These are challenging, educational and fun! With a total elevation gain of just under 1,200 feet, this trek is a stair-stepping, switchback effort to the top. Distance: 5.4 miles round trip Level of Difficulty: Moderate Average Time: 2.5 to 3 hours. Piestewa Peak: One of the best (night) hikes you can do for cardio, and some animal sightings - See 692 traveler reviews, 357 candid photos, and great deals for Phoenix, AZ, at Tripadvisor. I was glad I came on such a day as I can't imagine what” more, “Love this place! Copyright © 2004–2020 Yelp Inc. Yelp, , and related marks are registered trademarks of Yelp. This hike is not for the weary, still kicks my butt every single time” more, “I came on a Thursday morning, and the parking lot was somewhat full, started the hike at 11:40AM. Best night hike in Phoenix, AZ 1. Waterfall Trail in White Tank Mountain Regional Park. Moderate. Careers, There is plenty of parking and there was plenty of trails which” more. Where is the best night hike in town and where can I park (safely, without risk of tickets, tow, or taking) for the hikes? Drive from downtown Phoenix: 1 hour 30 minutes. CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: California Privacy Policy | California Collection Notice | Do Not Sell My Info. South Mountain is an awesome place to get a view of the Phoenix area in the evening. These trails are pretty close to sunnyslope which isn't the best area. This great city of Phoenix has three remarkable mountain preserves where there exist many trail heads leading to more than 180 miles of … Patty Jimenez: Bring a celebration snack (an orange is perfect after the tough hike) to enjoy while you get a 360 degree view of Phoenix. Add a sunset or the night lights of the city, and you’ve got a whole new experience. Tempe Town Lake is one of the best places to take in Phoenix’s famous sunsets. 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. Hiking is a major understatement - more of a 5 min walk. With such great year-round weather, it’s impossible to not explore the Valley’s best trails. With an estimated elevation gain of around 1,100 feet, this hike will no doubt get your heart pumping. Rim Lakes Vista Hiking Trail. In Phoenix, most trailheads open at 11 p.m. and hence a moonlight hike would be a perfect adventure late in the night. North Mountain National TrailNorth Mountain Park Park Hours: 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. (trails open until 11 p.m.) Distance: 1.65 miles round trip Level of Difficulty: Moderate Average Time: 1 hour. Feels like stairs the whole way up. This short but scenic trail in Scottsdale is the most famous hike in the Phoenix area and absurdly popular. It is a separate city that is home to 200,000 people, but due to its close proximity falls under the umbrella of Phoenix. This trail takes the cake for best family hike. Looking for some trails to hike during the full moon nights, I did the south mountain at night & really enjoyed it.. 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. As the sun sets, the desert begins to change and wildlife become much more active. From the top you have a great view of Phoenix and most of the valley. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Phoenix with no paywalls. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. Pretty views and other places to explore nearby. Having lived and explored Phoenix and the surrounding areas for several years, we have grown quite a love for the valley of the sun. 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. You probably know Phoenix for it’s wonderfully red hills, interesting flora, and amazing architecture. Currently ranked by the National Geographic as one of the best cities for hiking in America, Phoenix can be regarded as a mecca of hiking and many explorations. Spectacular” more, “ the butte during my ROTC days. “This was such a fun and awesome hike. But if you’re not an experienced local hiker, you can rely upon one: The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department offers ranger-guided moonlight hikes at several of its parks across the metro area. At just under three miles, the Apache Vista Loop Trail offers an easy nature walk through the park. All of this will be forgotten once the views from the top come into play – they are spectacular. Worth checking out!” more, “Fun hike! Camping near Mesa – Camping is available in both Usery Moutain Regional Park and Lost Dutchman State Park . It's also much more difficult than it first sounds. Most of the construction is complete and looks amazing. Alta TrailSouth Mountain Regional Park Park Hours: 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. (trails open until 11 p.m.) Distance: 9 miles round trip Level of Difficulty: Moderate Average Time: 5 hours. Camelback Mountain. It’s an extraordinary feeling, being out of the city and surrounded by wilderness as the sun begins to set. Join the New Times community and help support independent local journalism in Phoenix. The best times to hike in this region is between April and October. 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.” 