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Dixie Mine Trail
4.5 ★★★★★ 37 Google reviews · Running trail in Fountain Hills, Arizona · Hours vary
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Crushed gravel
- Distance
- 4 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Not reported
Confirmed from Dixie Mine Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
What runners say about Dixie Mine Trail
“We started on Javelina Trail, a paved walk that winds through a gorgeous neighborhood, and then transitioned onto Dixie Mine Trail, which takes you deeper into the desert.”
Great bathroom with cold water fountain in the parking area at trail “start”. Interesting/beautiful walk through the housing. Lots of bush birds and lizards. Has two forks. The area around the mind is very cool. The path to the lower section was pretty cool. Not much shade throughout. Lots of cool views.
Great hike with some good mountain views. Trail doesn't see as much traffic as other spots in the Phoenix area. Only drawback is the .6 mile walk from the parking area through the fancy development to the trailhead.
This trail is an out and back trail. To start- you want to park at Dixie Mine Trailhead Parking, and then walk past the guard house. From there, you are in a residential area, and there are signs along the sidewalk that point you to the trailhead; it's about a 0.6 miles walk.
I came here on a Saturday morning at around 9:30AM and the parking lot was full so I parked on the street. I then walked to this trailhead and did Thompson Peak. It goes through the desert for a while and after the fork splitting Dixie and Thompson Peak, the trail starts going uphill a bit more intensely.
Trail conditions & character
“It was pretty good but I wish they had temporary passes at the parking lot instead of at the trailhead instead of walking back and forth but it was worth it.”
“We started on Javelina Trail, a paved walk that winds through a gorgeous neighborhood, and then transitioned onto Dixie Mine Trail, which takes you deeper into the desert.”
“Once on Dixie Mine, the terrain becomes rocky with plenty of manageable elevation changes, making it an easy-to-moderate hike overall.”
“It's relatively flat, and offers some nice views of the desert.”
“Trail to the mines top section is a veer off up a gravel hill.”
“There are no water fountains by this entrance, so make sure you get all the water you need from the Trailhead Parking area.”
Plan your run at Dixie Mine Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
- SurfaceCrushed gravel — the rail-trail classic: softer than asphalt, still smooth enough for tempo work
- Distance4 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, water — reported by runners
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Trail mapOfficial trail map
- Websitemaricopacountyparks.net
- Social Facebook
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