Hike McLendon Peak Tonto National Forest, AZ

Jan 6, 2026 — McLendon Peak is one of an infinite number of lumps visible from the highway driving from Las Vegas to Phoenix. I’ve slowly been picking off objectives along the highway over the years when I have an awkward amount of time during a drive to do anything more significant. Fortunately, accessing this one is easy. I left the interstate and went through a cattle gate here (34.31975, -113.13431), taking a decent dirt road suitable for almost any vehicle and parked at a small clearing.

Previous parties seem to continue on foot along this road, choosing to ascend the peak via the adjacent ridge to the north of the one I decided to hike up. I didn’t really see the benefit of following the road since it was a less direct, and my route choice seemed mostly clear of brush and rock. I quite liked my route, and this outing served as a really nice jaunt to break up my drive.

From my parking spot, I dropped down into a major wash, then ascended at a steady grade at first. With a couple of short, steep exceptions, the grade remained pretty tame. This hike was straightforward, generally following the ridgeline and heading directly west. There were a couple of lumps along the way that made more sense to avoid by staying lower, since going up and over would result in navigating a rocky outcropping. Some sections were brushier than others, but either an animal trail lead through, or I could easily just walk around. As the hike progressed, the terrain became slowly more tedious due to a slight increase in brush, and as I neared the summit it also became more rocky.