Hiking at White Tank Mountain Regional Park

Background

For two consecutive Saturdays in May 2025, May 10th and May 17th, to be exact, I went hiking at White Tank Mountain Regional Park near Surprise, AZ. On each occasion, I attempted to hike the 8.3-mile long Mesquite Canyon Trail. My intent is to combine both hikes into one post here on my blog.

The White Tank Mountains are a mountain range that form the natural western boundary of the Greater Phoenix, AZ Metropolitan Area. If you live in what is locally referred to as the West Valley, you can see the White Tank Mountains just about everywhere you go. The mountains are a prominent natural landmark. If you look to the west, or northwest, depending upon your position in the West Valley, you can easily see the White Tank Mountains. When the West Valley is referred to in local media, the term tends to group the following cities together:

1. Avondale
2. Buckeye
3. El Mirage
4. Glendale
5. Goodyear
6. Peoria
7. Sun City
8. Surprise
9. Tolleson

Maricopa County Parks and Recreation is the organization responsible for managing White Tank Mountains Regional Park. Maricopa County Parks and Recreation currently manages 12 parks that are largely scattered throughout the periphery of Maricopa County. Here is a comprehensive list of parks managed by Maricopa Parks and Recreation:

Parks Managed by Maricopa County Parks & Recreation

Name	Address	City	Area
Adobe Dam Regional Park	23280 N. 43rd Avenue	Glendale, AZ	1,526 Acres
Buckeye Hills Regional Park	26700 W. Buckeye Hills Drive	Buckeye, AZ	4,453 Acres
Cave Creek Regional Park	37019 N. Lava Lane	Cave Creek, AZ	2,922 Acres
Estrella Mountain Regional Park	14805 W. Vineyard Ave	Goodyear, AZ	19,840 Acres
Hassayampa River Preserve	49614 U.S. Hwy. 60 89	Wickenburg, AZ	Not Available
Lake Pleasant Regional Park	41835 N. Castle Hot Springs Rd	Morristown, AZ	23,362 Acres
McDowell Mountain Regional Park	16300 McDowell Mountain Park Dr	Fountain Hills, AZ	21,099 Acres
San Tan Mountain Regional Park	6533 W. Phillips Road	Queen Creek, AZ	10,000 Acres
Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area	44000 N. Spur Cross Road	Cave Creek, AZ	2,154 Acres
Usery Mountain Regional Park	3939 N. Usery Pass Rd	Mesa, AZ	3,648 Acres
Vulture Mountains Regional Park	43801 N. Vulture Mine Rd	Wickenburg, AZ	Not Available
White Tank Mountain Regional Park	20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road	Waddell, AZ	30,000 Acres

White Tank Mountain Regional Park is located near Waddell, AZ, which is an unincorporated community roughly located south of Surprise, AZ and west of Glendale, AZ. White Tank Mountain Regional Park has a land area of approximately 30,000 acres. This makes the park the largest in the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation system. Here is how Maricopa County Parks and Recreation describe White Tank Mountain Regional Park:

The range, deeply serrated with ridges and canyons, rises sharply from its base to peak at over 4,000 feet. Infrequent heavy rains cause flash floodwaters to plunge through the canyons and pour onto the plain. These torrential flows, pouring down chutes and dropping off ledges, have scoured out a series of depressions, or tanks, in the white granite rock below, thus giving the mountains their name.

Here is a map that I created displaying the location of White Tank Mountain Regional park within the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation park system.

Maricopa County Regional Parks

Brief History

According to a short article from Maricopa County Parks and Recreation, there are 11 archaeological sites within the boundaries of White Tank Mountain Regional Park. The sites were occupied by the Hohokam Indians roughly between A.D. 500 to A.D. 1100. Due to the ruggedness of the terrain and the scarcity of water, the Hohokam Indians established seven villages within what is now White Tank Mountain Regional Park. The villages tended to be located inside large canyons that led out of the mountains. These villages varied in size from as small as one acre to as large as 75 acres. Archaeologists have also discovered the remains of a rock shelter on a steep cliff overlooking a white tank and several pottery sherd areas. In addition to pottery sherds, numerous petroglyphs have been discovered within the White Tank Mountains. Some of the petroglyphs have been dated as far back as 10,000 years. Several petroglyphs can be seen while hiking the Waterfall Canyon Trail. On a personal note, I have yet to hike the Waterfall Canyon Trail. It’s a short trail, about one mile long, that has a trail rating of Easiest. Maricopa County Parks and Recreation have an informative 5-page PDF document about the Waterfall Canyon Trail which can be downloaded and printed out prior to hiking the trail.

Petroglyph at White Tank Mountain Regional Park (Source: Maricopa County)

Getting to the White Tank Mountains

Since I am currently based in Sun City, getting to White Tank Mountain Regional Park is actually quite simple. From Sun City, I drove west on Bell Road for several miles. After driving over Highway 60/Grand Ave, I made a left turn on Litchfield Road and then headed south. After several miles on Litchfield Road, I made a right turn on Olive Ave and headed west. At the intersection of Litchfield Road and Olive Ave, look for the sign pointing toward the White Tank Library. When you see the sign, you know that you are on the correct road. Then, keep driving west. After passing under Highway 303, keep driving west toward the White Tank Mountains. Eventually, Olive Ave will change over to White Tank Mountain Road. You will then see the White Tank Library on your right and the main entrance to White Tank Mountain Regional Park on your left. The White Tank Library is free to visit. More about that later on in the post.