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…. If you are looking for a nice, charming little escape into nature, this out-and-back hike is for you. I will admit I even took a couple girls here at night back when I was a crazy high schooler to do some star gazing. Fairly large parking lot. If you’ve never seen a birds-eye-view of Phoenix city lights illuminating the night, it’s a bucket list-worthy sight. 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 … Once at Tom’s Thumb, you can either connect with a multitude of other trails, enjoy the views of Phoenix and Four Peaks, or climb the thumb itself. This lookout point is widely considered one of the best places to watch the sunset. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our terms of use, our cookies policy, and our privacy policy. Hiking is one of the most popular outdoor activities in Phoenix. You can either go up there and have a nice 10 minute walk, or go for a long trip and spend 3” more, “This is still one of my favorite hikes within the city of Phoenix that I love to frequent when in town. 1. Many of the hikes listed above are located 15 to 30 minutes from the eastern edge of Mesa, so staying in Phoenix will likely add another 30 minutes to your travel time. This spot is less crowded than nearby Piestewa Peak, but still a great workout. I LOVED the view... 2. Papago Park is surrounded by” more, “My go to mountain every time I hike !! From there, the final half-mile jaunt to the peak opens up to amazing 360-degree views of this northern region of the Valley. Spring is here, which means perfect hiking weather! The weather was dreary, rainy, foggy, yet there were still a lot of people. Family Friendly Hikes in the Phoenix Area. Piestewa is the second-highest peak in Phoenix with an elevation of 2,608 feet – a mere 100 feet shy of Camelback Mountain. ... A great view at night, not just an awesome place to hike! Piestewa Peak. 2. Again it … Ash Creek Falls. Note: Night tours are offered year-round or seasonally, depending on the weather, so plan accordingly. Wind Cave Trail. 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. Since we started Phoenix New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we would like to keep it that way. Wilderness adventures. It is nothing short of magical up at the top with the moon casting shadows on the Western Superstitions. And if you’re looking for this to be a more romantic walk, the bridge often has lights that make a beautiful reflection off the water at night. While this hike offers a bit more of a challenge due to its length and elevation gain, it magnificently shows off the unique desert landscape as the sun begins to fall and the desert begins to turn under the night sky. The birds suddenly quiet as the crickets make their presence known. 3. For those a little skittish about being on the trails at night, a majority of this hike is on a paved road. Great photo ops. Apache Vista Loop TrailPhoenix Sonoran Preserve Park Hours: 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Not only will you see silhouettes of the Estrella Mountains and Four Peaks in the background, the entire downtown Phoenix will be buzzing with light, right before your eyes. South Mountain Park. I always encourage everyone I know to visit because it's so worth the workout and view !” more, “We had a great time here! Jose Armenta: The view is awesome come up to the top.... 14. McDowell Mountain Regional Park is a 21,099 acre Sonoran desert park located northeast of Scottsdale (about 4 miles north of Fountain Hills). The Phoenix New Times may earn a portion of sales from products & services purchased through links on our site from our affiliate partners. Would highly recommend summiting before 8am during the summer because it gets HOT. Contact Us, South Mountain. I’ll discuss everything from the “best day hikes near Phoenix”, “best hikes in the Grand Canyon,” lesser-known trails throughout the Public Lands, the most epic overnight backpacking trips or best road trips in Arizona too. Note: The desert is quite different at night and certain precautions should be taken; for a few safety measures, see our tips for night hiking. ©2020 Phoenix New Times, LLC. Yet, switchbacks the whole way up help in lessening the exhaustive blow that kind of elevation can carry. The park is also home to an archery range, exercising courses, fishing lagoons, baseball facilities and a softball complex. A Couple of Safety Reminders: It is extremely important to know the trail you are about to hike well, having hiked it many times during the day, before attempting it in the evening. It is full of amenities, hiking & mountain biking trails, and view points. At about one mile in, you can also catch a glimpse of Camelback Mountain not too far away. 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. The beautiful colors of the sun begin to fade while the moon rises to help light the way. Privacy, There are some... 3. With slow ascending stretches for the first mile, you'll get far-reaching views of the desert. 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