admin Phoenix has more mountain-preserve trails inside city limits than most cities have parks. Start easy, learn the desert, then work up.
Updated October 2026. Rules and fees change; confirm with the official source linked in each section.
Desert hiking rules
- Bring more water than you think, plus electrolytes
- Start early; summer hikes should be done by mid-morning
- Turn around when a third of your water is gone
- Tell someone your plan; cell service can be spotty
- Real shoes, a hat and sunscreen
- Leave dogs home on hot days (Phoenix bans dogs on city trails at 100°F+)
Easy
- Hole-in-the-Rock, Papago Park: short scramble, famous sunset view.
- South Mountain Park: gentle options in a huge park.
- Gateway Loop, McDowell Sonoran Preserve (Scottsdale): great desert scenery, good signage.
- Treasure Loop, Lost Dutchman State Park: Superstition views and spring wildflowers.
Moderate
- Piestewa Peak Summit Trail: steady climb, 360° views.
- Pinnacle Peak (Scottsdale): well-groomed out-and-back.
- Tom’s Thumb (McDowell Sonoran): big boulders, big views.
- Wind Cave Trail, Usery Mountain: climb to a shaded alcove.
- Shaw Butte / North Mountain: a North Phoenix local favorite.
Hard
- Camelback Mountain (Echo Canyon or Cholla): steep, rocky and crowded. Not a beginner hike despite its popularity.
- Flatiron via Siphon Draw (Superstitions): long, very steep scramble with rescues every year. Experienced hikers in cool weather only.
Phoenix closes Echo Canyon and the Piestewa Peak summit trail in the afternoon during excessive heat warnings. Check the city parks site before you go.
Related: Surviving Summer · Day Trips.