Alternatively, to get to White Tank Mountain Regional Park from Sun City, you could get on Highway 303 at El Mirage Road, for example, and drive south before taking the Peoria Ave exit. After driving west on Peoria Ave, make a left turn on Cotton Lane and head south toward Olive Ave. Once you reach Olive Ave, make a right turn and drive west toward the main entrance of the park.

Park Entry Fees

Maricopa County Parks and Recreation charges an entry fee of $7.00 to enter the park for the day. The website for Maricopa County Parks and Recreation also lists a $2.00 Hike/Bike/Equestrian fee. Maricopa County Parks and Recreation charges several different fees for overnight camping. For the complete list of fees, see the following list here.

Alternatively, you could pay $85 at the park entrance for an Annual Day-Use Entry Pass, which will get you into all of the parks managed by Maricopa County Parks and Recreation for the day. Honestly, I don't know why I just didn't fork over the $85 to get an Annual Day-Use Entry Pass, especially since I would go on to hike at Cave Creek Regional Park a couple of weeks later.

After I paid the $7.00 entry fee, I picked up the following park map from the friendly and helpful Maricopa County Parks and Recreation employee. Even though I was planning on using the AllTrails app for my hike, the paper map of White Tanks Mountain Regional Park was actually quite useful during my hike for when I just wanted a quick overview of the trail.

Park Map of White Tank Mountain Regional Park

Brief Facts About The Mesquite Canyon Trail

My original intention for both hikes at the White Tank Regional Mountain Park was to hike the so-called "Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop". Consisting of the entirety of both the Mesquite Canyon Trail and the Willow Canyon Trail as well as a short segment of the Ford Canyon Trail, the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop has a total length of approximately 8.1 miles. The Mesquite Canyon Trail itself has a one-way length of approx. five miles. The Willow Canyon Trail has a one-way length of approx. 1.6 miles. Lastly, the short segment of the much longer Ford Canyon Trail is approx. 0.7 miles in length.

I don't know what exactly came over me thinking that I could hike the 8.1 mile length of the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop as daily temperatures in Maricopa County started to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but I was willing to see how far I could go.

For trail ratings and difficulty, Maricopa County Parks and Recreation gives the Mesquite Canyon Trail a Difficult (black diamond) trail rating. The Willow Canyon Trail receives a Moderate-Difficult (clear diamond) trail rating. Lastly, the Ford Canyon Trail receives an Extremely Difficult (double black diamond) trail rating. However, I have doubts about the Extremely Difficult trail rating for the segment of the Ford Canyon Trail utilized by the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop. Why? Well, according to the park map, the Ford Canyon Trail has a two-mile segment consisting of large rocks and narrow passageways near an abandoned dam that had been built in the White Tank Mountains.

Here is a handy table:

Trails That Make Up the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop

Trail Name	Length (Approx.)	Trail Rating
Mesquite Canyon Trail	5.0 Miles	Difficult
Ford Canyon Trail	0.7 Miles	Extremely Difficult
Willow Canyon Trail	1.6 Miles	Moderate - Difficult

Please note that the length for each trail is approximate and for one-way. If you used the distances given by Maricopa County Parks and Recreation, the total lenght of the Mesquite Canyon Loop Trail is in the neighborhood of 7.3 miles total. In contrast, AllTrails.com states that the total distance for the Mesquite Trail Loop is at 8.3 miles. That's a difference of one mile. To get a more accurate measurement, I suppose you could use a GPS navigation device during your hike. During my first hike at White Tanks Mountain Regional Park, I used the AllTrails app to assist with land navigation. More about that later.

Hiking the Mesquite Canyon Trail - First Hike

On the morning of Saturday, May 10, 2025, I woke up at around 4:30am. I quickly got dressed, brushed my teeth, and shaved. I then quickly gathered all of the things that I would need for hiking that morning at White Tank Mountain Regional Park, such as sunscreen, a scarf to protect my neck, an emergency flashlight, a pocketknife, things to eat while hiking, and my old pair of trekking poles, among other items. I also filled up my Gregory 3-liter hydration pack full of water. After a quick breakfast and a cup of coffee or two, I gathered my hiking boots and wide brimmed hat, I moved everything I needed for hiking to the trunk of my car. I quickly conducted a final inventory to make sure that I wasn't forgetting anything. It's never fun to realize that I forgot something important after arriving at the trailhead.

Photo A: Ramadas at the Mesquite Canyon Trailhead. (Photo by me.) 

After starting my car, I did a quick check of the weather forecast on my cellphone. The predicted high for the day was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit with clear, sunny skies. Since it was early May, the main topic of conversation in the Phoenix, AZ area was the arrival of summer and the inevitable high temperatures it brings. According to my watch, the time was now 6:00am. It was time to hit the road. "Time is not your friend," I muttered to myself and then started the car.

