Phoenix hikes are best done in the winter, when temperatures are perfect and the desert is at its greenest.
You would’t expect an immense metropolis like Phoenix to feature so many hiking opportunities. Yet, the city features vast areas of the Sonoran desert untouched and protected within the its limits. One of them, South Mountain Park, is known as the largest preserve in the US in an urban area.
Within 41,000 acres of park preserves, Phoenix offers over 200 trails for hikers of all levels. Though dangerous in the summer, in the winter these trails are the perfect place to experience the unique environment of the Sonoran Desert.
Living in the city for the past three decades, I hiked most Phoenix trails, in the preserves, almost always in the winter. The following list includes some of my favorites, or best from different perspectives, grouped by levels of difficulty.
Easy Hikes for Families with Young Children, or Those Not Ready for Anything Strenuous
The city offers many opportunities for short, easy hikes, in all of its natural preserves and parks. You can find easy trails both in the center of the city, and farther, in the suburbs.
1. The Hole-in-the-Rock Trail in Papago Park
Everybody’s favorite city park, Papago Park near the Phoenix Zoo and Botanical Garden offers several easy hikes, geared towards families with children. Each trail within the park is fit for people of all abilities and children of all ages. You can hike around a lake, up and down gorgeous rock formations and short hillsides.
The most popular hike in the park is the Hole-in-the-Rock trail. It offers an easy hike up to this well-known Phoenix spot. Leading towards the unique rock, it wears off to go around it and after a short uphill walk leads to the actual hole in the rock. Kids and adults alike enjoy walking into the hole, and spending time there. Which means you might need to wait to get into the hole, until someone comes out. But the view of the city from it makes the short climb and the wait worth it.
The only downside of this trail is its popularity, especially on weekends. Try to go on a weekday, or early in the morning on weekends. Sunsets are especially beautiful from here, which makes it the most popular time for visitors.
But regardless of the time of the day, this Phoenix hike is worth to try. And, it’s even close enough to the airport, to hike it during a long layover in Phoenix.
2. The Pima Loop Trail at South Mountain Park
South Mountain Park is home to hundreds of miles of trails, from easy to strenuous, from half-mile strolls to over ten-mile long hikes.
Several easy trails start at the Pima Canyon Trailhead. Here, the Pima Loop Trail offers an easy, level hike, passing several spectacular petroglyphs along the way.
3. Interpretive Loop of the Penny Howe Barrier Free Trail at North Mountain Park
Another extensive desert preserve, the North Mountain Park also features many trails of all lengths and levels of difficulty.
One of the easiest trails starts at the Visitor Center off 7th Street. The Penny Howe Barrier Free Trail is a wide and level trail through some of the greenest areas of the Sonoran Desert.
4. The Apache Wash Trail in the Sonoran Desert Preserve
Farther north from the city center, the Sonoran Desert Preserve is filled with trails. Most of them offer easy walks through beautiful desert vistas, most starting at the Apache Wash Trailhead. The most level, though one of the longest trails here is the Apache Wash Trail.
Following the wash it got its name from, the trail leads through patches of desert vegetation, including large areas filled with giant saguaros, teddy bear and pencil cholla, prickly pear, and other cactus varieties. Palo verde and creosote bush line several areas of the 7-mile round-trip trail.
The trail offers several shorter options for those who don’t want to go the distance.
5. Reach 11 Recreation Area Trails
The Reach 11 Recreation Area in North Phoenix is a much smaller preserve, but it still offers several short and easy hiking trails. Enjoy the desert vegetation and wildlife that you will most likely see on any of these trails. You can even walk through a riparian area if you take the trail to the pond off Tatum Boulevard.
For Slightly More Serious Hikers, the City Offers Plenty of Moderate Difficulty Trails
6. In South Mountain Park
Most of the trails in South Mountain Park are of moderate difficulty, still, fit for most hikers. You’ll find beautiful scenery, gorgeous views and lots of petroglyphs on any of them.
7. in North Mountain Park
North Mountain Park also offers miles of trails with moderate difficulty. On some, you’ll hike up a few buttes, on others walk with some elevation gain through the valley between the peaks.
8. Dreamy Draw
The trails in Dreamy Draw and Piestewa Peakare also fit for hikers of all abilities and offer only a bit of a challenge. Hiking through the area you will most likely encounter desert wildlife, including coyotes and jackrabbits.
9. Desert Hills Trail in the Sonoran Desert Preserve
Many of the trails in the Sonoran Desert Preservethat start at the Desert Hills trailhead are also moderately difficult. They take you through beautiful desert areas.
10. Go John Trail in the Cave Creek Regional Park
Another moderately difficult trail in the Cave Creek Regional Park, the Go John Trail, takes you on a 5.4-mile hike to enjoy the Sonoran desert plant diversity.
Difficult Trails for the Serious Hiker
The best-known trails within the city limits also happen to be the most difficult ones. I am talking about the two trails that summit Camelback Mountain.
11. Echo Canyon Trail
Echo Canyon Trail is the city’s most famous hiking destination, known to hike enthusiasts all over the world. Though challenging, not only for its elevation gain but the rocky terrain and exposure, since there is no shade on it, most Phoenicians hiked it at least once. Why do we live here, if not for this challenge, after all? Even if you don’t summit, the views from the trail are exquisite.
12. Cholla Trail
If you want to summit Camelback Mountain from the other side, the Cholla Trail is also spectacular, and just as difficult. Although at the bottom it does have an easy part. So if you want to hike within Camelback Mountain’s boundaries, but want an easy walk, start on this side, and turn around when it is too much.
13. Piestewa Peak Summit Trail
Another popular strenuous trail, the Piestewa Peak summit trail offers a short, but hard climb, offering gorgeous views of the Sonoran Desert along the way. Not quite as many as if hiking Camelback, you should still expect crowds on this trail, especially beautiful during sunset.
The route, off Piestewa Peak Drive, starts on a short connector trail, then goes straight up to the summit. Some of the most recognizable views from the summit include Camelback Mountain, the Dreamy Draw Recreation Area, and the city of Phoenix.
So Many Trails to Choose From
When the temperatures drop, the Phoenicians usually hit the trails. The summer months, with temperatures over 100 degrees, are so long, we usually can’t wait to get outside.
As soon as we do, we are rewarded with beautiful desert vistas and a variety of trails to choose from. Yes, we might live in the city, but we can get lost in the wilderness of the Sonoran Desert within a few minutes of stepping on a trail. This is what makes living here worth it. And this is what attracts so many visitors here in the winter months.
