Prickly pear and bursage along a sandy wash below Brown's Mountain, with saguaros on the far ridge

Brown's Ranch

Brown's Ranch Short Loop · Brown's Ranch Trailhead (30301 N. Alma School Pkwy.)

Distance: 2.2 mi
Climb: 108 ft
Est. time: about 0 hours 45 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

A near-flat loop from Brown's Ranch Trailhead, an easy way into the northern McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Most of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve was once the Brown family's cattle ranch. This short, nearly flat loop starts from the trailhead named for it, which also leads to Brown's Mountain, Balanced Rock and Cathedral Rock.

Parking

No parking details yet.

Trailhead: Brown's Ranch Trailhead (30301 N. Alma School Pkwy.).

Fee

Free

Dogs

Dogs on leash

Shade

Not confirmed yet

Hazards

No specific hazards recorded beyond desert heat.

Best months

Trail map

McDowell Sonoran Preserve north trail map · City of Scottsdale (PDF)

Sources

5 sources · last verified Sep 24, 2026. Report a change

Photo: Patrick Alexander · CC0

Where each fact comes from

McDowell Sonoran Preserve north area trail map — City of Scottsdale (PDF) checked 2026-09-27
McDowell Sonoran Preserve — City of Scottsdale checked 2026-09-24
Easy loop: 2.2 mi with about 100 ft of gain (our reading of the route stats) checked 2026-09-24
Best months: normal high under 90°F, Phoenix Sky Harbor 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI) checked 2026-09-24
Our history — McDowell Sonoran Conservancy checked 2026-10-02

Closure: Brown's Ranch Trailhead and its lot are closed for upgrades, with no street parking nearby. The City suggests the Pima Dynamite, Fraesfield, Granite Mountain or Tom's Thumb trailheads.
scottsdaleaz.gov