Like I mentioned previously, I took the easy way to get to White Tank Mountain Regional Park. In Sun City, AZ, I drove west along Bell Road. Since it was early Saturday morning, the streets were largely empty. Before I knew it, I arrived at the intersection of Bell Road and Litchfield Road. I then made a left turn and then headed south. The streets were still largely empty. Once I reached the intersection of Olive Ave and Litchfield Road, I made a right turn onto Olive Ave. The White Tank Mountains began to loom large in my field of view. After about 10 minutes, Olive Ave changed over to White Tank Mountain Road. For long stretches of time, I was the only car heading west. After passing by the White Tank Library, I arrived at the entrance gate to the park. I paid the $7 entry fee, got my free park map, and drove to the trailhead.

Photo B: The parking lot at the Mesquite Canyon Trailhead. (Photo by me.)

Since this was my first time visiting White Tank Mountain Regional Park, I did have some difficulty in locating the parking area for the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop. After paying the entry fee, you drive north on White Tank Mountain Park Road. I missed making a left turn onto Waterfall Canyon Road to get to the parking lot. I ended up making a left-hand turn onto Ford Canyon Road. Fortunately for me, Ford Canyon Road changed over to Waterfall Canyon Road. I quickly saw the ramada (#7) that was located near the parking lot for the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop.

As I turned into the parking lot, I quickly noticed that there were probably no more than half a dozen parked cars. There was even a bathroom near the parking lot. Looking at my watch, I noticed that the time was 6:45am. It was time to get ready to go hiking. As is common whenever I go hiking, I go through something of an elaborate ritual. I searched through my Gregory Nano 22 H20 Hydration Pack with a 3-liter capacity for my sunscreen. After applying sunscreen all over my face, ears, and neck, I took off my shoes and socks. I then put on my hiking socks before putting on and lacing up my Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX Men’s Hiking Boots. Then, it was time to put on both sets of my Thuasne Rebel knee braces. I then opened up a 1.5-liter bottle of water and began to fill up the 3-liter reservoir in the Gregory hydration pack full of water. After that, I then slung my Gregory hydration pack over both shoulders. Then, I put on a pair of workgloves for my hands. After wrapping a scarf around my neck, I put on my wide-brimmed hat that I bought at REI. I then put a pocket knife in one of my cargo pockets. Just in case. I also brought along some food to eat inside my hydration pack. After taking out my old pair of trekking poles, I did one last search of the trunk of my car for anything else that I could possibly need.

Other items I either wore or carried inside my Gregory Nano 22 H20 Hydration Pack included:

• One Black Diamond Cosmo 350 Rechargeable Headlamp
• One Sol Emergency Blanket XL
• One Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight/Watertight .3 Medical Kit
• One Coghlans Featherweight Mirror
• One REI Sahara Sun Hat with Cape

Now, did I have to bring all of that stuff? It depends on your comfort level, really. However, I learned in the Army that it's difficult to anticipate when you might need something. It's better to pack an item and not use it than to need an item and not have it at all. Plus, several weeks prior to hiking at White Tank Mountains, I was caught after sunset on the hiking trail over at Deem Hills in northern Phoenix. Since I didn't anticipate being on hiking after sunset, I had completely forgotten to pack either my headlamp or a flashlight. I had to use my cellphone with its depleted battery to get back to my car. It wasn't very much fun. After all, a signaling mirror and an emergency blanket don't take up too much space.

Photo C: All ready to hit the trail. (Photo by me.)

As I was getting ready, I noticed that two women had parked their car in a parking spot close to mine. They got out of the car, put on their gear, and walked over to the trailhead. After locking my car, I also headed over to the trailhead at the west end of the parking lot. The sun had already risen above the horizon in the east. It was going to be a hot day out on the hiking trail. In the west, the moon hung low over the White Tank Mountains in a deep blue sky. It was a really cool image. The visual was right out of Frank Herbert's Dune books.

After taking a look at the trail map for White Tank Mountain Regional Park, I activated the workout feature for hiking on my Samsung 7 watch. After waiting for the countdown to complete, it was time to start hiking. As it happened, the two women from the parking lot weren't too far ahead on the trail. As I began my hike, I made the decision to turn on the AllTrails app on my cellphone. I just wanted to see where I was as I hiked along the trail. Even though I had looked at the map for the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop over at the AllTrails website several times prior to the day of my hike, I was still a little apprehensive about the trail. I did my map reconnaissance of the hike, but I still didn't really know what to expect during the hike. Just as an aside, and I'm sure I have written about this here on my blog on previous occasions, the AllTrails app is a real battery drainer if you use the app during your hike. Plus, to me, using the AllTrails app is a big hassle if you want to take photos during your hike. I found out that if I wanted to take photos during my hike, I had to stop hiking, pause the AllTrails app, take a photo, and then unpause the AllTrails app in order to save battery life. Now, can you have the AllTrails app running in the background while you are taking photos? Absolutely. It's all a matter of personal preference, I suppose. Moreover, do you even need to use the AllTrails app? It depends on the trail and the terrain that you are hiking on. It also depends on your comfort level of always knowing where you are. More on that later.

Photo D: The trailhead for the Mesquite Canyon Trail. (Photo by me.)

