I like this trailhead. There is one closer to home that I frequent, but every once in a while I make my way over here. It's easy to get to and there are signs from Via Linda. Plenty of parking and there are bathrooms and a water fountain, plus a bottle filling dispenser. There's hardly ever a crowd here, which I prefer. I've done a few of the trails, including Lost Dog, Old Jeep, and most recently, Sunrise trail. This one connects to, you guessed it, the Sunrise trail. That one is not my favorite, and it takes longer to get to the trailhead, so I don't go there often. However, this trailhead allows me to get to the sunrise peak (which I enjoy) and continue to the back trail (Andrew Kinsey). From there, I take it until I reach the Adero Canyon trailhead, which is in Fountain Hills. This is a well-maintained trailhead with all the necessary amenities, clearly labeled signs, and lots of trails to choose from depending on preference of difficulty/length/group. Highly recommend! read more

Lost Dog Wash Trail - Free Palestine sticker - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Just finished a workout and thought I could use some time outside. Alternating Trail running and walking for me today. Plus an EPIC sunset as my reward!! Really great quick hike before sunset. I like this trail a lot. To the look out spot it's one mile out. Not busy at all on Thursday afternoon. Big fluffy clouds in the sky and perfect temperature out. Weather app says it's 65° right now. Lots of parking, there's a restroom at the trailhead. What's not to like. There are other longer trails to take here, but going to the look out spot is all I wanted for today! Came back to the trailhead l/ parking lot with a lit up sky. read more

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Absolutely love this little trail! I've made a few friends and we've walked and talked. When the weather isn't sweltering, I'd recommend hitting this trail. read more

340 ft elevation and decent trail after a more strenuous hike the day before. This trail was pretty wide with small ascents and descents that were easy for us enough to walk and run on. There are loose pepples however it rained earlier in day so it was less dusty . The guides at the front were friendly and helpful to help decrease chance of getting lost. Many dog owners walk their furr babies here since not too strenuous elevations. However quite a few dog owners forgot to pick up their dogs poo even though free baggies are available at entrance to trails and signs throughout. Still a great place to spend a few hours for the amazing views. Highly suggest screenshotting the map so don't have to hold one if have phone. Definitely a hike can do in regular tennis shoes or hiking boots if feel might roll an ankle. Return : definitely for a cooldown hike or easy workout day read more

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Great place to take your dog on a safe hike! The trail is easy on their paws, great on your feet. Moderate but very doable.

We drove here from downtown phoenix with our 4 year old daughter. What an absolutely beautiful place! It started near the parking lot when we saw a road runner sneaking off to the bushes. Parking was plentiful and we were able to park close to the trailhead. A helpful volunteer at the entrance gave us advice on a good trail to hike with our daughter. Beautiful cacti, nice vistas, and clearly marked trails made everything enjoyable. We didn't go far but it was enough to have a great time. We went back to the trailhead where they had nice clean restrooms. Definitely a great place to visit and worth the drive! read more

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Pretty good views from the hilltop. It was pretty hot out. I would not suggest hiking even when it is a high of 70 degrees. In the sun, it is still incredibly hot. Make sure to drink lots of water and bring lots of water. There are prickly cacti and a lot of really pretty white rocks that glint in the sun light. There is not a lot of shade. Make sure to wear sun block. If you can stand it, you should make sure to wear long sleeves or something to cover your skin to prevent sun burns. You will want to wear a hat and sun glasses and hiking shoes. There are a lot of rocks to step on or over. You will want to be careful of loose rocks. There were a lot of rocks around beyond the pretty white rocks. One of the people on the trail found a piece of an antler, which was pretty neat. There was also some kind of plant that was a little pretty. It looked like grass to me, but had a little flower of top. read more

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A great hike! We did the Taelisin overlook trail. 4 miles round trip. Took us two hours. Nice view and breeze at the top. Slight elevation! Loved the stewards at the entrance. Helpful and really accurate in their description! read more

Lost Dog Wash Trail - Overlook - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

One of my favorite places to go for a walk and watch the sunrise. Great views and I've never had a problem finding a place to park.

