Arizona: The Desert is full of Life
- Emily Miner
- Mar 6
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 19
I've lived in the valley the last 3 years and here is short list of some of my favorite hikes in the Phoenix Area. So pack your water, and get ready to be blown away by the hidden beauty of the desert.
My Favorite hike is not on this list because it got it's own blog post!
Hikes Near the Valley
Best Hikes in Phoenix:
A Classic: Lost Dutchman State Park, Treasure Loop
Length: 2.3mi Elevation Gain: 534ft Average time: 1hr 13min Difficulty: Moderate
This is our favorite hike to take family from out of town because of the stunning views and activity level. You get views of the amazing Superstitious mountains the entire way up. It is a steady incline and slowly increases near the top where you are greeted with an even more amazing view of the valley. It can be very green after some rainfall in Spring (as you can see pictured above!) There is no shade on this trail so keep that in mind when hiking in the Arizona heat. I have done this one a few times because it just a classic in my opinion! Dogs allowed, and plenty of parking ($15) and bathrooms at the trailhead.
Staying Superstitious: Flatiron Via Siphon Draw Trail
Length: 5.5mi Elevation Gain: 2627ft Average time: 4hr 30min Difficulty: Hard
Staying in Lost Dutchman State park, this is another popular hike rated for its toughness! Dogs are technically allowed on this trail but I would not recommend it because at one point in the hike you are climbing very smooth rock for a long period of time (Featured above) Its super sketchy so wear shoes with good traction. I hiked for 3 hours and made it past the smooth rock portion but did not continue to the top. Be prepared for a good workout! Its always a good time when you get your adrenaline running. Be very careful on the way down. Such a site to see! Parking is $15 in Lost Dutchman state park but there is plenty of it. There are also bathrooms at the trailhead.
An Instagram Spot: Broadway Cave Via Jacob's Trail
Length: 3.6mi Elevation Gain: 820ft Average time: 2hr Difficulty: Moderate
This is the kind of hike you do if you aren't looking for something challenging but want an amazing pic for insta! ;) #hiking #hikergirl
This hike is easy until the last half mile maybe less, then it is a short steep incline. Personally I would rate this hike easy.
I was so surprised at the Cave! The other posts I've seen on this hike don't do it justice to the size! Its huge! There is also this really deep cave that looks like it was made-man almost. I didn't go all the way in because it looked like it kept going and it was super dark inside!!
It only took my friend and I an hour to reach the cave. Parking is free but very limited, 7 spots maybe and no bathrooms at the trailhead. Dog friendly. We hardly saw any other people on this hike! Also, this hike is technically not in Lost Dutchman State Park so make sure you map directly to the Broadway Trailhead.
The terrain is rocky so it wouldn't be great to trail run and be careful not to roll an ankle. This would be a great hike for beginners. You still get incredible views of the superstitions on the way up which is I love this mountain range so much. There are saguaros as far as the eye can see! We didn't get a super bloom this year (circa 2025), but the cacti have colorful blossoms!
Hang Loose: Wave Cave Trail
Length: 3.0mi Elevation Gain: 869ft Average time: 2hr 30min Difficulty: Moderate
I love hikes that reach a cool destination and this is one of them! A little further from Lost Dutchman State Park, about an hour from Scottdale, this trail is located in Gold Canyon, AZ.
Know before you go: This trail requires you to drive on a dirt for some time! However, the and mostly just gravel without any big holes or dips. The first time I did this hike we made in my friend's Volkswagen GTI. The incline is steady until the very last bit of hike where you will be scaling some rocks. We have a 60lb Labsky and she did just fine climbing but a smaller dog you may need to pick up at certain points but not bad at all.
The Cave does not disappoint! This trail can get very busy but I've also seen it with almost no one else on it. There is a huge cave at the top to rest, take pictures, have a snack and entire the views. You'll mostly take in the beauty on the way down because you aren't focused on climbing, and let me tell you, there is a lot of beauty.
Parking is limited at the trailhead and you may need to park in the overflow parking lot which will add distance to your hike.
A Simple Pleasure: Sunrise Peak Via Sunrise Trail
Length: 3.8mi Elevation Gain: 1,148ft Average time: 2hr Difficulty: Moderate
A year ago I went to buy a mountain bike off of Facebook Marketplace, and the women selling me the bike told us about the Sunrise Trail in the McDowell Mountains. We had been wanting to try a hike in the McDowell Mountains so this was perfect! Even though we are not "sunrise" hikers, if you go at sunset instead it is completely shaded so we can do this hike even in the summer months. This is the perfect activity level where you might break a slight sweat on the way up but its not extremely strenuous. Its all uphill to the peak where you get views of Camelback, Papago Park, and South Mountain in the distance. It has never been very busy any time we've gone either. There is a parking lot but it does close at night. Dog friendly of course.
You don't have it make it all the way to get amazing views of the valley either.
The popular one: Tom's Thumb Trail
Length: 4.0mi Elevation Gain: 1,217ft Average time: 3hr Difficulty: Hard
To be honest, this trail was not my favorite. This was mostly due to the fact that it is extremely busy! My friend and I went on a Saturday morning there were many hiking groups of 4 people or more. This hike is so popular they have an entire visitor center with bathrooms and maps, with a huge parking (which is free). Google maps lead us to a neighborhood at first but luckily Apple maps got us where we needed to go.
The hike itself starts out with steep switchbacks which is the hard part. You will eventually reach a point where it no longer steeply inclines. The Thumb itself was pretty cool. There is lots of rocks to climb on and take pictures. You will have to wait to take pictures on the rocks, and the only way to get a picture of the Thumb without people would be to go very early! (Or edit them out of the photos like I did)
On this particular day we went, it had been snowing the north so we got views of the snowy mountains! There is not much greenery on this, instead many huge boulders.
Personally I wouldn't do this hike again, unless I went super early or at sunset when I normally do because there is less people.
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