Margies Cove East Trailhead

Margies Cove Trail is a nearly level, 9-mile route through the heart of the 63,200-acre North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness within the Sonoran Desert National Monument. The North Maricopa Mountains are a jumble of long ridges and isolated peaks separated by extensive, saguaro-studded bajadas and wide desert washes. Cholla, ocotillo, prickly pear, paloverde, ironwood, and Mexican jumping bean complement thick stands of saguaro to form classic Sonoran Desert vistas. Commonly seen wildlife include desert mule deer, javelina, desert bighorn sheep, coyote, desert tortoise, and numerous varieties of lizards and birds.

Margies Cove Trail follows a combination of former vehicle tracks and wide, unmarked desert washes. No trail signage or directional markers are available along the route; therefore, this trail is recommended only for experienced hikers skilled in reading topographic maps. Margies Cove Trail intersects the northern terminus of the Brittlebush Trail in the interior of the North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness.

Adventure is at Your Fingertips

Phone

Activities

Iconograph of two people wearing backpacks and using walking sticks
HIKING

Addresses

Phoenix District Office
2020 E. Bell Road
Phoenix
Arizona
85022

Geographic Coordinates

33.07771, -112.4703

Directions

To reach Margies Cove East from State Route 238, turn north onto BLM Route 8002. Continue on Route 8002 for about 6.6 miles and turn left onto Route 8002A toward Margies Cove East. The road ends in about 1.6 miles at the trailhead. 

You can also reach the Margies Cove Trail from Margies Cove West Trailhead.