Reach 11 Recreation Area

City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation

2026-02-25 kingsnake Hiking 0

Globe chamomile, aka stinknet (Oncosiphon pilulifer), an invasive species from South Africa, has become widespread in Maricopa County over the last 15 years. Stinknet was the most common flower in Reach 11.
Globe chamomile, aka stinknet (Oncosiphon pilulifer), an invasive species from South Africa, has become widespread in Maricopa County over the last 15 years. Stinknet was the most common flower in Reach 11.

There’s a good decription of the overall Reach 11 Recreation Area from when I biked the west end last year, so I won’t repeat it, except to note the two ends do not have a safe means of crossing busy Tatum Blvd. It’s odd: There’s canal-side tunnels or underpasses many other places in Phoenix, including all along the Arizona Canal, which I rode yesterday. But not at Reach 11. No. It’s fenced off. WTF!? 🤷🏻‍♂️

Reach 11 Trail E211S follows the CAP Canal east, from Tatum Blvd. to Scottsdale Rd. Trail E211N, is the north half of the loop, skirting various developments, including Mayo Clinic.
Reach 11 Trail E211S follows the CAP Canal east, from Tatum Blvd. to Scottsdale Rd. Trail E211N, is the north half of the loop, skirting various developments, including Mayo Clinic.

The east end of Reach 11 Recreation Area has a web of trails: The official park map lists eight named trails: Jackrabbit Trail, Barrier Free Nature Trail, Coyote Trail, Javalina Trail [sic], Tatum Loop, Badger Trail, Bobcat Trail, and Ringtail Loop. Plus E211S and E211N.

The most common plant in Reach 11 was desert globemallow, but flowering was inconsistent. Some of the Sphaeralcea ambigua were over 6 ft. tall!
The most common plant in Reach 11 was desert globemallow, but flowering was inconsistent. Some of the Sphaeralcea ambigua were over 6 ft. tall!

Barrier Free Nature Trail is a paved 1.8 mi. lasso. Horses and mountain bikes are not allowed on pavement, but Barrier Free Access Trail, as it is also known, has an adjacent dirt path. Barrier Free Nature Trail has signs for mourning dove, gray fox, raccoon, javelina, bur sage [sic], creosote, desert cottontail, blue palo verde, and maybe others. Bullfrog Pond is the highlight. 🐸

As narrow and "wild" as Reach 11 trails get. Trails are mostly wide & smooth.
As narrow and “wild” as Reach 11 trails get. Trails are mostly wide & smooth.

Signage is inconsistent, with many old signs sprinkled in. Generally speaking, I followed the E211S and E211N trails counter-clockwise, a 7.4 mi. loop with no detectable elevation change. Regardless, you would have to really put some effort into getting lost, as roads or buildings are never more than 300 yds. away, and usually a lot less. There’s no toilets, and few places to hide.

Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) were scattered throughout Reach 11, but were very thick on E211N between Mayo Clinic and the Princess Dr. condos.
Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) were scattered throughout Reach 11, but were very thick on E211N between Mayo Clinic and the Princess Dr. condos.

East of 56th St., I noticed some of the trail poles had shiny animal stickers. Apparently just trail graffiti, as the animals did not appear to match the trail names. Some of the other poles had mileage on them, painted over and hard to read, counting up on one side, down on the other, and always totalling 4.3 mi. — the distance of the loop between 56th St. and Scottsdale Rd., both of which are locals access only.

Reach 11: Condos along E211N. There’s a ton of construction going on between the condos & Mayo Clinic. o memorial for Lauren Heike, who was murdered here in 2023.
Condos along E211N. There’s a ton of construction going on between the condos & Mayo Clinic. No memorial for Lauren Heike, who was murdered here in 2023.

There wasn’t a lot of foot traffic today. Two ladies passed me while I was taking flower photos. I’m a fast walker but, mindful of the Heike murder, I walked slow, and took more photos, so I wouldn’t catch up. Didn’t want them to be concerned. No horse riders. I recall no dog walkers. Saw a hummingbird in a palo verde, a few lizards, a northern flicker nest building in a saguaro, and ducks in Bullfrog Pond.

More Reach 11 desert flowers, clockwise from upper left: desert senna (Senna covesii), redstem stork's bill (Erodium cicutarium), fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii), whatever this is (not a dandelion).
More Reach 11 desert flowers, clockwise from upper left: desert senna (Senna covesii), redstem stork’s bill (Erodium cicutarium), fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii), whatever this is (not a dandelion).

Reach 11 Recreation Area isn’t a destination hike, and isn’t exciting, but is a decent leg-stretcher, with some wildlife potential. If there’s ever a solid winter monsoon, followed by middle heat, the flowers — especially desert globemallow — will be top notch.

The ducks in Bullfrog Pond were near shore when I sat down, but moved away. I threw bits of tortilla chip to them, but they weren't interested. (More critters)
The ducks in Bullfrog Pond were near shore when I sat down, but moved away. I threw bits of tortilla chip to them, but they weren’t interested. (More critters)

East Trailhead Directions: There are two trailheads on Tatum Blvd., just north of the CAP Aqueduct, between Union Hills Dr. and the Loop 101 freeway: This is the one on the east side of Tatum Blvd. The trailhead on the other side accesses the west end of Reach 11 Recreation Area. There is no tunnel under heavily-trafficked Tatum Blvd., which also has guardrails, so making a mad dash across is … dangerous. Pick one side or the other.

Park Map: Reach_11_Recreation_Area_Trail_Map (pdf)

GPS File: Reach_11_Recreation_Area

Distance: 8.40 mi.

AEG: 101 ft.

Time: 2h 53m

Rumble Video

Vimeo Video

Biking Reach 11, Phoenix from Preston McMurry on Vimeo.