Hike results: 8.8 miles.

Happy New Year! What a great day for a hike and way to start out the new year. The sun is out after a big storm and lots of rain during the night before. We met at San Tan Mountain Regional Park at 8:15 AM.

We set off to the south on San Tan Loop Trail for about a mile and then turn right onto the Hedgehog Trail for another mile.

We come to another junction and continue on the San Tan Loop Trail again for another ¾ of a mile before we come to our next junction with the Malpais Loop Trail.

The Malpais Trail follows along a wash at the foot of the escarpment Malpais Hills. The wash is sandy but dry and it’s a beautiful cool day.

The trail climbs gently out of the wash and turns north. On the back half of this loop, we stop for a snack break and to rest the legs as we enjoy the desert beauty. Not too many people on this back loop trail of the park.

After completing the loop we connect onto San Tan Loop Trail for a quarter-mile before turning left and heading northeast along the Hedgehog Trail and again the San Tan Loop trail back to the trailhead.

We had a smooth day and a strong hiking group, as we moved across these many miles in good time.