Beautiful trail! 4 miles total, but it is an out and back so you can make it what you want. Nice parking lot with bathrooms. Beautiful views of the valley if you go to the top. A good workout!! Love this trail and very well maintained read more

Lost Dog Wash Trail - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Great hike! Go early and bring lots of water. 4 miles RT. 340 ft elevation - lots of up and down. Enjoyed the view of the city. read more

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The trail markers could be more frequent, I'm new to hiking and I'm still not sure which trail I took. I just know it took a few hours. The trails are very scenic and not extremely challenging so it was doable and I had a good workout. read more

One of our favorites in the summer- entrance to several trails (easy to moderate) depending on which way you go. Especially love they open crazy early so you can get hiking before sun rises and heat sets in. It gets to over 110 degrees F so being able to go at 4:50am is awesome! They have great restrooms as the trailhead too. read more

Lost Dog Wash Trail - Thank you for opening early!!! - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

I love it I been going here every weekend my kids love it it's amazing if u go early it's so piece full read more

Great trail for those that want to get outside without a strenuous hike. Trail is good for those that want to mountain bike, leisure walk or families with small kids. read more

It is a beautiful trail Definitely messy.m I would highly suggest it It is very nice Scenic Meera Chakkera read more

Simply exceptional fun easy and great exercise. Totally a huge Gibbs up. Loved this trail not crowned but try to go early.

One of my new favorite hikes! I went on a recommendation of a friend, and it didnt disappoint. Parking is super easy, it wasnt super packed, there were clear directions to trailheads, and a restroom before the trails. I went up Lost Dog Trail, to the overlook. It was about 2 miles to get to the overlook, so 4 miles total. It was a nice and relatively easy hike! You are in the wash sometimes while hiking, so there are lots of loose rocks that could make it wobbly for someone, but overall I'd say this is a good hike for anyone. And I noticed its dog friendly. They even offer doggy waste bags before the trailhead to help. It is on the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, so you are asked to stay on the trail and not to remove any vegetation or rocks. Just be respectful! It's a beautiful hike with some really fun scenery, and I look forward to hiking it again soon. read more

Lost Dog Wash Trail - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Very busy but great local place to take an easy hike with numerous trails to choose from. Expect lots of people and bring water as there is no shade. You'll have to share the path with mountain bikers too at times. Great way to start the new year! read more

Lost Dog Wash Trail - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Great easy trail for quick morning hike. read more

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I hiked the Lost Dog Wash Trail for the first time yesterday, and it was a really nice trail. Whoever maintains this trail does a great job. The signage was great, and it was easy to create unique routes through all the connecting trails. There were nice views with varying terrain. I would qualify this trail has easy to moderate, good for any level of experience. read more

Lost Dog Wash Trail - End of trail - nice and flat - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Somewhat crowded trail system in the McDowells but the sheer beauty of the desert landscape really makes up for all the foot traffic. Different levels of difficulty from beginner to advanced can be found from this trailhead. Just be sure to look for the spring-time bloom. read more

Lost Dog Wash Trail - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Awesome hike for little kids, dogs and people looking for an easier hike. My 5 year old son and I went on about an hour hike on this trail. The trails are very well labeled with directional arrows and distance to each point. The trails have a bit of loose rocks so be careful. My son lost his footing a couple times but that was because he was going pretty fast. Nice bathrooms at the beginning. Plenty of parking. Everyone on the trail was very friendly. We saw people with dogs, bikes and children. Great trail for getting out and enjoying the weather. read more

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Great trail with water at the trailhead! Trail is relatively easy, well marketed, and secluded from the city and noise. Hiking here is a lovely chance to explore nature, while still being close to home! read more

Beautiful, calm, and usually not crowded trails. Parking: The most easy parking at any hiking spot! There are tons of spots to park. It's paved and clean. The bathrooms at the main entrance are clean. There are sometimes volunteers there to help with reviewing the map or give advice. A person could choose to hike for many hours, or just 20-30 minutes if she wanted. I typically choose a hike that lasts 60-100 minutes. The trails are well kept and beautiful. There are sometimes a few people, but it seems very quiet. I have not seen much of a crowd here. read more

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We selected this trail to take our 2 small doxies with us. It was a good experience for all. Terrain was good for their little legs and a doable distance. 4 miles for us read more

1100th Review!! The Lost Dog Trail has become my Saturday morning go to for hike. There are lots of trails that intersect with it and you can tailor your hike to what ever your needs are, short hikes, long hikes, easy hikes, moderate hikes. I normally start off with Lost Dog Trail then follow Old Jeep Trail down to Ringtail. The views are amazing and its just peaceful being out on the trail. There is plenty of parking, just go north on 124th St from Shea to the dead end. The facilities are well taken care off and most mornings you could see volunteers there to help with any questions. read more

