Phoenix is famous for its mountains and hiking, which is my favorite part about the city. Whether you like to walk, run, jog, hike, or bike, there’s plenty of options for you!
I had never really hiked before moving to Phoenix, but it’s an activity I quickly fell in love with. Although I always wear my hiking boots and bring my water pack, you can definitely hike most of these trails in normal shoes and a regular water bottle.
Here are some of my favorite hikes around the valley. I’ve linked each of them to their page on All Trails so you can check out a map and see more information on difficulty.
The Best Phoenix Hiking Trails
(for all experience levels)
McDowell Mountain Range
Several trail options for hiking and running, we regularly brought friends and family here to do the Gateway Loop (~4.5 miles). It doesn’t require hiking shoes or advanced experience, but has decent views of the valley + lots of cacti. It definitely gets crowded on the weekends, so go early!
We’ve also done Inspiration Point which is longer (~5.6 miles) and less crowded with awesome views!
Tom’s Thumb (~4.3 miles)
I enjoy this trail because of the variety of scenery. It’s challenging enough with the first mile at a pretty steep incline, but not so challenging that you regret doing it.
Camelback Mountain (~2.5 miles)
Definitely has the best views of the valley, but not for the faint of heart. Although this is the most popular mountain/trail in Phoenix, I don’t think it’s always represented appropriately. You can use either of the two trails to get to the top – Cholla or Echo Canyon. I think Cholla is easier, although a little technical towards the top. This is where I’d highly recommend hiking shoes with good grip!
The Echo Canyon side is much steeper and requires more boulder scrambling. However, the Cholla trail has been closed for over a year now so you have to use Echo Canyon. Either way, if you’re confident in your hiking abilities, it’s 100% worth it to get to the top! We did it at sunrise once and it was breathtaking.
Piestewa Peak (~2.1 miles)
One of the more difficult hikes because of the elevation gain and rocky terrain. Once you finish the connector trail, you’re basically heading straight up!
Pinnacle Peak (~4 miles)
A fairly easy hike with views of Estancia golf course. The path is mostly dirt and doesn’t require a ton of climbing or incline. I recommend doing this hike if you want to see some scenery but don’t have a lot of hiking experience.
#8a Quartz Ridge Trail (~3.2 miles)
Another very moderate hike, it’s a bit over a mile to the top, so it’s fairly easy for the rewarding views. The parking lot is small, but you can park across the street in the shopping center if it’s overflowing.
Lookout Mountain (~2.8 miles)
I absolutely love this trail because it loops around the base of the mountain, providing 360 degree views for the whole hike. You can then head up to the top via Trail 150, and the views rival those of Camelback, in my opinion. Also much less crowded than the popular trails! Park at Lookout Mountain Park, take the Circumference Loop (Trail 308) around and then head up via Trail 150.
Hidden Valley via Mormon at South Mountain (~3.8 miles)
So many trails here that we haven’t explored, but we enjoyed Mormon Trail (approx. 3.8 miles). See if you can make it through Fat Man’s Pass – ha!
