The Sonoran Desert is the most biodiverse desert on Earth, making it one of the most vibrant and unique deserts to explore. It is also the only place in the world where saguaros grow naturally in the wild. Surrounded by the craggy mountain peaks and towering saguaros of the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix has no shortage of breathtaking hikes to enjoy! From saguaro and wildflower dotted ridgelines to a petroglyph-filled oasis, here are the best hikes near Phoenix!
Easy Hikes
Hole-in-the-Rock Trail
Location: Papago Park (33.4559044,-112.0274466) | Distance: 0.2-miles out and back | Elevation Gain: >100 feet
Hole-in-the-Rock Trail is an extremely short and easy hike located within Papago Park. Papago Park is full of red, sandstone buttes and formations, and Hole-in-the-Rock is the most popular and highest formation in the area. The short climb around the back-side of this massive sandstone rock, will lead you to a cave-like hole that is large enough to climb through to the other side of the stone mountain. From the other side, you can take in views of an oasis and the Phoenix skyline in the distance. This is also a very popular photo spot in Phoenix!
Scenic Trail
Location: McDowell Mountain Regional Park (33.690362000000,-111.718432000000)| Distance: 4.50-mile loop | Elevation Gain: 357 feet
The Scenic Trail loop is one of the most popular trails in McDowell Mountain Regional Park, offering great desert scenery for both hikers and mountain bikers. With an elevation gain of only 357 feet, this is an easy trail that winds around gentle hills to the saguaro dotted ridgeline where there are views from all directions. To access the trail, park in the Pemberton Trailhead parking lot, and take the Pemberton Trail until you see the Scenic Trail branching off to the right.
Hieroglyphic Trail
Location: Superstition Wilderness (33.389728078365,-111.424698493690) | Distance: 3.0-miles out and back | Elevation Gain: 614 feet
Hieroglyphic Trail is a short but sweet, 3.0-mile out and back trail in the ruggedly scenic, Superstition Mountains. The trail features ancient Hohokam petroglyphs and an oasis of natural pools and seasonal waterfall. Hieroglyphic Trail is the most scenic in early-spring, when wildflowers bloom along the trail and the waterfall is flowing!
Moderate Hikes
Treasure Loop
Location: Lost Dutchman State Park (33.459300000000,-111.477900000000) | Distance: 2.40-mile loop | Elevation Gain: 500 feet
Lost Dutchman State Park, which is an area rich with gold-mining history and fables of buried treasure, is home to the incredibly scenic, Treasure Loop Trail. The Treasure Loop Trail makes a 2.40-mile loop at the base of the Superstition Mountains and offers sweeping desert vistas. This trail is especially spectacular in the spring when the area is overflowing with vibrantly colored wildflowers. Poppies, lupine, globemallow, and other varieties of wildflowers, create a sea of yellow with pops of pink, red, and white, cacti blooms.
Wildflowers aside, the rocky cliffs of Lost Dutchman and views out across the saguaro-covered landscape make this hike a beauty at anytime of the year!
Gateway Loop Trail
Location: McDowell Sonoran Preserve (33.649321,-111.852075) | Distance: 4.5-mile loop | Elevation Gain: 650 feet
Gateway Loop is a popular hike located within the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This rocky trail has a gradual climb up to views of the city and surrounding mountains. The trail winds past several cacti along the way, making it scenic throughout. The views from Gateway Loop are not as elevated as other trails in the area, but the hike is more moderate to match that. This is also a popular trail for mountain biking!
Pinnacle Peak
Location: Pinnacle Peak Park (33.728221, -111.860265) | Distance: ~4.0-miles out and back | Elevation Gain: 1,033 feet
Pinnacle Peak trail is 3.5-miles out and back and offers panoramic Valley views. The trail has ups-and-downs throughout as it winds around around the mountain passing massive boulders, desert flora, and several viewpoints of distant mountains. Though you can’t get to the top of the “pinnacle” itself, you are able to get close-up views of this massive boulder that can be seen throughout Scottsdale!
Yavapai Point Trail
Location: Lake Pleasant Regional Park (33.8965,-112.316971) | Distance: 5.0-miles out and back | Elevation Gain: ~700 feet
Yavapai Point offers some of the best views over Lake Pleasant and stellar mountain views throughout! Starting at the Cottonwood Picnic Area in Lake Pleasant Regional Park, you will take the Pipeline Canyon Trailhead until the trail forks. From the fork, jump on the Yavapai Point Trail, where a series of switchbacks will lead you up to the peak.
