Visited Pinnacle Peak Park while in Scottsdale. The atmosphere is scenic, peaceful, and well-maintained, making it a go-to spot I've been hiking for 20+ years. The vistas are beautiful, with views overlooking golf courses and, as you start the climb, some stunning homes -- clearly a bit of wealth in the area. It's a great mix of desert landscape and elevated viewpoints that never gets old. Over the years, you never know who you'll run into -- I even crossed paths with Ming Tsai on one of my hikes. There are restrooms at the base, free entry, and a parking lot that can fill up quickly, with many people parking along the road leading in. Overall, a consistently great hike with rewarding views -- a local staple I keep coming back to. Saluti. read more

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If you're looking for a short easy hike, then this may be your place. This hike provides a 4 mile trail that includes some elevation. You may experience wildlife such as lizards, deer birds, and more. This hike is very popular with the locals who you may see running and walking on a trail. What's great about this trail is the free parking, clean bathroom and a visitor area to learn more. The hike should definitely be on your list for beautiful sunset and wildlife sighting is. Prior to coming in, you should note the hours as you don't want to get your car locked in when they close the gate the hours change with daylight changing. read more

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Beautiful! We did the moonrise/sunset hike and the pastel colors were amazing! Highly recommend! read more

Pinnacle Peak Park - Moonrise December 4th, 2025 - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

I spent a lovely Saturday here hiking and rock climbing!! The parking lot is small and fills up early but we got a spot around 830am. Google navigates the wrong way - it tries to take you through a private neighborhood so be sure to take Alma School Road to get here. There are restrooms, water fountains, and picnic tables by the parking lot. We saw a Gila monster while we were hiking! read more

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Great hike lots of nice photo ops. A bit steep for people with knee issues. Very crowded this time of year too read more

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Pinnacle Peak is a great "choose your own adventure" hike - you can stop at various points for photos or rest, and either turn back or go to the end of the trail and hike back. There are nice bathroom facilities, a water bottle filler, ample parking, and an info center. The trail has great markers and signage with information on plants and animals you might encounter. Depending on the weather, you'll want to be careful what time you start the hike and bring plenty of water. In April, we were finished hiking by 10am and it was very hot. There is not shade along the trail. read more

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Our go to bar and restaurant. Good food. Great hospitality. The atmosphere is always upbeat -especially the bartenders

Pinnacle Peak is always a favorite hike of mine to do when I'm in Arizona. It's the perfect easy to moderate hike that's still a great workout and will leave you sweating. The views are absolutely stunning, and there are many lookout points throughout. I really like that Pinnacle Peak has lots of ups and downs and different look out points, instead of just one peak that everyone crowds onto to get the perfect photo. Do keep in mind it's not a loop trail, so once you're done you turn around and hike back to the entrance. Because of this (and it's popularity), it can get pretty congested depending on the time of day. The trailhead is always very well maintained, which is a huge plus! When hiking in the spring, it's filled with gorgeous colors and so much to see. Lots of different kinds of cacti and creatures to check out! Pinnacle Peak holds a special spot in my heart because it's where I got engaged two years ago! Ever since, we make sure to give this gorgeous trail a visit whenever we're back in AZ! read more

Pinnacle Peak Park - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Pinnacle Peak is a relatively tough (or medium level if you're the people jogging it daily) near Phoenix. We visited as a large group for sunrise and it was already busy (with those runners...). Starts out easy enough but gets harder and eventually you'll hit a 'strenuous' sign... which they're not lying about. But we finished and if you're reasonably fit it should be doable. There are some spots to sit if you need a break and good views for sunrise. Good parking and facilities (clean bathrooms) at the start. All in all a fun time...and I didn't run into any snakes though I saw tons of snake holes...so keep your eyes open if you're there when it's not busy. read more

Wonderful hike. I love this place and the scenery is perfect. Whenever visiting Scottsdale this is a must and great exercise as well. read more

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This is about a 4 mile moderate hike. Not a loop. Get to the top round it, then turn back. If you are experienced in hiking at all, have the right shoes and water you will be fine. But not recommended for those with no hiking experience. The views are beautiful & there are a number places you can rest. Some shade. We also used our hiking poles which was beneficial. It was busy on a weekday during the spring break. Recommend stopping at the information center before you get started. Very helpful in answering questions. read more

Pinnacle Peak Park - View from the trail - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