According to AllTrails.com, the Mesquite Trail Loop starts at an elevation of 1,544 feet with a 0% grade, or slope. At first, it's fairly easy hiking along the Mesquite Canyon Trail. It was easy to get lost in the deep blue sky with the moon overhead with the desert mountain terrain all around you. Even though it was only a couple of minutes past 7:00am, there were already a couple of early morning hikers returning back to the parking lot. At approximately the half-mile mark, the trail enters into a series of several fairly steep switchbacks in what appeared to be an unnamed canyon. The change in elevation was drastic. As I took a break prior making my way up a switchback in the trail, I took a look back at the parking lot and was quite surprised at how high I already was. Fortunately, the Mesquite Canyon Trail was clearly marked and in excellent condition. There were a few steps created out of rocks and a fence at a couple of places along the trail.

At approximately 1.1 miles along the Mesquite Canyon Trail, I reached the top of the ridge with an elevation of 2,130 feet. It was quite a workout to get to this point on the Mesquite Canyon Trail. Looking back at my progress on the trail thus far, I was stunned by the desert beauty of the trail. I could see the trailhead and the parking lot far below me. As I continued to progress along the Mesquite Canyon Trail, I saw the Mesquite Canyon itself on the north slope of the ridge. Mesquite Canyon ran down from the White Tank Mountains with a west-east orientation. I could even see the parking lots and picknick areas for the Ford Canyon Trail. The view was breathtaking. After taking a couple of photos of the area, I noticed that the two women hikers that I had seen in the parking lot earlier weren't too far ahead of me on the trail. The trail then curved along the side of the ridge and then headed west into the White Tank Mountains. On my left was the mountainside, and on my right was Mesquite Canyon itself. Down at the bottom of Mesquite Canyon appeared to be a dry creek bed. It looked like it had been a while since it had last rained at the White Tank Mountains. As I headed west along the Mesquite Canyon Trail, I could see the broadcast towers on the top of Barry Goldwater Peak. It was as if I could just reach out and touch the broadcast towers. As the trail was now relatively flat, I started making a rapid pace. I passed a fellow hiker who was on his way back to the trailhead. As he passed by, I noticed that he was wearing anti-snake bite gaiters on top of his hiking boots and socks. The gaiters went all the way up to his knees. In hindsight, that probably wasn't a good sign, but I didn't think anything about it as we acknowledged each other.

Photo E: I think I'm going left. (Photo by me.)

Before I knew it, I was less than 50 feet away from the two women hikers. I could hear that they were talking to each other. They were just chatting up a storm as they hiked. I think one of the women was talking about remodeling her bathroom. Why I remember that, I don't know. However, when you do go hiking with another person or with a group of people, you end up talking about mundane subjects such as remodeling your bathroom.

After hiking 1.8 miles on the Mesquite Canyon Trail, I then reached a trail junction sign. I also encountered the two women hikers taking a water break near the trail junction sign. The two women wanted to know what they would see if they went left or right on the trail. I explained to them that they were on the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop. If they decided to go to the left, they would continue along the Mesquite Canyon Trail for another couple of miles before the trail joined a portion of the Ford Canyon Trail before joining the Willow Canyon Trail. If they decided to go to the right, they would then be hiking on the Willow Canyon Trail before joining the Mesquite Canyon Trail. I said that it probably didn't matter which route they chose as they would eventually return back to the trail junction sign. However, there was a big difference between the Mesquite Canyon and Willow Canyon trails. After consulting the AllTrails app on my phone, I saw that the Mesquite Canyon Trail appeared to be relatively flat (for the most part). In contrast, the Willow Canyon Trail involved hiking up a mountainside. Since it was anticipated to be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit by 10:00am, the two women decided to hike on the Mesquite Canyon Trail for a little bit longer before turning back. I made the decision to tag along with the two women.

As we left the trail junction sign area, I realized why I was seeing quite a few hikers already heading back toward the trailhead and the parking lot. To hike to the trail junction sign from the trailhead and back was almost a four-mile hike. For most people, that distance was probably a really good morning cardiovascular workout. It really wasn't too dissimilar from what I had seen people at, say, North Mountain or at Piestewa Peak do for a cardiovascular workout.

I couldn't tell if the two women were from out of town or if they were just like me, visiting White Tank Mountain Regional Park for the first time. In fact, the two women went right back to talking amongst themselves. I didn't mind. I was too busy trying to take in the landscape as we continued hiking on the Mesquite Canyon Trail. After several minutes, one of the two women pointed out seeing a deer down in Mesquite Canyon. I stopped to take a look. I couldn't see anything. One thing I did notice, however, was the numerous holes along the trail to my left and right. Thinking about it now, that was more important to me. I did feel a bit more secure hiking with other people as we were the only people hiking on the Mesquite Canyon Trail at that time of day as far as the eye could see.

Photo F: Officially starting the Mesquite Canyon Trail. (Photo by me.)

The Mesquite Canyon Trail made several zigzags and a couple of gentle curves as the trail slowly rose in elevation. The Mesquite Canyon area then suddenly opened up. The trail was near the flatter part of Mesquite Canyon. I could see a dried out creek or river bed with some bushes and desert scrub at the bottom of the canyon. Just past the creek bed, however, the mountainside dramatically rose in elevation. The broadcast towers on Barry Goldwater Peak appeared to be getting closer, yet they still seemed to be far away. The two women hikers were lost in their own private conversation. As for myself, I was overwhelmed by the desert landscape. I was looking here, there, and everywhere. Occasionally, I would open the AllTrails app on my cellphone and check on our location on the trail. I would also check the temperature on my watch. I noticed that the temperature was already in the mid-90s Fahrenheit at a little past 8:00am.

