Beautiful views!! Plenty of parking and there are even hiking trails and paths.. there are picnic…read moretables that are shaded so you can enjoy the beautiful views

Skyline Regional Park was an unexpected delight for our first visit. The terrain was varied and the…read moretrails that we walked were striking, between the variety of plant life and sweeping views. The facilities all seemed so new and the signage was great. This is my new favorite hiking area in the region.

This review is for the Hau'Pal T-Bone Ridgeline Trail Loop. There are a lot of other trails that…read morestart or branch out from here. This hike in particular is around 3.1 miles (based on my watch :) AllTrails says it's an even 3.0 miles) from beginning of the trailhead back to the trailhead. The parking lot at the trailhead has 26 spots with two of them being handicap parking. By 6 AM the lot was full and there were a lot of cars parked on the streets before the no parking signs. Following the AllTrails review we started counter-clockwise (right) at around 6 AM. The ascent was pretty steep for the first 1.2 miles since there is a 1000-ft elevation gain to the top. However once you reach the top it becomes more flat and gets a bit easier. The only hard parts once you've reached the top are the big rocks you either have to climb up or down to get back on the trail. During these parts we usually had to also use our hands. After that it was a slow descent to the bottom (some parts of the descent were a bit gravelly so be careful not to slip)! Once you hit around 2.3 miles you'll see a sign that splits off the trail to either continue the Hau'Pal loop and head to the parking lot or head to Crosscut loop (according to AllTrails this one is a 4.6 mile loop). We continued on to finish the Hau'Pal loop. Overall we finished the hike in about 1.5 hours moving at a moderate pace. We started around 6 AM and finished before 8 AM. It does get pretty hot halfway through the hike since it was summer so be sure to bring enough hydration and sunscreen or start the hike earlier!!! There are still a lot of people starting the hike after 8 AM so as long as you're properly prepared you should be good! :) This hike can be hard for those who are not used to more steep inclines or declines. The first 1.2 miles up can be strenuous since it is a 1000-ft climb. But there are some shaded spots along the trail from the rocks that you can rest up near! So just be sure to take your time and be careful! There are also currently a lot of bees swarming the water fountain at the trailhead and even during the hike; around every .20 miles we would have bees buzzing around us. If you're not comfortable with bees or allergic, I would suggest avoiding this hike for now.

This Preserve has really been cleaned up for the better. Once a place for beer drinking, bottle…read morecaps and assorted trash, it now is a pleasant spot for hiking. Trails are marked although when you first enter the premises, it is not that clear. I am so glad it really is a Preserve now. They have their own small parking lot and there is street parking.

One of the nicest things about Phoenix is having hiking opportunities close by. Phoenix Mountain…read morePreserve is a great example of that. This sprawling preserve has a ton of trails to choose from. It's also the home of Piestewa Peak. I stopped by on a Sunday afternoon with my buddy who was visiting from out of town. Since he was in charge, I'm not sure what trail we selected but it was a one-hour hike that we followed on the All Trails app. I'd say it was of moderate difficulty and rocky terrain which is what you will mostly find in Phoenix. Your reward, halfway through the hike, is some nice views of Phoenix in between a valley in the mountains. The type of spot you sit for a while and take it all in. While not mesmerizing, it was nice. If you're looking for a ton of different options, of various difficulties and length, Phoenix Mountain Preserve is a great choice. It's right within the city so you don't have to venture far to check it out, either. Parking wasn't an issue at all on a weekend which is nice, too.

We hiked around sunset time. I like the Pima Canyon trailhead parking area. Lots of spaces to park,…read morethere are restrooms, and water fountains. Dogs are allowed on leash...please just for the love of god pick up their poop. I truly don't understand how dog owners think it's cool to leave it. I had my fur baby with me, and I carry extra bags. It's not hard. The sky was really pretty at sunset. We ended up doing the Pima Canyon loop due to time constraints. There are other trails you can do here, and the entire south mountain trail system. I didn't feel like messing with my phone so I didn't take any photos. This is an easily accessed trail system for all levels.

Everytime I show up, I find myself and others exploring a different part of South Mountain. Get out…read moreearly and pay close attention to route you travel!

Beautiful scenery. Explored the fossil creek area with several amazing waterfalls. Very difficult…read morehikes but taking a dip in the ice cold mountain spring water is so refreshing. Make sure you are hydrated for the long challenging hikes in the desert. Be careful not to swim under waterfalls as there are several drownings every year. The drive to get there is 2 hours north of Phoenix followed by a 15 mile drive on a very bumpy dirt road. You need a 4x4 for sure.