This is a great sunset hike. I'm sure it gets seriously hot during the day and looks like it's well traveled and super popular. We arrived close to 6pm on an afternoon with a storm rolling in but the kind fella at the welcome center gave us a map and said we should keep an eye on the storm and be down before the gates lock. We quickly hiked to the highest point - got some pics and came down. So we did about half of it in about 45-60 mins. It's nice at sunset with shade and low sun and wasn't very crowded. Also, we saw tons of greenery and wildlife. The view is gorgeous and the switchbacks make the incline not so bad. We've done some intense hiking on this week-long trip through Sedona and Scottsdale so this wasn't as bad as the others we recently did but if you're not used to hiking and gaining 1,000 or more feet in elevation quickly, take your time, catch your breath and wear good shoes. The trail is well marked with numbered posts in case of emergency you can tell rangers and emergency workers exactly where to find you. It also has informative little plaques for animals and plants along the beginning of the trail. The park has much more amenities than others. It has a welcome booth, a shaded seating area and nicer bathrooms with full flush toilets. Large parking area and a small shopping center nearby for after hike treats. Maps are available as well - small paper versions you can take in addition to the trailhead map permanent signage. Lovely views of the area and surrounding rocky peaks. Would love to come back and do the entire trail when a thunderstorm isn't right behind us! read more

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Pinnacle Peak is a great beginners hike. Its about 2 miles each way and took me a little more than 1.5 hours to complete at a slightly more intense than moderate pace. Lots of beautiful views of cliffs, mountains and the northern valley. Lots of cacti and other fauna to check out. I didnt see any animals besides an occasional bird but they do have signs to keep clear of snakes if you see any. The trail is pretty up and down about 1000 ft of elevation RT. Didnt need to use my hands or anything for balance or to climb anything. The only strenuous part is the first 5-10 mins on the way back. Its a lot of uphill all at once. Like climbing a dozen flights of stairs. Tip I got from the locals is the very end is when you get to the gate! Not where the sign is. You gotta touch the gate to say youve done the whole trail! read more

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Hike/Run My favorite place to be in the morning. Great Trail and always friendly people on the hill. read more

I was so surprised how beautiful the blossoms were this year. Just a whole field full of desert yellow blooms! read more

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This is a great hike for all levels! I went with my dad and his partner who are both in their 70s. There are stopping points throughout and one of them stopped while the others continued on. It had great views and once you got beyond the highest peak, it was more challenging. We went to the 50th marker and then headed back. Would have loved for it to be a loop instead of an in and out, but it was still a cool hike that was just the right amount of time, about an hour and a half. read more

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The hardest trail for me! I went with coworkers a while back and literally sat in the middle of the rocks to drink water and regain composure. I'm truly out of shape I instantly regretted agreeing to this but was happy once we made it to the top! It was definitely a once in a lifetime walk for me. I'll stick to my 1-2hour hikes locatied on the other side of South Mountain. Parking on site Good luck! read more

Great hike. Trail well marked with a lot of nature trivia. Could use a port-a-potty at the turnaround. Nice that kids could become junior trail rangers. Best to do that at end of hike, takes only about 10 minutes. read more

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Hmm I'm surprised I haven't reviewed this yet. We went once earlier this year and once last October 2022 and it had been years since I first visited. When I came, I didn't really remember it so it felt like the first time. There is a parking lot with a good amount of spots as well as street parking. I like that they have a small visitor center staffed by a volunteer/park steward. We got a neat sticker from here! There's also information about the different types of wildlife you can see out on the trail. There are also bathrooms and water available, and some tables and a ramada. The hike itself is classified as moderate in difficulty on the City of Scottsdale website. There are quite a few lookout points (Grandview, High Point, and the cute Owl's Rest) which is a nice way to stop and enjoy the scenery. Plentiful signs guiding the way and distance, and mile markers (103 in total). There are even educational signs for the creatures and plants along the way. Once you get to the peak, you have the option of continuing by going downhill until the trail ends at a gate by a street. Total distance is about 4 miles if you reach the gate and turn back. There's a fear-inducing sign that says "Strenous beyond this point" but don't be too put off by that. It's a bit misleading because that's where the trail begins to go downhill, but the "strenous" part is hiking back up (probably obvious to others but thought I'd explain). The sign is not telling people not to go. It's just saying it's going to be hard. (took that from a blog post) Fairly busy hiking spot, a range of individuals, families, runners, and everyone in between. It's a gorgeous park, well-maintained, and a good outdoor activity. read more