At what would be the 3-mile mark of the hike, we passed through a rock arch on our way to the source of the creek in Mesquite Canyon. Out of nowhere, the wind started to pick up. The wind was moving down the White Tank Mountains and into Mesquite Canyon. I had to tighten the strap to keep my hat on my head. The trail then turned into a horseshoe shape to go around a large rock formtion that was jutting out from the mountainside. We could see that the trail went far into Mesquite Canyon before ascending to the top of a ridge. I explained to the two women hikers that somewhere above the ridge was another trail junction sign. This time for the Ford Canyon Trail. With the wind increasing in speed and the temperature increasing, the two women hikers decided that they were going to turnaround and head back to the trailhead. I decided to hike a little further on the Mesquite Canyon Trail before deciding to turn back. Going any further on the Mesquite Trail would be a mystery to be solved for another time, I thought.

Photo G: Hiker leaving the Mesquite Canyon Trail for the Waddell Trail. (Photo by me.)

As I rounded past the rock formation on the horseshoe, I noticed that the two women were already far off in the distance. I tried to catch up to them, but they were too far away. Plus, the wind kept trying to lift my hat off my head. I noticed that I was the only hiker in Mesquite Canyon. Suddenly, the wind died down. I decided to pick up the pace just a little bit. As I was attempting to keep my wide-brimmed hat on my head from the sudden gusts of thermal wind, a man running toward me suddenly appeared on the trail. He was wearing runner's shorts, socks, and running shoes. His head was bald. He held a water bottle in each hand as he was listening to music on his Bluetooth earphones. I heard music playing, but I couldn't distinguish what he was listening to. It was clear to me that he was experiencing runner's high, the euphoric state you reach when running. As a result, I moved to the high side of the trail to give the runner some clearance. The man nodded his head and kept on running past me. After going around a corner on the trail, I looked back and observed that the runner had already passed my turnaround point on the trail.

My first hike at White Tank Mountain Regional Park in Maricopa County. (Graphic by me.)

In addition to the sudden thermal gusts of wind, the temperature was starting to rapidly increase as I tried to pick up my pace on the trail. The landscape was a blur as I tried to maintain my focus on the trail. Out of the blue, I could see the trail junction sign clearly in the distance. When I reached the trail junction sign, I looked to my left and noticed two hikers coming down the Willow Canyon Trail toward the trail junction sign. It was a man and a child, probably a father and son out for a hike. Knowing that I had two miles to go to get back to the trailhead, I took a couple of sips of water and started hiking again. I then saw two women using trekking poles ahead of me on the Mesquite Canyon Trail also heading back to the trailhead. The two women were wearing Athleta/Lulu Lemon type athletic clothing with runner's caps. They were moving at a brisk pace on the trail. Before I knew it, I began my descent into the part of the Mesquite Canyon Trail that had all of the switchbacks. Since I was going downhill, the switchbacks weren't the problem they were when I was going uphill earlier in the morning. The two women with the trekking poles kept getting further and further ahead of me. All of a sudden, the knee brace on my right knee started sliding down my leg, making it more difficult to hike. I made several attempts to reposition my right knee brace without stopping on the trail. I was also drinking quite a bit of water. I noticed that there weren't too many people hiking on the Mesquite Canyon Trail. I could see the parking lot in the distance. The two women with trekking poles were now just distant dots far ahead of me. I finally reached the junction of the Mesquite Canyon Trail and the Waddell Trail. The trailhead and the parking lot were just ahead. Once I reached the parking lot, I could see that the two women with the trekking poles were finishing up loading their truck or SUV. There were fewer vehicles in the parking lot than when I had arrived at 7:00am. Once I got to my car, I stopped my Samsung watch to complete my hike. According to my watch, I had been on the trail over three and a half hours. It was close to 10:00am.

I opened the trunk to my car and took off my Gregory hydration pack. I took off my gloves and placed my trekking poles into the trunk. I then unlaced my hiking boots and took them off. Even though my Zamberlan hiking boots are quite comfortable (now that I am wearing the correct size for my feet), my feet breathed a sigh of relief as I put on my running shoes. After I loaded up all of my equipment into the trunk of my car, I sat into the driver's seat and turned on my car. I realized that I was suddenly really hungry. Despite including some snacks in my Gregory hydration pack, I didn't eat anything on my hike. I suddenly had an idea on what to do (see below).

Hiking the Mesquite Canyon Trail - Second Hike

After my initial hike at White Tank Mountain Regional Park, I decided to make another attempt at hiking the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop the following week on Saturday, May 17, 2025. For my second attempt, I was determined to see how far I could go on the Mesquite Canyon Trail before having to turn back. To ensure my success, I spent some extra time over at AllTrails.com studying the online topographical map and 3-D terrain view of the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop. Nevertheless, I still had to be realistic about just how far I could go on the trail due to the predicted high temperature for the day. If I remember correctly, the predicted high temperature for the day had to be close to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. It was anticipated that the temperature would reach 100 degrees prior to 12:00pm.