As you make your way up the switchbacks, the view continues to improve as you rise above the rolling mountains in the background. In the spring, you can expect a colorful display of brittlebush, Mexican gold poppies, and desert globemallow blooms! This area is also home to wild burros, so keep an eye out for burros roaming the nearby hills.
Once reaching Yavapai Point, you’ll be rewarded with spectacular, 360-degree views. Soak in the epic views of Lake Pleasant’s many coves and surrounding mountains, with views of the Bradshaw Mountains in the north, the McDowell Mountains to the east, and the Phoenix skyline to the south!
Lookout Mountain Summit Trail
Location: Phoenix Mountains Preserve (33.6271393,-112.04837) | Distance: 1.2-miles out and back | Elevation Gain: 450 feet
The Lookout Mountain Summit trail climbs 450 feet in less than a mile, but the views from the top are worth the breathless climb. Looking out over the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, the summit provides panoramic views of rocky mountain peaks and the distant Phoenix-metro area. The short length of this trail makes it a great option for hikers that are short on time, but still want an epic, peak view.
Note: There is a short rock scramble near the peak!
Difficult Hikes
Camelback Mountain
Location: Camelback Mountain: Cholla Trail (33.513495256193,-111.948510501530) OR Echo Canyon Trail (33.521471873805,-111.973700054380) | Distance: 3-miles roundtrip via Cholla Trail or 2.6-miles round trip via Echo Canyon Trail | Elevation Gain: ~1,322 feet
Camelback Mountain is one of Phoenix’s iconic peaks and most popular hikes. The climb to the summit is no easy feat, but those who make the journey are rewarded with 360-degree views of the surrounding city. Two difficult trails lead you to this iconic peak, the Cholla and Echo Canyon trails. At 1.5-miles one way, the Cholla trail is longer, while the Echo Canyon trail is steeper, but slightly shorter at 1.3-miles one way.
Both trails are extremely difficult and require a rock scramble to reach the peak. The crowds that flock to this epic hike serve as a reminder that the reward awaiting you at the top is worth the strenuous climb.
Pro Tip: Arrive early to experience the trail with fewer people and to find a parking spot without a wait.
Piestewa Peak Summit Trail
Location: Phoenix Mountains Preserve (33.539232000000,-112.023166000000) | Distance: 2.4-miles out and back | Elevation Gain: 1,200 feet
A close second in popularity to Camelback Mountain, the summit of Piestewa Peak is a must do for any hiker who visits Phoenix. Though short, this hike is not easy, the trail is rated as extremely difficult, with an elevation gain of 1,168 feet covered in a little over a mile along a rocky, stair-like terrain. If you are up to the challenge, then you are in for a big scenic payoff, with unbeatable 360-degree views over Central Phoenix!
Siphon Draw to Flatiron Summit
Location: Lost Dutchman State Park (33.4595962,-111.4796886) | Distance: 6.0-miles out and back | Elevation Gain: ~2,800 feet
The hike to Flatiron Summit is one of the more challenging hikes in the Phoenix area, with a 2,800-foot vertical ascent in only 3-miles. Starting on the Siphon Draw Trail, you’ll begin your climb through the open desert – dotted with cacti and wildflowers (in the spring) – heading towards the iconic cliffs above Lost Dutchman State Park. As you approach the cliffs, you will end up hiking inside of a smooth, rock basin, that is the “siphon”. From this point, the hike becomes extremely steep and requires some scrambling for the remainder of the trek to Flatiron’s summit. As you approach the summit, a clearing awaits you with breathtaking views across the desert in all directions!
Tom’s Thumb
Location: McDowell Sonoran Preserve (33.6966285,-111.8010562) | Distance: 4.6-miles out and back | Elevation Gain: 1,200 feet
Located within Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve, the massive granite slab that is “Tom’s Thumb” can be seen from afar as you drive along Scottsdale roadways. A series of steep switchbacks along the Tom’s Thumb Trail will allow you to get right up to the base of the distinct rock formation that towers over the Scottsdale area. The trail climbs past boulder fields, rolling hills of saguaros and desert flora, and offers countless views of the vast desert and its’ surrounding peaks.
Note: There are restrooms at the trailhead, but no running water, so be sure to fill up before you arrive!