Pinnacle Peak Park consists of 150 acres. It has a parking lot that can fit almost 100 vehicles. Restrooms and a few picnic tables are available. They have hiking and rock climbing routes. If you are rock climbing you need to supply your own equipment. There are three rock climbing areas in the park. Unfortunately Covid prevented us from participating in a full moon hike. It is a guided walk to the Grandview area as the moon rises. read more

Pinnacle Peak Park - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Pinnacle Peak is a great 2-ish hour hike in the Scottsdale area. Parking filled up quickly, but there is a decent among of in/out traffic. As you may have guessed, it's a pretty popular hike, so you will definitely be hiking with or pass many groups of individuals. It's about 4 miles round-trip and took me around 2 hours including stopping for the views which are beautiful! The trail is very well-maintained and I was really impressed! read more

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Stunning views. Easy hike for 1st half of the ascend (looks harder when you see people at higher elevations of the trail). The ascend is gradual and trail is compact dirt not rocky or loose sand like some local trails. 1.75 mile trail (one way). Top Elevation is 2,889'. Agree with others that it is very busy with families during the holidays. What a beautiful way to experience nature with your loved ones. Photo opportunities and views abound. Easy lot parking (90 spaces) or street parking when lot is full. Portapotty for restrooms. A few picnic table with ramada. Such a high coming off this trail. read more

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This was a great moderate hike and the views are nice. I never know what to expect when trying a new hike and this hike was not difficult at all. The trail goes up and down so it balances out. The trail uphill is not difficult and it's nice to just relax and enjoy the hike. There is plenty of parking at the trailhead so that was a plus. The 2 mile hike ends and you can just turn back around. There is an option to leave the trail after the end of the hike and walk through the residential area. There are plenty of signs that mention to not have dogs on the trail. It would be nicer if this place was dog friendly for the people who have dogs. Overall, this was a nice balanced hike and I would definitely try this hike again. There are plenty of signs that show how far you've hiked so that can help you be prepared mentally. read more

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Absolutely gorgeous! Best if you come in Jan/Feb when it's not to hot. My bestie and I hiked up here and were in love with all the gorgeous homes and how far you can see for at the lookout points. Difficulty wise, this is pretty easy until you get to the part where it says "strenuous ahead". At that point, it's a lot of stairs! One thing I really love is all the mile markers and cactus & plant identification signs. I felt like I was learning whilst hiking. My favorite was the teddy bear cactus, but no hugging those little cuties! ;) Overall, 2 miles, not too difficult, great views and a solid workout. 10/10, would recommend. read more

Great views and a hike that pretty much anyone can do. Just don't go when it's hot outside in the summer; it's not worth it. Take plenty of water and your phone to take pictures! Cell service is hit or miss but still take it with you just in case. read more

Great views. Lots of steps. Crowded the day we went. Once past the strenuous sign ahead the crowd cleared:) read more

Pinnacle Peak Park - North of Scottsdale view - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Weather is perfect this time of year, so this hike is worth it. I think in total we did about 4 miles, and it took us just over an hour, at a pretty steady pace. This hike is a great workout, and definitely gets your heart rate up. Some beautiful views along the trail. Golf course views, and amazing huge cactus along the way. I would recommend this hike for most people! They also have a few rest areas along the way that are nice places to stop and catch your breath. read more

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Pinnacle Peak is a great easy to medium hike located in North Scottsdale. The trail is a very popular in and out trail, meaning that it is not a loop and that the hiker will need to literally turn around and hike back to the trailhead. The trail is very well maintained thanks to volunteer trail stewards. Be sure to thank these people when you see them on the trailhead. They are always repairing damage caused by humans and the elements, as well as improving the trail. Being a very popular hiking and jogging trail, there are lots of people using the trail. The unfortunate thing is most of the "non-regulars" simply do not understand the trail etiquette, including that the person traveling uphill has the right of way. I hope Pinnacle Peak will put up a silly little sign or a few signs that says something like, for the best experience for yourself and others, follow these 4 simple rules: 1. Know who has the right of way. The person traveling uphill has the right of way - if your head is higher than the other person's you give way and let them pass. 2. Voices Carry - Talk in a very quiet voice to those you're hiking with. 3. Cell phone calls are very distracting to others so please "pull over" to the side of the trail and stop to finish your call. 4. Smell ya later. Perfume and cologne are super nice but not on a trail. Save that for later. The views are incredible, especially in the early morning or late afternoon. Overall, Pinnacle Peak is an easy hike and only 1.75 miles in length, so if you are going from end to end, you'll travel approximately 3.5 miles. There is ample parking in the parking lot, as well as an enormous amount of parking available on the street. It's always funny watching the people that are there to hike but still try to park as close as possible to avoid walking No dogs, no bikes, no drones and no motorized vehicles account for a great experience. Horses are still allowed, to the best of my knowledge, so be aware. Horses have the right of way too :D Enjoy! read more

