Being from NYC this is our version of central park. I love the observatory which is open Friday…read moreand Saturday nights sunset till 9pm. It's free but donations are appreciated. They are rib by volunteers. The trails are clean, dogs welcome everywhere, horses in designated areas, camp sites also available to rent which come with bbq grills and pits along with space for tents. Check out their website for the info. This is a great park to take your kids to the playground, go fishing, get your steps in, take your dog food a walk or have a date. Many picture perfect spots which are popular for graduation, wedding, and birthday pics. I even saw a couple get married on the bridge at sunset a quick 5 minute ceremony to not hold up anyone. Parking in a few spots and adjacent to the library for extra parking. 2 bathrooms I've been to are clean and maintained. Water fountains also there.

The only question I have is... Why did we wait so long to come? There was 8 of us in our group and…read morewe loved being there. We all felt so calm and peaceful. Such a beautiful park with a lot of things to do. One of our favorite things was looking through the telescope to see Venus. There was a long line but it does move fairly well and is worth the wait. Thank you!

Went for a hike, decided to do the 2 miler, the area and weather is gorgeous, no humidity! The…read moretrails are clearly marked and we decided when we got to the turn around point to go even farther, ended up doubling our mileage and seeing some gorgeous views!!! There are trails that are easy and flat and of course some that are hilly and challenging, great for exercising! They also have tortoises and a small "museum" area with some of the wildlife....

This is a solid, vey large County Park all-around. There are trails for all skill levels. Most of…read morethe trails come off the Phillips Road entrance, which is coincidentally where the nature center is located. If you need a bathroom or to buy a Parks Pass, this is where you'll go. The other two entrances are off Hunt Highway (Wagon Wheel Drive) and Brenner Pass. Most of the easy/family-friendly trails are off Phillips Road- lots of loops with gradual, minimal rolling hills. The Wagon Wheel trails definitely have more elevation and challenging features. Both of the parking lots I've been to are wide, allowing plenty of car and equine parking. It's so fun to see the horses and riders out on the trails! You'll also see bikers too. This is also a popular park for races - running and biking, based on some friends experiences. Make sure to bring cash for parking if you don't have a Parks Pass, in case of emergency and/or if there's not a ranger manning each station.

Amazing Park with a beautiful Monument/Memorial to the Veterans of all Branches including "Space…read moreForce". Very nicely done !!! The Park itself is very beautiful with walking trails (some paved, some not) with a lake in the middle with a paved walkway around it. Fishing is authorized (stocked). The birding opportunities abound as different migrants & local birds are present. The Restrooms are awesome & open at 6am. Definitely a spot to check-out.

Well maintained oasis in the middle of Chandler. Lake, ducks , walking path, many photo sites…read more Benches An overall very nice park

I had heard good things about this trail and it has a cool name, so I decided to check it out one…read moremorning. I didn't want to pay for parking so I started at a different trailhead and hiked a few kilometers to get to the beginning of this trail. I saw a good amount of people along the way, but not too many. They were all courteous and respectful of the trail and its rules. There are lots of switchbacks and some decent elevation, I'd classify it as a moderate hike. The top with the "cave" was nice, more like an indentation, and I saw 2 chipmunks. I guess I didn't make it all the way to the top according to my map, but close enough. I went back down the trail and continued on my loop back to the parking lot I came from. There isn't much cover from the sun so be sure to dress appropriately, wear sunscreen, a hat, drink water, etc. I'm glad I got to do this trail.

This was a good workout and moderately challenging trail. We got started a bit too late so it was…read more"hot" on the trail. I'm glad I was wearing a hat, sunscreen, and had plenty of water. The weather was nice today, it's just a lot of sun exposure on the trail. I saw people of all ages on the trail and dogs are allowed. Personally it was a bit busy on the trail for my liking and I don't love paying $7 to access a trail but we were hiking with a friend who is new to the area and thought this is a nice intro to AZ hiking. There are plenty of other trails in the Usery Mountain Regional Park to check out as well, but we were ready to head out after this trail. Wind cave trail is 3.2 miles out and back, it's about 1,000ft elevation gain and on average takes about 2 hrs to complete. One interesting thing we found at the "cave" area at the top was large honey comb coming out of the rock. There are quite a few bees there and man I would have loved to eat that honey comb haha. That added an element of interest. Overall, nice hike and a good mix of effort. I would have liked to do it earlier in the day, but I'm sure it was even busier then so it worked out.

Beautiful and simple hike that will take you to a half way mid point, then you can keep going to…read morethe top. Lovely local hike with good views. Going up can be rocky, not a smooth path.

Great hiking area with beautiful views all around! The trailhead starts right at the base of the…read moremountain - don't be misled by Google Maps - just drive straight up the road leading to the mountain ahead. Once here there are several routes you can take varying from easy to challenging. Most importantly, please wear appropriate footwear!! I saw an older guy wearing Crocs without the back supports going up the path and he nearly toppled backwards several times. I was very worried for his well-being - this path really requires socks and shoes. Of note, depending on when you go and which direction you choose to go in, one side of the mountain has no relief from the sun - it is hot! The other side is shaded and pleasant. Whichever route you take, make sure to bring liquids to hydrate and know your limit. You can always get to a lower elevation and walk around the mountain if it gets too steep.