Just as an aside, going out hiking in Maricopa County during the summer months, where temperatures can reach as high as 118 degrees Fahrenheit in the afternoon, is a really BIG deal. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you start your hike as early in the morning as possible. Not all parks within Maricopa County open at the same time. Check times before you go. As I mentioned earlier in my post, White Tank Mountain Regional Park opens at 6:00am. During the summer months, it is a common item on the local news here in the Phoenix, AZ area to report how park rangers had to airlift hikers, both local and from out of state, off of a trail due to a combination of sun exposure, heat exposure, and the lack of water. It always happens. Plus, since I tend to go hiking by myself, I have to be realistic as to what I can accomplish on the trail. There is also a reason why I bought that Gregory Hydration system with a 3-liter capacity.

When the alarm on my cell phone woke me up at 4:00am on Saturday, May 17, 2025, I was mentally and physically prepared to get some serious hiking done. Unlike the previous week, I made sure to do as much pre-packing as possible the night before my hike in order to save time in the morning. In addition, I also took a shower the night before to save time. After drinking some coffee and eating a quick breakfast, I did a quick search around the house to make sure that I hadn't forgotten to pack an important item, such as my wide-brimmed hat or my spray-on bottle of sunscreen. Believe me, it definitely sucks to suddenly realize that you forgot to pack your wide-brimmed hat well AFTER you have left the house. It happens.

I managed to start my car at around 5:15am. I was hoping to be on the road no later than 5:00am. So much for the best laid plans of mice and men. Like the previous week, Saturday morning traffic on Bell Road was light to almost non-existent as I headed west toward Surprise, AZ. After turning left on to Litchfield Road to drive south, the road traffic continued to be light. Before I knew it, it was time to make the right turn on to Olive Road and head west. After several miles, I arrived at the park entrance to White Tank Mountain Regional Park. After paying the entrance fee, I drove on over to the parking lot for the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop. So far, so good.

After parking my car near the trailhead, I got out, opened the trunk, and went through the process to get ready to go hiking. Once I made my way to the trailhead for the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop, I started the workout app on my Samsung phone for hiking. Then something interesting happened. My hike was almost a carbon copy of my hike on the same trail at the same time one week before with a few minor differences. The first minor difference for the second hike was that I took A LOT of photos during my second hike. I took over 200 photos. I'm not sure what happened. I probably got a little trigger happy as I hiked. I was probably trying to make up for the fact that I didn't take many photos the previous week. The second minor difference for the second hike was that I made the decison to sparingly use the AllTrails app. With the Mesquite Canyon Trail well marked, I didn't feel the urge to constantly use the AllTrails app like I did the week prior.

Like the my hike the previous week, I met two people on the trail. On my previous hike, I encountered two women on the trail. This week, I encountered two men on the trail. The two men were Navy veterans. I could tell because both of the men each wore a "U.S. Navy Veteran" t-shirt. The two men were lightly dressed as each wore a hat, a t-shirt, shorts, a hydration pack, and hiking boots. Each man also used a set of trekking poles. They passed by me as I had stopped on the Mesquite Canyon Trail to take some photos. It wouldn't be the first time that we would run into each other. After an exchange of pleasantries, the two men continued up the trail. After I had finished taking a photo, I tried to hurry up and either join up with the two men or at least get within line of sight. I followed the two men through the series of switchbacks that you pass thorugh prior to arriving at the saddle point about one mile on the trail.

When I reached the top of the saddle point, I lost contact with the two Navy veterans. They were far down the trail. As I followed the Mesquite Canyon Trail, I saw a man approach me on the trail who wore snakeb proof gaiters over his hiking boots. As he passed me by, I realized that I had seen him the previous week and almost at the very same location on the trail. After I reached the trail junction sign at the two-mile mark, I met up once again with the two Navy veterans. They were standing around and drinking water as they took a break. I asked the two Navy veterans on how far they were planning to hike. They replied that their goal for the day was to complete the Mesquite Canyon Loop Trail. After some more small talk, the two Navy veterans put away their water and headed back on the trail. I went ahead and followed them. In a repeat of what happened earlier on the trail back at the switchbacks, the two Navy veterans quickly faded away as I occasionally stopped hiking to take a photo or two. Besides the two Navy veterans, I was the only hiker on the Mesquite Canyon Trail. As the sun rose higher in the sky, I noticed that the wind started to pick up. Just like the week prior. As I progressed along the Mesquite Canyon Trail, the broadcast towers on the top of Barry Goldwater Peark seemed to get closer and closer. Further down the trail, I noticed that the two Navy veterans quickly passed through the area where I had decided to turnaround the previous week. The further I got into Mesquite Canyon, the more powerful the wind became. I had to tighten the chin strap on my hat to keep it from flying away. As I passed by my turnaround point from the previous week, I noticed that the two Navy veterans had already ascended up the Mesquite Canyon Trail and disappeared over the ridgeline on their way to the trail junction sign at the intersections of the Mesquite Canyon and Ford Canyon Trails.

