Gateway Trailhead - McDowell Sonoran Preserve

The Gateway Trailhead provides access to over 30,500 acres of preserved Sonoran Desert with multiple trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.

The McDowell Sonoran Preserve, accessed through Gateway Trailhead, emerged from local community initiatives to protect natural desert landscapes from urban development in Arizona.

The trailhead features educational displays and interpretive signs explaining the native plants, wildlife, and geological formations found throughout the desert environment.

Visitors at Gateway Trailhead have access to parking facilities, water stations, restrooms, horse hitching rails, and shade structures throughout the year.

The Bajada Nature Trail offers a fully accessible path designed for families, strollers, and wheelchairs to experience the Sonoran Desert ecosystem.

Address: 18333 N Thompson Peak Pkwy, Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Phone: +(480)3127013

Website: http://scottsdaleaz.gov/preserve

GPS coordinates: 33.64943,-111.85847

Latest update: March 12, 2025 03:43