The Sidewinder – Secret Trail loop is one of the easiest, yet most rewarding, trails I have hiked on South Mountain. I estimate that the hike is about 2 miles round-trip and there is very little elevation gain. I intentionally chose this trail because I only had about an hour so before sunset and knew it would not take long. The loop took me just over an hour to complete.
I found that the Secret Trail section of this hike was most intriguing since it runs along the desert floor, just at the foot of South Mountain. From the trail, you can see a rocky crag rising up sharply toward the peak. I looked briefly for some of the fabled petroglyphs that are legend to exist in these parts, but I did not see any. Closer examination would have required going off the trail.
I would recommend this trail for anyone who is looking for an be easy trail with spectacular views. Take a look at my pictures to get a taste of what the trail offers. The trail head is located in a residential neighborhood near 36th Street & South Warpaint Drive.
Hike details:
- Trail: Sidewinder – Secret Trail
- Length: 2.0 miles round-trip*
- Time: 1.0 hours
- Elevation gain: negligible
- Difficulty: easy
- Date hiked: January 9, 2014
*Rough estimates. I don’t do GPS.
Check out the pictures and captions below for more insights. Click on pics to expand.
Paul Fiarkoski 