A Note About Barry Goldwater Peak

A very prominent terrain feature of White Tank Mountain Regional Park is Barry Goldwater Peak (elevation 4,081 feet, 1,224.5 meters). Barry Goldwater Peak is named in honor of promient Arizona politician Barry Goldwater (1909-1998). Goldwater represented the State of Arizona in the United States Senate from 1953 to 1965 and then again from 1969 to 1987. Goldwater was the presidential candidate for the Republican Party in the 1964 Presidential Election, losing to incumbent Lyndon B. Johnson (D). In 1960, Goldwater wrote the influential book The Conscience of a Conservative with political speechwriter L. Brent Bozell Jr. Goldwater was also a Major General in the United States Air Force Reserve. Goldwater was also a native and lifetime resident of Phoenix, AZ.

Senator Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) (Source: www.senate.gov)

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Barry Goldwater Peak are all of the broadcast towers at the top of the mountain. After encountering broadcast towers on previous hikes at North Mountain in Phoenix, I was particularly curious to find out. According to Google AI, the following broadcasters have broadcast towers on top of Barry Goldwater Peak:

• KSAZ-TV (Channel 10): The local Fox affiliate.
• KPNX-TV (Channel 12) & KAET-TV (Channel 8): Stations which share a tower on the peak.
• KMVP-FM (98.7 FM): A sports radio station owned by Bonneville International.
• Other TV and Radio Stations: The site is one of the densest antenna farms in the country and is a multi-user facility.

According to Google AI, the broadcast tower complex on top of Barry Goldwater Peak is part of the broadcast tower complex that is located on top of South Mountain in Phoenix. Barry Goldwater Peak offers excellent signal coverage across Maricopa County due to its high elevation. 

Close-up of broadcast towers on Barry Goldwater Peak (Photo by me.)

Can you hike to the top of Barry Goldwater Peak? That's a good question. Right off hand, my initial answer is no, you cannot hike to the top of Barry Goldwater Peak. The broadcast tower complex is private property. However, a look at the topographic map of White Tank Mountain Regional Park does show an off-shoot trail from the Goat Camp Trail which will lead you to the access road (Tower Road) that leads to the broadcast tower complex. My recommendation is that if you don't have a valid reason to go to the top of Barry Goldwater Peak, just stay away from the broadcast tower complex.

A Visit to the White Tank Library

Location of White Tank Library.

After my second visit to the White Tank Mountain Regional Park was complete, I paid a visit to the White Tank Library. When you enter the White Tank Mountain Regional Park and pay the entrance fee, you see the White Tank Library on your right. The White Tank Library is located at 20304 W White Tank Mountain Rd in Waddell, AZ. The White Tank Library is a branch of the Maricopa County Library District. The White Tank Library is a dual-use building. Most of the building is a free-to-the-public library, where you can read books and magazines, do homework, browse the internet, and, of course, check out library books. If you don't feel like doing any of those activities, you can do what I did, which was sit in a comfortable chair under an air conditioner duct and enjoy the view of the White Tank Mountains on a hot, sunny day. The remainder of the building contains several informative exhibits about the types of plants and animals found within White Tank Mountain Regional Park. There is also a small gift shop. While I was looking at the exhibits, I noticed that there was a birthday party going on in one of the conference rooms.

Main entrance to the White Tank Library. (Photo by me.)

The White Tank Library is a beautiful, modernist building. The building has a yellow-green color scheme that reminded me of the same color of saguaro cactus. I know that not everyone is a fan of modernist architecture, but I really like the design of the White Tank Library. The outside of the library also features a beautifully xeriscaped garden, featuring all kinds of desert plants and varieties of cactus. I was surprised for a moment when I saw the warning sign about possible rattlesnakes in the grounds of the library.

Side view of the main entrance to the White Tank Library. (Photo by me.)

Admission to the library and the nature exhibits is free.

Here are the operating hours of the White Tank Library:

• Mon - Wed: 10AM - 7PM
• Thu - Sat: 10AM - 5PM
• Sun: Closed

Visiting Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers

After both hikes at White Tank Mountain Regional Park, I found myself driving over to Cold Beers & Cheesebugers Sports Bar & Restaurant over at 13400 N Prasada Pkwy in Surprise, AZ. Cold Beers and Cheeseburgers is a local sports bar chain with several locations throughout Maricopa County with at least one location down in the Tucson area. They recently opened a restaurant in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX Metroplex.

Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers in Surprise, AZ. (Source: Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers)

Why did I go to Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers? I'm not too familiar with the part of Maricopa County where White Tank Mountain Regional Park is located. However, I am familiar with the Prasada Parkway area in Surprise, AZ IVO Highway 303 and Waddell Road. The Prasada Parkway is a booming part of Surprise. I can remember when the only store in the area was Costco. Now, there are all kinds of stores and restaurants in the area, such as Sprouts, Lou Malnati's Pizza, O.H.S.O. Brewery and Distillery, Barrio Queen, and Cooper Hawk, among others. Plus, there was familiarity. I have been to the Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers restaurant over in northern Glendale, AZ at Deer Valley Road and 67th Ave a couple of times, so I knew what to expect. Most importantly, I knew that Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers would be open for business at 11:00 AM on a Saturday morning.

