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McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Scottsdale

4.8

#1 of 12 in Wildlife in Scottsdale

Wildlife Area Nature / Park

McDowell Sonoran Preserve spans 12,150 hectares (30,000 acres) of protected desert terrain, with over 190 km (120 mi) of multi-use trails. Five trailheads offering hikes of varying difficulty and length will take you through different regions of the park. Explore the trails by foot, by bike, or on horseback, and you'll see cacti forests, wildlife, and mountain ranges. This huge preserve is geologically diverse, made up of a mixture of 1.7 billion-year-old metamorphic rocks, granite, and volcanic deposits. The preserve provides a safe home to desert plants and animals near an urban environment and connects to Tonto National Forest and McDowell Mountain Regional Park, creating a continuous wildlife corridor. Use our Scottsdale vacation website to add McDowell Sonoran Preserve and other attractions to your Scottsdale vacation plans.

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McDowell Sonoran Preserve Reviews

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5.0

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• By Taylor B

  Created in 1990, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona, covers about 30,500 acres and is the largest urban park or nature preserve in the United States. Located at 18333 North Thompson ...  more »

• By KCinAZ55

  It was as a beautiful day. The vegetation in the high Sonoran desert along Marcus Landslide Trail was spectacular. It’s a bit more than a 2 mile hike round trip. The trail is easy to moderate dependin...  more »

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