This hike is very close to home and I love it. Gorgeous views and scenery. The trail to Taliesin is worth the hike-amazing mountain overlook at the end. read more

The Lost Dog Wash Trail and I (as well as Bry and our two labradors) had the pleasure of meeting each other at the end of April. Even at a little after 8am, there was a freak storm hovering nearby so we had some concerns with "surviving" the trail and getting back in time before getting fully rained on. To our relief, the hike was easy as pie and had little elevation gain, but we did encounter one small problem. We were talking and missed a turn and ended up adding another trail and a half or so to our loop as well. We followed along the Lost Dog Wash Trail and then ended up on the Ringtail Trail and then to the Old Jeep Trail. So with our little mishap, instead of taking a short little sub 3 mile hike for one of our elderly pups, we ended up on the 4.1 mile one. Oh well, we took it nice and slow for our older labrador. We did get rained on a bit close to the end, but like I said, it seldom rains, so it's rarely a problem. Pros: -Awesome views -Great for pups (except during the summer of course when it's way too hot unless you go super early) -If you're a mountain biker, the terrain can be rocky, but you can be "remote" without being so far way from the city in no time -Beginner hikers can enjoy an easy conversational stroll -Good training for trail running Cons: -Seasoned hikers may not feel challenged enough unless doing the really long trail -With lots of flowering plants and shrubbery during the spring, there were quite a few bees during our hike (They didn't bother us, but you can hear them passing every flowering bush) read more

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Lost Dog Wash has several unpaved, dirt trails for you to hike, and dogs are allowed. However, there are a lot of loose rocks on the trail and cholla and other cacti spikes are everywhere, so be very cautious about where you step. One person in our party got cholla'd and my dog stepped on a cactus spike, so be sure to bring tweezers and a comb to pick out spikes, and to comb any cholla pads off you. On a warm day, the trail can be rough for dogs not so used to hiking so bring lots of water and take frequent breaks as needed. The actual hike itself isn't too bad, and you get a great view of the city once you reach higher elevations. read more

Nice easy trail to get started on . Nice signage and explanation. Was short so we got the walk in before the heat

What a wonderful trailhead!! Huge parking lot, lovely real bathrooms, maps, and (on the Sunday morning we came here), there was even a kind guide to answer our questions. Grab a paper map in the little bin under the big display map at the trail head and choose your own adventure. There are many trail lengths, so you can do longer or shorter hikes and change your mind on the way. The hiking is long, flat, rocky and really lovely!! With multiple length options and no elevation changes, it's the perfect place for a less experienced hiker, a mountain bike ride, or a trail run. We did the 4.4 mile loop, which included the Old Jeep trail. We plan to come back soon! The views were breathtaking (the weather was cloudy with moments of rain, which makes the mountains extra majestic, here in AZ). read more

Lost Dog Wash Trail - Beautiful trail, especially on an overcast day! - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Since the weather has been so awesome lately, we decided to give this trail a try. After browsing the map of the various trails, we decided to do the "Lollipop Loop", which is a little over 5 miles and includes this route: Lost Dog Wash Trail to Taliesin Overlook (backtrack) to Old Jeep Trail to Ringtail Trail to Lost Dog Wash Trail The trail is very easy and good for beginners. There was a lot of trail bike and jogger action on the trail. One group of hikers had strollers with 2 babies....seriously?! That was a complete fail...I don't know what they were thinking. Until you get to higher ground with decent views....Taliesin Overlook and a couple of spots on the Old Jeep Trail and Ringtail Trail....there's not much to look at. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/lost-dog-wash-trail-scottsdale?select=2fDEe35-hrvJmn5Zsp-YnQ#2fDEe35-hrvJmn5Zsp-YnQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/lost-dog-wash-trail-scottsdale?select=D9Tp167HbQYd9AYLlscDYA#D9Tp167HbQYd9AYLlscDYA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/lost-dog-wash-trail-scottsdale?select=piv7Jl4vqvzzqpZSEX-gdw#piv7Jl4vqvzzqpZSEX-gdw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/lost-dog-wash-trail-scottsdale?select=fwIsLFwlv9NREVlK0G3uHQ#fwIsLFwlv9NREVlK0G3uHQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/lost-dog-wash-trail-scottsdale?select=2SXvipCe9Uc537UwYfX9Mw#2SXvipCe9Uc537UwYfX9Mw Other than those views, there's not much to look at besides the Sonoran Desert.....Cholla, Saguaro, weeds, brush, random green stuff. I read Lisa E's review on this trail and was hoping to see a lot of wildlife, but besides an occasional bird or two squawking, we didn't see or hear anything....no Javelina, Coyotes, Hawks, Bobcats, or Mountain Lions.....we struck out. There are restrooms at the trail head and the parking lot is nice and adequate. I'm not sure I'll hike this trail again....I might go up to 128th St next time and do the Sunrise Trail, which is on the backside of the Lollipop Loop. Return Factor - 50% read more