It turned out that May was Burger Month at Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers. On my first visit, on Saturday, May 10th, I noticed on the menu that the Arizona Burger was available. The Arizona Burger came with green chile, tomatillo salsa, pepperjack cheese, and Pico de Gallo. Being a from New Mexico and a green chile cheeseburger aficionado, I went ahead and ordered the Arizona Burger. I'm glad I did. The Arizona Burger was GLORIOUS. Going through my photos on Google Photos, I see that I forgot to take a photo of the Arizona Burger. I guess I was that hungry after my hike. Since Dos Equis Lager was on special, I went ahead and ordered a 22-ounce glass. The Dos Equis Lager paired well with the Arizona Burger. Unfortunately, the Arizona Burger was available for a limited time. I don't think it's an item on a the regular menu. It should be. It's that good. 

The Arizona Burger from Cold Beers and Cheeseburgers' Instagram page.

By the time I arrived at Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers that late morning, the temperature was already over 100°F. As I walked into the restaurant, I noticed that the misters for the outdoor patio were turned on to full blast. As a result, I made the decision to sit at the outside bar watch the Baltimore Orioles lose another baseball game on TV.

A week later, on my second visit to Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers, I ordered the Juicy Lucy-Fer Burger. It featured a pepperjack and jalapeno stuffed beef patty, buffalo sauce, lettuce, and Pico de Gallo. It was a glorious mess. After my second bite of the burger, melted pepperjack cheese ejaculated out of the beef patty and went all over my hands and on to the homemade potato chips. The melted pepperjack cheese was H-O-T!!! Once again, Dos Equis Lager was on special, so I ordered another 22-ounce glass.

Final Statistics for Both Hikes at White Tank Mountain Regional Park

Here are the final statistics for my first hike on the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop at White Tank Mountain Regional Park on Saturday, May 10, 2025.

Final Statistics from First Hike on Mesquite Canyon Loop Trail

Start Time:	7:08am
End Time:	10:14am
Total Distance:	6.39 miles
Workout Duration:	3:06:26
Avg Hiking Speed:	2.0 mph
Avg Heart Rate:	125 bpm
Workout Calories Burned:	1,717 Cal
Elevation Gain:	1,143 ft
Highest Elevation:	2,619 ft

Here are the final statistics for my second hike on the Mesquite Canyon Loop Trail at White Tank Mountain Regional Park on Saturday, May 17, 2025.

Final Statistics from Second Hike on Mesquite Canyon Loop Trail

Start Time:	7:11am
End Time:	10:52am
Total Distance:	6.93 miles
Workout Duration:	3:41:18
Avg Hiking Speed:	1.8 mph
Avg Heart Rate:	127 bpm
Workout Calories Burned:	2,099 Cal
Elevation Gain:	1,262 ft
Highest Elevation:	2,729 ft

As you can see, the results from both hikes are nearly identical. The primary difference between the two hikes is the length. My second hike on the Mesquite Canyon Loop Trail was 0.54 miles longer than my first hike. As a result of that extra half-mile of hiking, I burned an additional 382 calories.

Ideas for Future Hikes at White Tank Mountain

With a land area of 30,000 acres, there are all kinds of trails to hike at White Tank Mountain Regional Park. According to Maricopa County Parks, there are 14 separate trails within White Tank Mountain Regional Park. The shortest trail within the park is the Wildlife Trail, which is listed as being 0.2 miles long (one-way). In contrast, the longest trail within the park is the Ford Canyon Trail at 7.4 miles long (one-way).

Official Trails at White Tank Mountain Regional Park

Trail Name	Length	Rating
Bajada	1.1 Miles	Moderate
Black Rock (Long)	1.3 Miles	Moderate
Black Rock (Short)	0.5 Miles	Easiest
Ford Canyon	7.4 Miles	Extremely Difficult
Goat Camp	6.3 Miles	Extremely Difficult
Gray Fox	0.9 Miles	Easy
Ironwood	0.9 Miles	Moderate
Mesquite Canyon	5.0 Miles	Difficult
Mule Deer	3.4 Miles	Moderate
South	1.0 Miles	Moderate
Waddell	1.0 Miles	Easy
Wildlife	0.9 Miles	Easiest
Willow Canyon	1.6 Miles	Moderate-Difficult

For White Tank Mountain Regional Park, AllTrails.com has a list of 23 possible hikes at a variety of difficulty levels you can choose from. If that wasn't enough, you could create your own hike at White Tank Mountain Regional Park by combining a couple of short and medium length trails. Here is a list of hikes at White Tank Mountain Regional Park that interest me (in no particular order):

• Mesquite Canyon, Ford Canyon, and Willow Canyon Loop
• Ford Canyon Loop Trail
• Waddell and Ford Canyon Trail
• White Tank Waterfall Trail

Final Thoughts about the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop

UPDATE: There are quite a few things that I would like to add to my post about hiking the Mesquite Trail at White Tanks Preservation Park. In no particular order, here are some tasks for myself:

• I have a TON of photos that I took during both hikes. As a result, I will have to figure out what I am going to do with all of the photos that I took. Actually, I have an idea on how to put them into some kind of an order.
• I just downloaded a topographical map of the Mesquite Trail. I will need to go through and properly annotate the map.
• I also need to gather all of my statistics from the hike.

I just need to sit down with a pen and a two-page spread in my bullet journal and start brainstorming ideas for this post.

More to follow.