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| - Hats off to the BLM for keeping our public lands public! Quartz Peak is a 6 mile roundtrip hike with an elevation gain of 2,500 feet. It is the only established trail in the Estrella Mountain Range. The views from summit are incredible - not to mention the large quartz outcrop at the top. To the northeast lies the expanse of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Rolling desert mountains and valleys lie to the west. Don't count on cell service out there, as this is the boonies. This hike is a challenging, yet refreshing hike near Phoenix, but without the traffic and swarms of heavy breathers you see on the trails more accessible in the city.
The hike is strenuous - a 2,500 foot elevation gain over 3 miles from the trailhead to peak. The first 2.5 miles is an easy to navigate Class 1 trail. The last 0.5 miles to the summit requires some scrambling and route finding abilities, as a series of cairns help to mark the 'route'. This trail is not recommended for the average day hiker - you should be in good shape and have good navigation skills. Leave the kids and the dog at home. Trust me, they won't make it.
There is a parking area at the start of the trailhead with a pit toilet. No running water is available. An informative sign marks the trailhead with a register. The elevation gain on the hike is very constant, so there are no surprises for the first 2.5 miles. You will be greeted by lizards and standing groves of saguaros. You will also find bits of quartz and mica spread out along the trail. The trail heads in a northerly direction. There are many lookouts toward the west, which get better and better the higher up you get. The trail heads in a northerly direction and should not be a problem to navigate for the experienced hiker. At 2.5 miles, the trail stops at a small 'meadow'. The last 0.5 miles is marked only by cairns and requires some scrambling. The highlight of the hike is definitely at the summit, where you can sit on a large outcrop of quartz and admire the desert surroundings to the east and west. Wow!!! The GPS coordinates for the summit is: 33D13'50.1"N 112D13'49.1"W
Getting there is not the easiest. You will spend about 10 miles on a sandy washboard road. Expect the side of your vehicle to get scratched up by the creosote lining the edge of the road. You don't absolutely need 4x4, but experience with driving in sandy conditions is a must.
From I-10, take Exit 126 south on Estrella Parkway for 8,3 miles. Turn west (right) on Elliot Road and go 2.6 miles. Turn south (left) on Rainbow Valley Road and go 9.3 miles to Riggs Road. From here, the rest of the trip is unpaved. Head east (left) on Riggs Road for 3.9 miles to Bullard Avenue. Turn south (right) on Bullard Avenue and take your first 'immediate' left (east) on an unmarked dirt road that follows along power lines. Follow this dirt road 5.3 miles where it T's into another unmarked road. Head south (right) for 2 miles where there is hopefully a sign marked 'trail'. Take this road east (left) for 1.9 miles to the Quartz Peak parking lot and trailhead. GPS coordinates for this parking lot is: 33D11'56.3"N 112D14'24.7W.
I'd highly recommend following this same route back as the 'roads' in this area have very deep sand and often go to the middle of nowhere. You will not have reliable cell service, so don't expect to be able to call a tow to get you out.
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