Description

Tom's Thumb is one of the most famous hikes in the greater Phoenix area.

Located in the McDowell Mountain Range above Scottsdale, this unique formation looks like a thumbs-up sign on top of the mountain. The hike to the top is regarded as a difficult climb due to its steep 1,250 feet of climbing in just 2 miles.

While parts of the climb can be rocky and chunky, this hike still doesn't require any scrambling or technical climbing skills, thus only earning it a FATMAP "Difficult" technicality rating. That said, some of the rock formations on the mountainside are popular with rock climbers, so it's not unusual to see climbers ascending the trail, heavily loaded down with their climbing gear. Sources: https://modernhiker.com/hike/toms-thumb/ https://www.travelbybrit.com/toms-thumb-hiking-trail/