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W211S

Rating: 
One-way Distance: 4.9 miles
Difficulty: Easy
MTB Skill level:
Elevation: 1487 - 1515 feet
Cellphone: 3-5 bars
Time: 1 hrs. 30mins.
Trailhead: Horse Lovers Park
Fee: none
Attractions: multi-use trail




The Reach 11 Recreation Area borders the north side of the Central Arizona Project Canal in Phoenix, Arizona. Within its 1,500 acres it has around 18 miles of multiple use trails for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and trail running. This post covers the W211S trail which at 4.9 miles in length is the longest of the areas 25 trails.


The east end of the W211S trail begins in the Horse Lovers Park located at 19226 N Tatum Blvd. There is also another trailhead with enough room for horse trailers near the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona off of the North Cave Creek Road.


W211S starts out along a wide hard packed path heading toward the canal from the parking area. It is connected to by the Gambel Quail trail just a few feet from the trailhead.


After a quarter mile or so the trail turns and begins paralleling the north side of the canal.


Thick vegetation along the way secludes the trail well enough from its surroundings to make it feel a little more remote.


Just before reaching the 1 mile point from the trailhead the Roadrunner trail branches off on the right.


W211S is easy to follow and well marked with square posts at each intersection as well as others that simply indicate the distance from the trailhead.


The Cactus Wren trail branches off on the right near the 1.3 mile point.


Just past that the W211S trail travels under SR 51 where there is a short spur trail that leads up to the sidewalk providing local access between the trail and the neighborhood.


As the trail continues it passes under the 101 and at the 2.5 mile point it comes to where the Hummingbird trail branches off on the right.


The Cardinal trail branches off  near the 2.8 mile point. The Cardinal trail can be used to get to a trailhead that is near the baseball fields at the East Reach Sports Complex.


As the trail wraps around the sports complex it comes to an equestrian tunnel that travels beneath East Deer Valley Drive.


Map courtesy City of Phoenix
A short distance later W211S reaches the trailhead near the corner of the cemetery service road and the Cave Creek Road and comes to an end. From here it's a simple matter to turn around and head back in the other direction where you have the option to explore some of the other trails in the area. (At the time that we took the photos for this post the Red Tail Hawk trail was washed out.) Until you are familiar with the many interconnecting trails in the area it can be handy to take a map along. As far as the W211S trail goes, if you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is grab your bike, saddle your horse, or 'Take a hike'.