An Arizona State University anthropology student is among a group of international researchers who this week published one of the first DNA studies of dire wolves extinct canines that roamed Earth thousands of years ago.
A 1.6-mile flat trail through the north campground of McDowell Mountain Regional Park, this path is crisscrossed with many others that start around here. Despite the slight confusion at various forks in the road, it is a straightforward trail through washes and luscious desert. The path is particularly special in the spring, when the land is covered by huge patches of colorful wildflowers. Take in the views on this desert walk, as the McDowell Mountain range will provide a lovely backdrop to this meandering desert trail.
See the iconic rock formations while hiking in Papago Park.
Pritha Photography/shutterstock.com
Author’s Note: This is the first installment of a monthly series to pay homage to some of my favorite trails. These are not trail guides, per se, but rather tributes to some of the finest running trails in the United States.]
There is perhaps no more pristine park in the United States than McDowell Mountain Regional Park in Maricopa County, Arizona. Home to both the
Pemberton 50kin February and the
Javelina Jundred in October, McDowell Mountain Park is a trail runner’s dream. With 67 miles of smooth desert trails, the McDowells have something for everyone.
I first became acquainted with the park when I moved to Phoenix in 1996. Back then, the trail system was not as developed as it is today but the heart and soul of the trail system was clear, the 15.4-mile Pemberton Trail. Forming a perfect loop through the cacti and palo verde-laden basin, “Pembie” as many of the locals call it, is one of those trails that never gets old. My preferred direction for running the loop