follow Hackamore to the Cone Mountain junction at CN5, hike back to Upper Ranch and backtrack to the trailhead.
McDowell Sonoran Preserve hike: Cloudburst Trail loop
5.3 miles as described.
Moderate.
2,508-2,713 feet.
Browns Ranch Trailhead, 30301 N. Alma School Parkway, Scottsdale. From Loop 101 in Scottsdale, take the Pima/Princess Exit 36 and go 6.5 miles north on
Pima to Dynamite Road. Turn right and continue 2.7 miles to Alma School Parkway, turn left and drive 1 mile to the trailhead. The preserve is open sunrise to sunset daily. There are restrooms at the trailhead.
McDowell Sonoran Preserve, www.scottsdaleaz.gov/preserve.