Tom's Thumb Trail | Beautiful Spring Hike | McDowell Sonoran Preserve | Scottsdale, Arizona

On an early spring morning, I headed to the locally famous Tom’s Thumb Trail. It is Scottsdale’s top hike - and consistently listed as one of the top 10 hikes in the entire state. The trail has a smooth gravel surface and good signage to keep you on track. There are indeed spots with a significant incline, but the trail delivers excellent views as well as eye catching rock formations. The top feature is the hike’s namesake: Tom’s Thumb, a 1.4 billion year old towering granite slab named just 45 years ago after the first member of the Arizona Mountaineering Club who climbed it - Tom Kreuser. CONTENTS 00:00 Intro Teaser 00:52 Overview 01:55 Trailhead 02:45 Harris Hawk 03:25 Raven Roost 04:10 Vulture View 05:58 Toms Thumb 07:45 Return Hike Although there are restrooms at the new trailhead, there is no drinking water source. Be sure to bring at least 2 liters of water in the summer and at least 1 liter during any other season. Dehydration and steep climbs can spell disaster - even for the most seasoned desert hiker.