Here are 3 hikes we took with our family. Most of the construction is complete and looks amazing. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox, Phoenix Restaurant Directory: Takeout/Delivery/Dine-in, Phoenix Holiday Gift Guide: What to Get Your Social-Distancing Friends and Family, Palabras Bilingual Bookstore Is Moving — Plus More Metro Phoenix Arts News, 7 Best Trails For Night Hiking in Metro Phoenix, 10 Phoenix-Area Tourist Destinations That Locals Can Enjoy Too, 5 Things to Do Outdoors in Metro Phoenix This May, Hiking Etiquette 101: Tips for Hitting the Trails in Metro Phoenix. Love it and obsessed with it! South Mountain. Papago Park is surrounded by” more, “My go to mountain every time I hike !! Wilderness adventures. Help, Phoenix's independent source of local news and culture. The desert air had cooled from its daytime high, and twilight was giving way to night—a transition my friend Barb calls “betwixt and between.” Sonoran TrailMcDowell Mountain Regional Park Park Hours: Sunday through Thursday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. This spot is less crowded than nearby Piestewa Peak, but still a great workout. Hiking is one of the most popular outdoor activities in Phoenix. With an estimated elevation gain of around 1,100 feet, this hike will no doubt get your heart pumping. Night hiking is a great way to see the desert in a whole new light – or, well, darkness – and to help in forging your next evening trek, here are seven great trails for night hiking in the Phoenix metro area. South Mountain is an awesome place to get a view of the Phoenix area in the evening. Yet, once you reach the towers at the top of the mountain be prepared for great views including Piestewa Peak to the East, the Estrella Mountains to the West, Lookout Mountain to the North and South Mountain to, well yes … to the south. This is a trail for experienced hikers. The birds suddenly quiet as the crickets make their presence known. Instead of staying home and sitting in front of the television, you could consider traveling to find the best hikes in Phoenix, Arizona. This short but scenic trail in Scottsdale is the most famous hike in the Phoenix area and absurdly popular. It's only 1.2 miles to the summit but has an elevation gain of almost 1,300 feet, and is notorious for wreaking havoc on hikers. It tends to be overly crowded, so try to avoid peak times and the inconvenience of fighting for a parking spot. 8. Be sure to wear good shoes and watch your step. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Camping near Mesa – Camping is available in both Usery Moutain Regional Park and Lost Dutchman State Park . There is a $6 (cash is best) park entrance fee. All rights reserved. These places are best for hiking trails in Phoenix: Echo Canyon Trail and Recreation Area; Cholla Trail; Lookout Mountain Preserve; Apache Wash Trailhead; Mormon Trailhead; See more hiking trails in … It wasn't an in-the-mountain cave like I expected, but super cool nevertheless. If you are in North Scottsdale though definitely check it out! Citing Issues With New Ownership, Wasted Ink Zine Distro... A Phoenix Gift Guide for the Plant Nerd in Your Life, The Best Live and Virtual Things to Do in Phoenix This Week. My first evening hike was at Cave Creek Regional Park. Spring is here, which means perfect hiking weather! I think ~ 500 feet. But I'm new to phoenix.. Need…, Bowling, night hike, that speakeasy with the drink they light on fire in old town, music in the garden at botanical gardens, find some live jazz, see…. Piestewa is the second-highest peak in Phoenix with an elevation of 2,608 feet – a mere 100 feet shy of Camelback Mountain. I always encourage everyone I know to visit because it's so worth the workout and view !” more, “We had a great time here! Copyright © 2004–2020 Yelp Inc. Yelp, , and related marks are registered trademarks of Yelp. This trail is as much about the scene as the scenery, but if you want to hike the heavy hitters, this one has Kardashian-level notoriety. While it was difficult to narrow down this list, I am going to cover the 10 best hikes in Arizona below. Jose Armenta: The view is awesome come up to the top.... 14. Spectacular” more, “ the butte during my ROTC days. Scottsdale – Best area to stay in Phoenix for nightlife Scottsdale is a town situated 25 minutes northwest of Phoenix (and directly north of Tempe). Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. There is plenty of parking and there was plenty of trails which” more. With elevation gain peaking at around 600 feet, this trail will gradually take you up, then gently down and through a couple of drainages, slightly ascending and descending throughout. Nice hike but since it is somewhat similar to Camelback and Piestewa but 30-45+ minutes out of the center of town it didn’t make the cut. Circulation, And where is safe to park for the hikes? This lookout point is widely considered one of the best places to watch the sunset. Looking to get back on the trails at night. Plan to spend about an hour on the trail if you are walking a dog, or half an hour or less if you are trail running. Wind cave trail: Located in the Usery mountain this hike is a moderate hike with young kids. McDowell Mountain Regional Park is a 21,099 acre Sonoran desert park located northeast of Scottsdale (about 4 miles north of Fountain Hills). Lights of the construction is complete and looks amazing so try to avoid peak Times and the south at! It 's also much more difficult than it first sounds be pretty busy p.m. and hence a moonlight would! The final half-mile jaunt to the peak opens up to the best places to in. Of this northern region of the best Times to hike! purchased links! Of Difficulty: easy Average Time: 1 to 1.5 hours not too away. Picnic table with shading near the parking lot customize content and advertisements Mountain not too far away the... 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