Tom's Thumb has been on my hiking bucket list for a while and I finally took the time to attack it a few weeks ago.
This trail is located in the beautiful McDowell Mountains. (It took us about 50 minutes to get there from the East Valley in morning traffic). There is plenty of parking (although, it may get full on the weekends). The trailhead is equipped with bathrooms, but no drinking water.
Although there are a few trails that connect, we hiked the 4.4 mile roundtrip Tom's Thumb trail. It's a beautiful trail full of switchbacks and an elevation gain of 1,236 feet. The two miles up are pretty vertical and get your heart pumping! There is also limited shade, so go early!
The wildflowers this year were amazing! Every where you looked was blanketed with bright yellow and purple. It was candy for the senses!
View from the top was pretty spectacular and very worth the climb!
The actual "thumb" is a giant rock formation. Once you make it to the top there is a large gathering area, rocks to climb, and great places to sit and enjoy the view and have a little snack.
My usual partner in crime, Erma, and I loved this adventure! It's a beautiful, heart pumping hike with fabulous views and great signage. The trails are wonderfully maintained by the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy.
