Best hikes for Phoenix are here in South Mountain. Lots of trails and sign posts everywhere. It's hard to get lost. Views are gorgeous - just hike a little bit into the mountain and feel like you're somewhere else.
A casual stroll or a more serious hike are both possible. And you can just drive nearby and enjoy the scenery.
South Mountain Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the country at more than 16000 acres. We hiked the Mormon Trail to Hidden Valley in the park while visiting Phoenix. The trail has beautiful views of the city and great opportunities to see desert wildlife. The carrot tail chuckwallas are very common. There were also a lot of blister beetles. Hidden Valley is a short loop that passes through the natural tunnel and squeezes through Fat Man's Pass. There are petroglyphs near the entrance to the natural tunnel. It can very hot here and there's little shade so recommend visiting early in the morning or in the evening.
We were in Phoenix for a convention but wanted to see some of the nearby area. Visited the Information Center first and got some great info from the Rangers there. Planned on hiking to the top of the Hobert Trail but we were there at 2 pm and it was HOT! We had plenty of water but decided to turn back. Early morning or early evening when it is cool is HIGHLY recommended. We drove up to the top for the full view of the valley, but there were plenty of sights to see along the walk.
Enjoyed a desert walk and a drive up to the top to take in a view of the valley. Worth the visit. The desert walk was hot for these northerners on our first day in AZ and we're glad we took plenty of water. The drive provided a great view of the valley and an introduction to the geography. Stop at the visitor center for some good information and to refill water.