This has to be my most favorite hiking trail of all time in the greater Phoenix area. I've always found something wrong with different trails I've visited, whether they weren't scenic enough, a little too dangerous feeling, a little too challenging or unchallenging, or just really rough and uncomfortable hiking paths (too many jagged rocks). Overall, this path meets everything I want and more. I have to say I loved the 12 days of Christmas along the path on my most recent visit. How cute! I hope they update this year round with different themes. I certainly will continue to come back to find out. The views are lovely and nearly 360 degrees, there is some residential views of golf courses, but the best is the far out views you get of the mountains - it is breathtaking. We didn't see a lot of wildlife, which was fine with me, besides birds of course. read more

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As can probably be guessed by my restaurant reviews, I am not the most in shape. However, it's getting cool and I wanted to start exploring, so my s/o and I drove out to Pinnacle Peak, which after one trip is my new go-to for when friends come to visit. There's lots of easy parking right at the trail head, with a little building where you can ask questions, use the restroom (totally acceptably clean!), and get some water. The path is well-marked, well-maintained, and fairly easy (unless you're a rock climber and go off the trail where it tells you you can; I don't know how easy that part is)--there are lots of areas where the trail is pretty wide, so you can take a breather without affecting other hikers, while also getting some pretty dank views. There are little signs that tell you about the wildlife, and lots of beautiful views for how short the walk is. Don't climb on the rocks though! I missed a sign and got chastised by a park ranger :( Also, don't stay late! There's like a towing fee or something. read more

Pinnacle Peak Park - 11/12/17 - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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We followed Melissa R's review and chose the Pinnacle Peak Trail as our first hike in Arizona. Overall, an excellent hike, with great views throughout and also plenty of signage pointing out all the native plants of the desert with fun facts. There is just a single trail, 1.75 miles to the end, and then 1.75 miles back. Lots of steps combined with some straightaways. Trails were well-maintained but had a few rocky areas. It took us maybe 2 hours round-trip including plenty of rest and photos. Some observations/tips: * Carry at least two bottles of water to keep yourself hydrated. * The trail has two levels of signage to help you gauge progress: Every 0.25-miles from trailhead (0) to the end (1.75). Also, it has these flags marking 1 to about 70. * You'll find all sorts of folks sharing the trail with you: elderly, kids, pregnant women, hardcore joggers/runners, families, folks who look like models, and even a few body-builder types. Kinda makes the hike fun. read more

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My wife and I stopped in at 7:50 pm this past Tuesday in need of a quick dinner. The place was busy but there were still plenty of open tables but we were told they were not taking anymore walk-ins. We walked across the parking lot and had a wonderful dinner and wine at Darcy's Ironically when we finished and were going back to our car Pinnacle Grill still had customers dining. read more

The majority of the reviews are true: the views are amazing. However, they fail to mention that it can be breathtaking....in more ways than one. We visited two different sites, but this was the money shot. Something about me loves the desert heat. The great outdoors, the feel of the sun's warm rays on your bare skin, the cool breeze on loosely covered parts. This is where one goes to feel grounded, while at the same time on cloud nine. The view from the top and pure sense of accomplishment were reason enough for my luxurious plane ticket. I would love to have this in my backyard but NYC isn't built for a mountain like this (sorry Bear Mountain) Although not a very long or challenging hike, it is definitely perfect for a good experience without training. I had an exquisite time. My host asked my one touristy request and this was it. Boy, was it worth waking up super early after a rough night!! For a gal who loves the water, this place made me add Scottsdale to my list of favorite places. Make sure to get there early (pre- noon) to snag a good parking spot and have ample space to view the sights and climb at your leisure. Life doesn't get better than this. (Definitely worth for viewing the sunset or sunrise. Lovely place for an active date or group outing) read more