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This is the perfect trail for anyone who wants a casual and easy hike without sacrificing scenery. The trail is flat and not too rocky, so I saw lots of kids and dogs. The hike from the trailhead to Taliesin Overlook is about 4.5 miles round trip. You get to enjoy an amazing view without having to do much uphill hiking, which is lucky. Another thing I like about Lost Dog Wash is that it only takes a few minutes of walking before you feel secluded from the cars and the city. On my trip I ran into a trail steward dressed in blue. He was really friendly and happy to answer questions, and it was nice to know that someone was looking out for the hikers and the trail. The trailhead is well appointed, with bathrooms, signs, and benches. There's a water fountain as well, but I would bring your own water. Overall I would definitely recommend Lost Dog Wash--just watch out for the cholla! read more

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I enjoyed this hike, and it was fine. I recommend it for younger children, or those with lower levels of mobility, or fitness. The trail was pretty crowded though, loud, with lots of dogs. Because of that, there was very little wild life of any sort. There were also assorted bags of dog crap lying about here and there on the trail. Personally I enjoyed the hike to Sunrise Peak much more, it was less crowded and I saw more wildlife. read more

Lost Dog Wash Trail - At the lookout - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Recently I was invited by a friend to hike with him at the Lost Dog Wash Trail. Though I've lived in Arizona for 16 years this would be the first time I ventured out on a hiking trail in Scottsdale or anywhere. At 74, I agreed to go hiking somewhat reluctantly but I had high confidence in my companion and so hike we did. To be honest I was expecting more of a gravel surface on the trail but what I found was a trail that was mostly covered with rocks. It certainly added to the challenge but I persevered and made the two hour hike with only a couple of stops along the way to catch my breath because the increase in elevation started to affect my breathing a bit. Nothing serious and after a couple of breaks along the way I was able to resume to hike. The views were wonderful. It was great seeing so many people on the trail. The parking was ample and convenient. And the signage was terrific. My partner told me he had an extra pair of hiking poles for me to use. I wondered why on earth I would need the poles but it didn't take long from the trailhead to understand just how useful the poles would be. After I got home I ordered my own set of hiking poles because hiking is something I look forward to doing more of. At 74, it's never too late to start something new. But I'll be looking for my next hiking trail to have a little friendlier surface. read more

This was a great hiking trail and is quite a bit different than most of the trails you find in the area. There are a few up hills and subsequently down hills and there is a lot of loose rock on the trail which can make it a little tricky at times. By loose rock, I mean the trail is completely covered in small loose rocks during some parts. It's a dog friendly trail, and I didn't notice any issues with people not cleaning up after their pups. Everyone we passed by on the hike was friendly too. There is enough room on most parts of this trail that you can pass people if you're moving at a faster pace. I liked the views from this trail too. You get to enjoy very different views on the way up and back, and I imagine it would be beautiful at sunrise or set. read more

Lost Dog Wash Trail - My dog Sasha enjoying Lost Dog - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Great hike for dogs and kids. Wide path. Moderate hill climb if you take the old jeep trail, but beautiful spot. Awesome parking. Good facilities at bottom of trailhead. Nice vistas of the valley. Huge parking lot. read more

Very scenic trail that is a fairly easy climb. We didn't go to the top but very much appreciated the beauty. read more

Lost Dog Wash Trail - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Beautiful, scenic hike! Just right, with some up hill and down hill. Right amount of distance - we added the side trail which ended up being 5.5 mile total loop. Glad I had my trekking poles for the loose rocky areas of the trail. Would love to hike this again when we come back - we are from Seattle so hiking in the sun in December was a real treat!!!!!. Lucky Arizonians!! read more

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