Hikes in Arizona

The Bearfoot Trail is a long, relaxed hike that starts near Strawberry and travels down into the canyon north of Pine. While the trail goes all the way to the Bearfoot Bridge, this is a nice choice for families or hikers who want to go as far as they like since the views are consistent throughout. Expect good signage and light traffic on this hike.

The Arizona Trail to North Happy Camp Road Loop is a 12.7 km loop hike in the Tonto National Forest with diverse scenery and excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. It’s good for hikers and birdwatchers, but you won’t find much traffic out here. Part of the route shows off the rolling hills of the desert and part takes you through a dramatic canyon. You’ll need a capable vehicle to reach this trailhead.

The Hawes Trail System is a well-developed mountain biking and hiking route collection near the Salt River in the Tonto National Forest. The Saguaro, Ridge, and Granite Loop makes use of several trails in the system to put together a hike with awesome desert and river scenery. This trail system is mostly used by mountain bikers, so you’ll need to share the trail. Bring more water than you think you’ll need and avoid this trail in the summertime or heat of the day.

The Massacre Grounds and Wind Gap Trail leads you through an area once defined by Arizona’s gold rush. While its storied boom and bust past is fascinating, it draws hikers for its natural beauty above all else. With the Superstition Mountains spread before you on this route, you’ll be able to appreciate Arizona’s desert scenery as it climbs towards the base of the mountains ahead. This route is family-friendly and dog-friendly (leashed). It can get very hot out here, so take advantage of the fountains at the trailhead and fill up your bottles before setting out.

Pass Mountain Saddle is a much, much easier hike than the full ascent of Pass Mountain. It’s got none of the scrambling while still allowing you to enjoy the views and the lack of traffic this trail provides. While a little rocky near the end, it’s a trip suitable for all levels that won’t take too much time out of your day. Bring plenty of water and prepare for minimal shade on this route.

See Spring Trail is a moderate 3.9 km hike in the Tonto National Forest that takes you to the headwaters of the See Spring at the mouth of a gorgeous canyon. This is a nice place to start before hiking the longer, more challenging See Canyon Trail as it’s much easier and simpler to follow. Expect moderate traffic on this route.

The Wind Gap Trail leads you through an area once defined by Arizona’s gold rush. While its storied boom and bust past is fascinating, it draws hikers for its natural beauty above all else. With the Superstition Mountains spread before you on this route, you’ll be able to appreciate Arizona’s desert scenery as it climbs towards the base of the mountains ahead. This route is family-friendly and dog-friendly (leashed). It can get very hot out here, so take advantage of the fountains at the trailhead and fill up your bottles before setting out.

The Hawes Trail System is a well-developed mountain biking and hiking route collection near the Salt River in the Tonto National Forest. The Hawes Trail to Granite Trail Loop makes use of several trails in the system to put together a hike with awesome desert and river scenery. This trail system is mostly used by mountain bikers, so you’ll need to share the trail. Bring more water than you think you’ll need and avoid this trail in the summertime or heat of the day.

The Usery Mountain hike is a fun, scenic adventure in the Tonto National Forest that sees moderate traffic. This route provides good views without requiring much elevation gain since it just takes you to the base of the mountain. It’s a very pretty trip that might still feel like a workout, but it’s suitable for strong beginners and active families. Bring plenty of water on this hike.

The Derrick Trail is a 9.2 km route near Payson that can be used on its own but is often used in addition to other routes for backpacking trips. This trail is nicely forested. While there aren’t any big, expansive views, you’ll enjoy the shade, the quiet of the trees, and the birds and wildlife that abound here. Expect moderate traffic on this hike.

The Y Bar and Barnhardt Trail Loop is a 25.3 km loop hike in the Tonto National Forest. This route can be used as a longer day trip or you can take advantage of the camping sites along the way to backpack it. One side of this loop is very rocky, so sturdy boots are a must. While it’s a bit of a longer trek, the elevation gain is nicely spread out, making it a less demanding route than you might think. Expect moderate traffic.

The Cypress-Stewart Ridge Extended Loop is a 8.4 km adventure near Payson with divers,e changing scenery. With threes, shrubs, boulders, and lots of wildlife, the views will make you smile. This route is a bit rocky, so we recommend good boots. Also, it’s easy to lose this trail, so a downloaded map will be an important part of your preparation. Expect moderate traffic on this hike.

The Highline and Pine Loop is a quick hike near Pine, Arizona. This route is moderately trafficked and it’s favored by locals for its super easy terrain and nice views. Grandparents, kids, beginners, and almost everyone else can hike this little loop together. Dogs are also welcome on this route as long as they’re kept on leash. There are also connecting trails on the north side of the loop that can be used if you want to extend your adventure a little bit.

If you’re after classic Arizona desert scenery, the Triple Arch trail is such a treat. This route takes you through 14.5 km of beautiful desert dotted with massive saguaros to three stone arches in the towering rocks. Even if you can’t do all 14.5 km, you can still appreciate the scenery. This route is a bit of a hidden gem, so you likely won’t be sharing the route with many other hikers.

Alamo Canyon via Picketpost and Arizona Trail is a 8.4 km out and back hike that leads you through a canyon next to Picketpost Mountain in Tonto National Forest. Previously used as a battleground in efforts by Geroge Stoneman to seize this land from the Yavapai, Picketpost is now an area for campers and hikers to appreciate Arizona’s rugged scenery. This route is quite relaxed and good for most skill levels.

The Jacob’s Crosscut and Prospector’s Loop is a 8.7 km hike near Goldfield, Arizona. The scenery is lovely and you can lengthen this hike using the well-developed network of trails nearby. This route takes you to the Praying Hands formation. Most skill levels will be capable of completing this route. As with most hikes in the Phoenix area, you won’t want to attempt this adventure in the scorching summer months. Bring lots of water and slap on some sunscreen before heading out on the trail.

Mount Peeley Trail is a 8.0 km out and back trail near Payson that leads you up a mountain for awesome views of the range around you. This summit is fairly easy to reach as far as mountaintops go, and it doesn’t get overly busy. We do recommend coming armed with a GPS route to help you get right to the top, though. Expect moderate traffic on this hike.

The Hawes Trail System is a well-developed mountain biking and hiking route collection near the Salt River in the Tonto National Forest. The Granite and Hawes Trail route makes use of two trails in the system to put together a hike with awesome desert and river scenery. This trail system is mostly used by mountain bikers, so you’ll need to share the trail. Bring more water than you think you’ll need and avoid this trail in the summertime or heat of the day.

The Massacre Grounds Loop leads you through an area once defined by Arizona’s gold rush. While its storied boom and bust past is fascinating, it draws hikers for its natural beauty above all else. With the Superstition Mountains spread before you on this route, you’ll be able to appreciate Arizona’s desert scenery as it climbs towards the base of the mountains ahead. This route is family-friendly and dog-friendly (leashed). It can get very hot out here, so take advantage of the fountains at the trailhead and fill up your bottles before setting out.

The Gold Ridge Trail is a bit of a hidden gem. This route in the Tonto National Forest near Payson is almost 19.3 km long and rated as hard. For that work, you’ll find an awesome view of the surrounding mountains from the top. For a remote trail, it’s quite well-maintained and well-signed, making the hike quite enjoyable. There are also dispersed campsites along the trail if you want to make a multi-day trip out of the trail. Bring lots of water and prepare for a fantastic day out!