The address listed as of April 2023 is for their headquarters. This address will not take you to…read moreTonto National Park. Tonto National Park is located about 1 hr - 1hr and 45 min from the Phoenix area. The difference in time is due to the size of the park. At 2.9 million acres, Tonto National Forest is the largest national forest in Arizona. Tonto is the 6th largest of the USDA National Forests. About 20 minutes into the forest, we lost cell phone reception. If using Google Maps to get to your destination, I recommend downloading the offline map(s.) Water levels were low enough in the creek crossings that cars were able to get to the site we stayed at without any issues. We camped over a weekend at the Cave Creek Group Campground. This campground must be rented, and is only rented as a group camp site. There is a central area with cover picnic tables/ramadas, grills, and group fire pits. Some of the campsites have their own fire pits as well. There is no water at this campground. Vault toilets. One toilet for men and one for women. While toilet paper is provided, it was not enough for the weekend. Someone in our group had a satellite phone. They were able to ask someone who was coming up late Saturday to bring more. The way the group camp site is situated, make for a secluded area. The scenery on the drive in and out was lovely. Driving in from the Phoenix area, it was nice to have a change in scenery. The landscape around the Cave Creek Campground has a less desert feel. The campground is surrendered with trees. Beprepared to take it slow. The road to the Cave Creek Group Campground is winding and, at times, narrow. There was a hill that was almost a yellowish orange from wildflowers. (It photographed with more green.) Coming around the corner and being met with the sight of that hill was a breathtaking moment. As for animals, we saw some random birds, lizards and cows.

Love this well maintained and relatively flat recreation path! Was able to get in a nice run this…read moremorning with easy access by the football stadium in Glendale. There are trees along the way that provide a bit of shade. It also seemed relatively safe, even under the bridges, as there didn't appear to be people hanging out there. There are also parts where you can run up along the road or canal rather than down in the ravine and that was very open and safe. Love it!

Morning run or walk with the dogs is safe and fun tour ocasional bum walking through but nothing to…read moreworry since they usually go to 7-Eleven

Mike got me through it!!! This is not for the faint of heart when it's this hot out but it's SO…read moreworth it!! I don't have the pics he took yet so here's just a few of the ones I took. Breathtaking views!! Mike is an outstanding guide!

Had a great hike with our guide John who has lived in town for over 10 years. He knows his way up…read moreCamelback Mountain since he climbs it regularly. My sister and I took the Cholla route with him, which was only difficult at the last 30%. What I liked about walking with John was that he is knowledgeable and friendly, it was like hiking with a friend. He was encouraging and had us stop many times to get hydrated and have a snack. At the summit, he even had a banner for us to hold to get our pics! A great hike with spectacular views.

This hike is a 6.4-mile out-and-back trail in the hills of Phoenix's South Mountain Preserve…read more Corona de Loma is a challenging trail that is located just east of Eagle Pass and will take a few hours to complete. The beginning of the trail connects with the Thash Kavid Loop Trail or Warpaint Loop Trail. It is usually called the Warpaint Loop because it is off Warpaint Drive. I came here with a friend and we did the loop trail portion of the hike. The Warpaint Loop trail is around 2-miles and easy to hike because there is no elevation. It is a popular area for hiking, mountain biking and running. Because it is in a desert region, proper precautions should be taken while hiking it during the warmer seasons. Dogs must be on a leash. The Corona de Loma Trail takes you through a diverse terrain with a combination of flat sections. Parking is on the side of the road.

Great South Mountain trailhead, commonly called Warpaint trailhead due to entrance on Warpaint Dr…read morein Awahtukee. There's a decent number of trails with varying degrees of difficulty for hikers and bikers. Most of the trails are fairly flat// little elevation change, so if you're a local and want to try hiking, this is a great start. Also good for visitors/tourists. Most popular trails are Desert Classic and Warpaint Loops. If you want climbing, try the Guadalupe Perimeter. Most of the trails can connect you to other trail systems in the park. Because of the fairly-flat nature of this trailhead system, it's great for star-gazing & observing sunrise/sunset. Fair warning though, some of the bigger desert critters (coyotes) will come out at night... I've heard them! The only downside of this trailhead are limited street parking and no bathrooms. Happy trails!