Nice trail to walk especially with doggos! They love seeing all the bunnies and ducks on the trail…read moreas we walk and are always ready for naps by the end of it. Such nice scenery and very well lit at night as well on one segment of the trail which is about .50 long and enough to get their energy out at night while still feeling safe

The Paseo Trail travels through Chandler along the Consolidated Canal. It runs mostly N-S,…read moreconnecting to other trails along the canal in Mesa and Gilbert, totaling around 18 miles. The trail is mostly paved on the east side of the canal and pea gravel hard pack on the west side. It runs along subdivisions, golf courses and even a couple farms. The grade is very gentle throughout. I would consider the trail primarily for use by joggers, bicyclists and equestrians. There is parking at the address listed for the trail and nearby parking at Tumbleweed Recreation Center at McQueen and Germann. There is also easy to find street parking near many of the junctions with major streets. A good southern starting point is off of Riggs Rd. between Arizona and McQueen. There is plenty of street parking. From here the ride north is mostly a slight uphill ride, making the return trip a nice relaxing roll. One issue with the trail is crossings with major streets. Most are not marked for motorists as trail crossings and there is no crosswalk so you may be faced with a relatively long wait to get a break in traffic or forcing the issue and forging ahead with care.

Mountains are to me a cleanse for the soul.This trail was a 1100 gain off of 145 th in Scottsdale…read more We were lucky enough to discover this trail after meeting a Scottsdale local who recommended it. We found parking at the entrance although there is parking down the mountain another 500 feet away from this one if full. Even though it was 56 degrees at the start it can get warm as the trails are a moderate climb in parts but with good trail shoes and balance you most likely would not need hiking poles . The views from different points are worth a view and we were lucky to go early on a Saturday where the trails were not crowded. It was dog friendly and clean.No facilities so definitely need to bring water or drink of choice. Return: definitely for the views

A lovely hike. It has some elevation gain but is not overwhelming. There is also a lovely false…read morepeak a bit over a mile from the top which is a nice rest or place to stay as the rest of your party does the last bit of the hike. Lots of cute desert plants as well!

Hiked the death trap that is echo canyon trail and it did not disappoint…read more Made for mountain goats aka I recommend it if you're okay with basically rock climbing the whole way up, it's pretty vertical. It's a fun hike and definitely a good workout. It's also very well marked for people who frequently get lost on trails like me. I wasn't super impressed with the view at the top since it's just overlooking the city but it's probably one of the highest vantage points compared to other hikes. Tips: There is one part where the stairs and rails are where it gets very windy so sunglasses can help. You don't necessarily need gloves to do the hike, just be careful with how you pivot with your hands, I got through it without any callouses, scabs or scratches. Like others said, try to wear shoes with some type of traction, I got through it with sneakers. Very small parking lot so come at sunrise or if you come around 7am, sometimes the early risers leave around that time. There's bathrooms and a water fountain at the beginning. Have fun and be safe!

The views on this trail the higher you go are priceless. However, one time is enough for me lol. It…read moretook an hour and a half up and another hour and a half down. This was my first time doing a hike like this and it's definitely not a "beginners" hike but I had no expectations & didn't know what I was getting myself into. On the way down, I fell and busted my knee. My only recommendation is to take your time & take breaks while going up/down the mountain. & listen to your body if you get tired!

Note: Canyon Lake and all its boat ramps and access points will close starting September 8, 2026,…read morefor an estimated 16-week drawdown project by the Salt River Project (SRP) and Bureau of Reclamation for dam safety inspections and maintenance. (Source: SRP) The Tonto National Forest contains various lakes: Theodore Roosevelt, Saguaro, Bartlett, Apache, and Canyon. Canyon Lake is by far my favorite and one I've visited often. The views are stunning and love cruising down the channels. Plus, you can stop by Tortilla Flat for a bite to eat. Well worth the drive from the Phoenix area, and one of the many reasons I chose to live in Apache Junction (proximity to Canyon Lake and trails within Tonto National Forest). Definitely worth a visit if you've never been!

Easy little hikes - bit of a drive out of the way but so worth it. One of the rare natural bridges…read morebuilt in this way

As a respectable hiker, I'm not going to call this a hike but it is a cool experience. I stopped by…read moreon Memorial Day in the afternoon by design. It was 95 degrees so I knew a challenging hike would be out of the question. Something like Hole-in-the-Rock though, easy peasy. While there were a decent number of people there, I had no trouble finding free parking. This natural wonder is located in Papago Park close to the Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden. After you park, you'll have a five-minute walk to get to Hole-in-the-Rock. You'll have to climb an incline to get in the hole, so definitely be careful, but there are kids that do it too. And a lot of tourists that show up. So that pretty much sums it up. Once you get inside, you'll have an awesome view of the Phoenix through a literal hole in a big rock. You'll see a lot of people using it as a photo opp. That's not really my style, so instead, I took a seat and enjoyed the beauty for 10 minutes or so. It can get pretty crowded so keep that in mind if you stop by on a weekend. Hole-in-the-Rock is one of the top attractions on TripAdvisor in Phoenix. Definitely a cool (and short) adventure to cross of the bucket list. I spent 30 minutes there (which included hanging out in the rock for half the time).

A truly mystical and magical place. They close at 7:00 p.m…read more Most people try to get there later in the day to avoid the scorching 110 deg. weather and hot sun. There is a pond with tons of geese. I saw a man fly fishing.