Phoenix Hiking

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Hawksnick
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Phoenix Hiking

Post by Hawksnick »

Hello everyone. I have used this site for many years for getting excellent information on hiking in Colorado and just to keep up on other mountaineering discussions. I'm posting now for the first time.

My family is going to the Phoenix area over Spring Break, and I'm wondering if anyone here has good suggestions on hikes in the Phoenix area. I've hiked Camelback and Piestewa in years past, and I've enjoyed both of those mountains, even if they are somewhat busy at times. If anyone has other ideas of worthwhile hikes within an hour or so of Phoenix, I'd be interested to hear about them.

Thanks!
Nick
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TravelingMatt
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Re: Phoenix Hiking

Post by TravelingMatt »

The Flatiron. Nice extended scrambling with minimal exposure. Start early. Carry water.
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BenfromtheEast
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Re: Phoenix Hiking

Post by BenfromtheEast »

Check out Browns Peak, the tallest (at 7,657') of the Four Peaks NE of Phoenix. It might be a little farther away than you're looking for and has a long dirt road approach, although I think I saw some 2wd vehicles at the TH. It's also class 3+. But it was by far my favorite peak in the area.

Second, I'll second the Flatiron from Siphon Draw.

Picketpost Mountain was also nice hike.
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herdbull
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Re: Phoenix Hiking

Post by herdbull »

Lots of cool stuff to climb around east and northeast of town. My folks spend the winter in Apache Junction and I've hiked/climbed quite a bit out there. This website is a good source for trails:

http://hikearizona.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Phoenix Hiking

Post by globreal »

Camelback and Squaw Peak are great hikes.

I also like climbing South Mountain. You can approach from the Phoenix side, the Ahwatukee side from the south, or trails from the east. There are miles of trails in that preserve.

When I was down there in January, I also hiked in the McDowell Mountains which are north-east of Scottsdale. I approached from the north since I was staying with friends up in Cave Creek. Plenty of miles of trails... and rock climbing too if you are into that. I took my rock gear and climbed Tom's Thumb. Spectacular climb!

Aside from online routes, you can go to any REI store in the valley and they sell printed maps of local hiking and climbing routes.

Enjoy!
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ChrisinAZ
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Re: Phoenix Hiking

Post by ChrisinAZ »

I will heartily second (third?) all of the below. With Browns, it's a good idea to check out snow conditions before you go, as it can often hold snow for a week or two after a winter storm. There's a brushy, but less technical route to the top via the NE face up a gully.

If you want something really off the beaten path and have access to a 4WD, Woolsey Peak is a really nice one with a bit (or more, if you choose) of class 3. I wouldn't go there alone, though.
BenfromtheEast wrote:Check out Browns Peak, the tallest (at 7,657') of the Four Peaks NE of Phoenix. It might be a little farther away than you're looking for and has a long dirt road approach, although I think I saw some 2wd vehicles at the TH. It's also class 3+. But it was by far my favorite peak in the area.

Second, I'll second the Flatiron from Siphon Draw.

Picketpost Mountain was also nice hike.
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Hawksnick
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Re: Phoenix Hiking

Post by Hawksnick »

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions! We're leaving on Friday for the nice long road trip from Des Moines to Phoenix. I actually threw out the idea of driving through Colorado and stopping for a hike or two, but the rest of the family wasn't quite on board with that plan. Oh well, I'll just have to wait until July to make that trip!

We're going to be in Phoenix for a full week, so I should get plenty of opportunities to hit the trails. I'll report back upon my return to let everyone know how things went.

Thanks again!
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Mark A Steiner
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Re: Phoenix Hiking

Post by Mark A Steiner »

One final suggestion: Cave Creek State Park in the north Valley (NE of 32nd Street and Carefree Highway) some fine trails and great viewing. I don't believe any trails lead to summits (all under 3,000 feet) but a short hike off a marked trail should provide a summit access.
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Re: Phoenix Hiking

Post by nyker »

If you have the time, a ride up to Sedona would be worth it, and you can find a plethora of hiking trails around there.
Of course, the Grand Canyon further north has a lot of trails as well.
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lpyle
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Re: Phoenix Hiking

Post by lpyle »

+1 for McDowell Mountain Park.
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Re: Phoenix Hiking

Post by mtnduck9 »

If you don't mind a bit of a drive, head south from Phoenix to Picacho Peak. Nice 3-4 mile RT hike to summit with great views of the surrounding ares, plus often wildflowers this time of year.
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Hawksnick
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Re: Phoenix Hiking

Post by Hawksnick »

After a great week in the Phoenix area, we're back home in Iowa. As promised, I thought I would report back on the hikes that I was able to do while on vacation:

Sunday: Not exactly a hike, but I went mountain biking for the first time in my life at Cave Creek Regional Park. It was an awesome afternoon on the trails, and even more awesome that I managed not to injure myself!

Monday: Pinnacle Peak. While certainly not the most challenging hike I've ever done, it was a great opportunity to get out with the kids (ages 3 and 7) and spend some time on the trails. My 3 year old daughter did great on the hike, but she was confused about why we didn't go to the top of the mountain (The Pinnacle Peak summit is only accessible via techncial rock climbing, so I'll have to save that one for another day). Lesson learned: of course I should have picked a mountain that could be summitted.

Tuesday: Piestewa Peak and Black Mountain. Had some family members interested in Piestewa, so we hiked that starting right at sunrise. Classic Phoenix hike with great views of the city in all directions. My father-in-law then suggested Black Mountain, which overlooks the town of Cave Creek, north of Phoenix. The hike was comparible in distance and difficulty to Piestewa, but much, much less crowded. It was cool to compare the two hikes on the same day.

Wednesday: Brown's Peak. After hearing from several of you on this board, I just had to attempt this hike/climb. I went with my father-in-law. I was a bit nervous about driving up the dirt road based on some reports that I read. I drive a Chrysler Town and Country minivan (2WD), so I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it. The 20 mile drive to the trailhead ended up taking us about 90 minutes, so it was somewhat of a grind, but the road itself wasn't in too bad of shape for a 2WD vehicle. It was definitely easier, albeit much longer, than driving up to the Grays Peak trailhead! The hike itself consisted of a 2ish mile approach to a saddle on a good trail which was very straightforward. Then comes a quarter mile or so steeper hike/light scramble up to where the real fun begins, at the base of a steep gully. The bottom of the gully has a ton of scree/loose rock, but isn't real bad. Then comes the crux, probably 150-200 feet or so of sustained Class 3 climbing on mostly solid rock. At least I would call it Class 3, but I don't exactly have a strong basis for comparison. It know it was definitely tougher and more exposed than any part of Longs, but still easy enough that I have to believe it's still Class 3. Then, the summit! We hung out there for a half hour and then made our way back down. Once we started the hike, we saw only one person until we got back to our van. On the way back down, we took the shorter, easier road to the east toward highway 188. It was certainly easier driving, but it made for a slightly longer, and more relaxing, drive back to Phoenix.

Given the weather forecast for the upcoming weekend in Colorado/Kansas/Missouri, we decided to drive back early to avoid the snow. It turned out to be a great decision, but I missed out on another two days of hiking. I can't wait to get back and hike the Siphon Draw/Flatiron, as I've heard amazing things about it. A return trip to Brown's might be in order as well!

Thanks again for all of the advice and suggestions!

Nick
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