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As an Arizona native why have I never been here? But thanks to the Scottsdale Parks and recreation winter booklet, we went to view the stars on Friday. Unfortunately the clouds won and program was canceled-but we did get to hike up the hill a bit prior to sunset. Before leaving, the person in charge of the desk so kindly gave us a hiking booklet of all of the places to hike in Scottsdale-although I was traumatized years ago as a child hiking in the superstition Mountains during an unusually active rattlesnake spring season I am going to try my hardest to enjoy what the North Scottsdale hiking trails offer before the summer heat arrives! And if you drive down dynamite (?) to Pima you can enjoy an epic sunset! read more

Owwwwwww. That's how my butt felt when waking up yesterday morning. And I owe the pain to my previous day hike at Pinnacle Peak. I consider myself to be in pretty good shape- i weight train, spin, kickbox, or do something active pretty much everyday. But nothing compares to hiking because it's a great workout, you don't even feel like you're working out (until you wake up with the butt pain the next morning) and mountains excite me after growing up in Florida. Unfortunately, there are no mountains to hike in Chicago so when my hostess with the mostess, Gabi K, suggested we wake up early to hike Pinnacle Peak I was all for it. If I lived in Phoenix I'm guessing you could find me hiking Pinnacle Peak on a weekly basis. The view from the mountains is absolutely breathtaking and it really is the perfect hike...steep enough at times so you get out of breath, but nothing that's going to kill ya. The entire hike took us about 1 1/2 hours although those crrraaazzzzyyy peeps who run the hike are probably done in half that time. read more

Pinnacle Peak Park - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Got here around 4:30 and knew I didn't have much time to get out and back to meet the sunset curfew. The trail is uphill from the beginning until you reach the Pinnacle peak (not actual peak). The views of the Estancia Club golf course and neighborhood are impressive. The other peak blocks some of the sun as it was setting. I almost got to the steep part and there were 2 volunteers that made me turn around to make it back to the parking lot. I could've finish this trail run, but turned back before having a clearer view of the sun setting in the west. read more

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This place is simple breathtakingly beautiful... You look at the world so differently when you have completed a hike like this. The world seems so big and amazing. Life is worth every breath you take... So inhale.... read more

Pinnacle Peak Park - Breath taking!!! - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Would you like to feel close to Heaven while still just a couple of miles from King Smoothie? Me, too! That's when I hike Pinnacle Peak! This is, by far, one of my favorite ways to start my day when visiting Scottsdale; I'm always rejuvenated and never let down by this trail. Although there are sections where the steps and overall grade are steep, the trail is well-maintained and not difficult if you allow enough time. It's 1.75 miles one way (not a loop trail) and the whole 3.5 mile glorious trek takes me about 95 minutes with stopping to take pics and sip agua :) Do your lower extremities a favor - hike here soon! read more

Love this hike. It is a one way (not a loop) so you can manage your time and exertion as much or as little as you like. When you reach the peak you can go further for quite a while without steep slopes but when you get on the other hill things will become more challenging again. Bring water no matter what time of year it is and if it is in the warmer months you will need to bring lots of it. Outside of the landscape views there is a lot going on right near you as well. A good number of plants are described with signs and insect life and animal life are fun to catch if you concentrate to notice them. I have been on the trail several times during different points in the year and have only been to the end once to date. One time during the warmer months I wanted to get there at park open to see the sun rise -- which I did -- however, while I waited for the gate to open there were a few jumpers that started before the ranger got there. They made note of which vehicles did not have people in them and did their best to find the trespassers -- I have no idea what the penalty might be but I suggest not trying to find out! Another point (which I have not taken advantage of) is the people who manage the park (be they rangers or volunteers) seem to be very helpful and knowledgable. Maybe one day I will focus on this fact and learn a lot more about the place I have been exploring at random. read more

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I just hiked the Pinnacle Peak Trailhead for the first time today, and I had a great experience. It's a trail that both beginners and those looking for a challenge can do. It's got some steep inclines, but you could turn around before you get there if you prefer an easier route. If you complete the entire out and back trail, you'll end up hiking a little under 4 miles...and you'll get some great views! (Check out my pic if you don't believe me.) read more

Pinnacle Peak Park - Sunrise view from about half mile into the hike - Hiking Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona