Since moving to Phoenix in September 2025, I have made it my mission to explore as much of Arizona’s great outdoors as possible. On this list, I will include all my favorite hiking trails within a day trip of Phoenix. If you’re up for a challenge, then you’re in the right place—my favorite hikes include scrambling, bouldering, and summiting high points/peaks.

When to hike in Phoenix:

Locals know this, but for any visitors who might be planning a trip: DO NOT HIKE IN SUMMER. If you want to try an early morning walk at the Desert Botanical Garden or Papago Park, that is one thing (which I still would not recommend when the temperature regularly exceeds 100°F / 38°C from June-August). However, the hikes on my list are not a walk in the park. Beyond the risks of baking your body in the oven that is a Sonoran summer, leaving your car out in the sun at a trailhead might get you stranded in the desert.

Please determine your own limits by gradually increasing your heat exposure, and pack extra water. 

Morning and evening are the best times of day to hike. The desert is particularly vibrant from record rainfall in many of my pictures, but it still can be pretty colorless midday. The angled sun gives the desert an extra blast of color, especially given the incredible Sonoran sunrises/sunsets. During hotter months, hike in the morning to beat the heat. In winter, I like to switch to evening hikes. If you hike in the evening, check if the trail or its parking close after dark, and bring a headlamp.

1. Urban Hikes
   1. Camelback
   2. Piestewa Peak
   3. Freedom Loop
   4. North Mountain
2. McDowell/Four Peaks Wilderness (Northeast)
   1. Tom’s Thumb
   2. Butcher Jones
   3. Thompson Peak
   4. Vineyard Trail
3. The Superstitions (East & Southeast)
   1. Flatiron
   2. Boulder Canyon & Lower La Barge Box
   3. Picketpost Mountain
   4. Wave Cave
   5. Carney Springs Waterfall
   6. Peralta Canyon to Weaver’s Needle Overlook
4. White Tank Mountains (West)
   1. Mesquite Canyon and Willow Canyon Loop
   2. Humphreys Peak, Flagstaff
   3. Bear Canyon to Seven Falls, Tucson

Urban Hikes

These popular trails in Phoenix and Scottsdale are convenient for a quick hike, and I love watching the city lights come out at sunset. Although I prefer to seek out more secluded hikes, I’m grateful that these spaces exist within the city.

Camelback

Via Cholla Trail: 3 miles, 1300 ft elevation

Via Echo Canyon Trail: 2.5 miles, 1500 ft elevation

Both routes have considerable scrambling toward the top of the peak, so don’t attempt this one if you’re afraid of heights. Echo Canyon is more challenging because its’s steeper. I most recently hiked Camelback on a rainy day, and it was remarkably quiet. I hate crowded trails, so I usually avoid this one.

Piestewa Peak

2 miles, 1100 ft elevation

Don’t underestimate how long a mile can feel with steep elevation. Inside a large mountain preserve, this trail feels slightly remote while being close to the city center.

Freedom Loop

4 miles, 1000 ft elevation

This trail is a loop around Piestewa Peak, and it’s a nice alternative because the backside of the loop isn’t crowded, even on a Saturday evening when I did it. It’s a great escape from the city without actually leaving the city.

North Mountain

1 mile, 700 ft elevation

This is a quick hike with a big reward. There are multiple routes up North Mountain; the most popular is the one on AllTrails, which is a combination of uneven terrain and pavement. There’s a paved service road up to the cell tower for those who prefer even ground.

McDowell/Four Peaks Wilderness (Northeast)

The Four Peaks are clearly visible throughout McDowell Sonoran Preserve, so I combined these two adjacent wilderness preserves into one section. They’re Northeast of Phoenix, just outside the Town of Fountain Hills, but feel surprisingly remote. I also include some Salt River hikes in this section, as the river curls around the Four Peaks.

Tom’s Thumb

4 miles, 1200 ft elevation

This trail was my first recommendation to my parents when they visited. It’s well-maintained and beautiful. The boulder landscape atop the ridge is unique to this area and glows red at sunset.

Butcher Jones

6 miles, 600 ft elevation

This trail meanders along Saguaro Lake on the Salt River with gorgeous views of the Four Peaks. The trail splits off to two equally lovely end points: Butcher Jones viewpoint and a trail down to the shoreline. My distance tracked includes both!

Thompson Peak

10 miles, 2000 ft elevation

I started at the Dixie Mine trailhead, which requires a walk through a gated neighborhood to access (included in my distance tracked). Dixie Mine Trail connects to the Thompson Peak service road, which is unpaved until the last mile where it gets dangerously steep. I was the only person on the trail on a beautiful Saturday evening, so it seems this is a hidden gem—or perhaps too strenuous for the average hiker.

Vineyard Trail

7 miles, 1800 ft elevation

This trailhead is a two-hour drive from central Phoenix, beginning at Theodore Roosevelt Lake and heading into the Four Peaks area. The beginning of the trail overlooks Theodore Roosevelt Lake, including the iconic bridge and dam, ascending Vineyard Peak to overlook the Salt River Valley (pictured above at mile 2). You could turn back here for a 4-mile roundtrip, but my suggested distance is mile 3.5 (7 miles roundtrip) for more incredible Salt River Valley and Four Peaks views.

There was a harsh glare on the river at midday that disappeared by my return in the evening, so I definitely recommend an evening hike!

The Superstitions (East & Southeast)

The Superstition Wilderness is my favorite place to escape the city, a gorgeous mountain range to the east that overlaps with Lost Dutchman State Park and parts of Tonto National Forest. The Superstitions are rugged with dramatic cliffs, making them especially appealing to adventurous hikers like me.

Flatiron

5.5 miles, 2600 ft elevation

Flatiron is my idea of a good time—lots of scrambling. This peak is iconic with locals, so the trail stays moderately busy despite being difficult. For the most part, the scrambling is comparable to Camelback with less exposure, but there’s a small section at the top nicknamed “the wall” that’s slightly more technical.

Boulder Canyon & Lower La Barge Box

10 miles, 2000 elevation ft gain

This trail was an unexpected favorite! I hiked it after heavy rain, so the lower canyon water level was up to my waist in some spots. (Note: the river is the Lower La Barge Box trail.) I hiked it as a loop around Battleship Mountain, going counter-clockwise to save the river wading for last. The trail not well-marked around the backside of Battleship, so I recommend downloading a satellite map.

As a less intense option, there’s a beautiful viewpoint on Boulder Canyon Trail around mile 2.5 (5 miles roundtrip) pictured above, just before the descent into the canyon.

Picketpost Mountain

4.5 miles, 2000 elevation

There is a lot of scrambling and loose rock on the trail, so proceed with caution. Even following my AllTrails satellite map, it was easy to lose the trail and find myself in a sketchy spot on the cliff bands. However, it was well-worth the challenge; I loved going through the letters and assorted items in the mailbox at the top.

Wave Cave

3 miles, 800 ft elevation

What a little gem of a trail! I sat in the back of the cave with a snack, and, after about ten minutes, there was a small window during which I had the cave all to myself on a Saturday. (PLEASE do not sit in the middle of the view, people!) I combined this hike with Carney Springs Waterfall, as they share a trailhead. The trailhead is down a dirt road, but it’s well-maintained and my low-clearance Toyota Camry made the drive just fine!

Carney Springs Waterfall

3 miles, 500 ft elevation

The falls can be combined with Wave Cave for around 5 miles roundtrip, as they both branch off the Carney Springs trail. I hiked after rain, so there was a small flow. It was difficult to capture the crevice where the falls is, but it’s such a wonderful spot.

Peralta Canyon to Weaver’s Needle Overlook

5 miles, 1300 ft elevation

The view of Weaver’s Needle from Fremont Saddle is fantastic! It’s not visible until you reach the top, so it’s quite the grand reveal. However, there are still plenty of great views overlooking Peralta Canyon on the way up. I did this hike on a rainy day (yes, we get those sometimes), and I definitely plan to go back at sunrise to see the morning light on Weaver’s Needle. This trailhead is further down the dirt road mentioned in Wave Cave/Carney Springs.

White Tank Mountains (West)

The White Tank Mountains are West of Phoenix, and the best hiking trails are in White Tank Regional Park, which charges $10 per vehicle for entry. These mountains are less severe than the Superstitions, so the hiking is similarly less scramble-y/intense. The trails are well-maintained through winding mountain valleys.

Mesquite Canyon and Willow Canyon Loop

8.5 miles, 1500 ft elevation

This is a loop that combines Mesquite Canyon and Willow Canyon trails. I also highly recommend taking a half-mile detour down the Goat Camp trail, as it ascends out of the canyons to a ridge with fantastic views. This was my first White Tanks hike, and it surpassed my expectations!

Favorites Outside Phoenix

While it’s possible to visit these areas as a long day trip from Phoenix, calling them “Phoenix hikes” would be a stretch. But my list felt incomplete without them!

Humphreys Peak, Flagstaff

10 miles, 3300 ft elevation

This is a tall order for a day hike from Phoenix, being Arizona’s highest peak! If you can handle the elevation, it’s a well-maintained trail to the top. Despite being in Arizona, it’s cold and windy above 10,000 ft.

Bear Canyon to Seven Falls, Tucson

8.5 miles, 1000 ft elevation

After an unusually rainy fall and some early winter snowmelt, there was plenty of water in Bear Canyon when I hiked it. I counted seven water crossings before reaching the main falls at the trail’s end. However, I did see reviews on AllTrails from seasons when the falls were completely dry, so beware!

---

I will add more favorites to this list as I discover them; follow me on TikTok for updates!