Doe Mountain, AZ

Hiked: 7/16/2015
Distance: 2 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 5067'
Prominence: 421'
Elevation Gain: 440'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.35
Round trip time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Recommended water: 20 oz.
Parking/Fees: Red Rock Pass ($5/day or $15/week)
Difficulty: Easy

It was about a 10 minute drive from Dry Creek Vista trailhead to the Doe Mountain/Bear Mountain trailhead. Doe Mountain is a small butte just over 5000' with a large flat summit area. We followed the trail from the parking lot and passed over the Aerie Trail. There were several signs to keep us on track. It was a steady, short climb with long switchbacks. At the very end is a short scramble to reach the summit area. The entire climb is only about 0.7 miles one way, but we wandered all around on the summit, adding at least a half mile to the total hike. Leisa reluctantly followed me as I headed into an area filled with cactus and small trees in search of the high point. It was nearly impossible to tell which part of the summit rose a few feet above the rest. I followed the mark on my GPS, which by luck turned out to be the true summit. I suspect most visitors don't bother finding the high point. There were absolutely no views or marks at the true summit, so after tagging it, we headed back toward the west side to rest on a cliff. After taking in the views there, we headed all the way across to the east side for another set of great views. All the good views are along the edges. We only saw a few other hikers on Doe Mountain and wrapped up the day before noon and before the high temps arrived.

Doe Mountain from a distance

Trail sign

Leisa on the trail

West side of Doe Mountain

Last section before the top

Unremarkable true summit of Doe Mountain

Looking at the west cliffs

View looking east