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Dobbins Lookout: South Mountain Park & Preserve

Dobbins Lookout, in the South Mountain Park & Preserve, is a fabulous destination for a Sunday drive.

And if you’re so inclined, the park has over 50 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking.

So if the weather is not too hot, you can make a fun day out of it.

A Sunday Drive to Dobbins Lookout

Carol in Silhouette at Dobbins Lookout. CLICK FOR A LARGER VIEW.

Carol and I have now lived in Scottsdale for over 15 years.  And while I’ve heard of this panoramic lookout, we’ve only now just visited the site.

We arrived at the park around 10:00 on a Sunday morning and enjoyed the roughly 6-mile winding road up to Dobbins Lookout.

At the top, there is a parking area that looks like it might hold 50 cars, a small covered ramada for a picnic, as well as men’s and women’s pit toilets.

This is also a top-rated destination to view a sunrise or a sunset.  So, if that is your intention, be sure to get there early as there is no parking on the sides of the road leading to the lookout.

When we got to the top, it also occurred to me that this would be a fabulous spot to watch the haboobs blow in from the summer monsoons. Although, I’m not sure how smart that would be with all of the lightning that generally occurs with these storms.

Dobbins Lookout sits at 2,330 feet and offers fabulous views of the entire Valley of the Sun.

Be sure to bring some water with you, and leave yourself some time to sit on one of the benches and drink in the long-range views.

Oh, and be sure to grab yourself a silhouetted photograph from inside the lookout.

On the Way Home, Grab Some Authentic Mexican Food

And last but not least, if you’re coming down the mountain around lunchtime, head for Tacos Chiwas for some of the area’s best gorditas and street tacos.  If you don’t know what to order, try a few of the tacos and a red gordita.

Also, don’t forget to order a Mexican Coca-Cola.  It is produced with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup.  We like it better.

If we’re in the area, we ALWAYS stop in here for some fabulous Chihuahuan-style Mexican food.  YUM!

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