Hikes in Arizona

Sandys Canyon Trail is an interesting hike just outside of Flagstaff that makes for a super convenient adventure for campers at Canyon Vista Campground. This hike is 3 miles long and is rated as easy thanks to its relative lack of elevation gain. You’ll hike down into Walnut Canyon for a peek at the interesting geology of this area, and can also enjoy a good view of the San Francisco Peaks.

This hike is pleasant but not jaw-dropping on its own, so we do recommend continuing further from the end of the trail to reach Fisher Point, which is a gratifying endpoint. There are actually quite a few trails in this area that you can use to extend your adventure should you wish to. If not, you can still enjoy the beautiful canyon and the serenity of the forest.

The Giant Logs Trail is a 1.0 km easy trail near the Rainbow Forest Museum and Visitor Center in Petrified Forest National Park, one of the most unique parks in Arizona. This fast loop is a great introduction to the park, since it shows off some of the largest petrified tree specimens in the area. This loop is easy enough for all ages and skill levels. Expect moderate traffic.

Acer Summit via Mormon Trail is a 3.9 km hike on South Mountain in the South Mountain Park in Phoenix. While there are several different trails that start from the same area here, they all have unique, enjoyable views of their own. Mormon Trail offers the chance to see petroglyphs, interesting rock slides, and a fairly easy trip up to Acer Summit, which has a wonderful view of the city sprawled below.

This hike is moderately difficult. It’s suitable for adventurous kids. While mountain bikes are technically allowed on the Mormon Trail, we don’t recommend attempting to bike this route because of how heavy the foot traffic is. This is a very busy hike!

At the end of the harrowing scenic drive, Cape Royal is definitely an impressive reward. A short hike along a paved path from the parking area brings you past Angel’s Window to stunning panoramic views of the Grand Canyon, including Grandview Point across the river.

The Sedona Airport Loop Trail is a 5.1 km hike that loops around Airport Mesa (Table Mountain) where the Sedona Airport is. This is a great trail if you want a wide-open view of the city and it also allows you to watch unique small aircraft take off and land at the airport. It’s a nice hike to do to explore the mesa before settling in to watch the sunset. You can also use this trail to connect to the route where the Airport Mesa vortex is.

This trail doesn’t have much shade, so bring plenty of water and avoid hiking it in the heat of the day in the summer. It’s also quite rocky, so good boots are recommended. This trail is suitable for children and beginners.

The Ellison Creek Cascades are waterfalls in the Tonto National Forest near Payson that have become increasingly popular because of their great natural swimming opportunities. While the waterfalls are commonly called the Ellison Creek Cascades, you’ll be taking Water Wheel Trail to them. The trail was named for an old water wheel you can see from the trailhead, and the route follows the East Verde River to a gorge used by cliff jumpers and a short waterfall into a swimming hole.

There are lots of points along this route where you can take a swim, but the swimming hole at the confluence of the two creeks is the prime place to get in the water. This easy hike might not be well-marked, but it’s an exceptionally fun adventure for families or for any hiker on a hot Arizona day. Small children might need a hand on some of the rockier parts of the trail.

Hutch's Pool is a popular swimming and camping spot tucked away in the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson. The usual route there travels through the Sabino Canyon in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area, known for its rugged desert beauty and plentiful wildlife. This guide details the hike to Hutch’s Pool starting and ending at the West fork Sabino Trail. We recommend using this route if you’re taking the tram through the Sabino Canyon or already out on West Fork Sabino Trail. If you’re not taking the tram and need guidance from the recreation area, check out our Hutch’s Pool Hike guide.

This is a rewarding trip that ends at a great swimming hole. You’ll be able to filter water from the river, but water levels vary depending on the time of year you choose to visit. Bring plenty of hydration with you and wear sun protection.

The Elden Lookout Trail is a hard hike near Flagstaff that leads you up Elden Mountain (as the name would suggest). This mountain is one of the most obvious geographic features around Flagstaff, and getting on top of it can show you both the city and the surrounding landscape in a fresh, beautiful way. You can also use this route to quickly traverse over to T-V Hill, whose summit is just northwest of Elden’s summit.

This hike is rated as hard, and we don’t recommend it for beginners or children. While there aren’t any significant technical challenges to note, there’s a fair amount of elevation gain required and you’ll be heading up, up, up, then down, down, down. Poles might be helpful.

The Onyx Bridge Trail is a stellar hike in Petrified Forest National Park. It shows off the petrified wood fossils this park is known for in addition to the dramatic mesas, riverbeds, and red desert landscapes that comprise this park. It’s a moderately difficult hike that’s suitable for strong beginners and active children, but you’ll want to have a downloaded route available to you to help with navigation.

The Circumference Trail to Ridgeline Loop is a 6.1 km hike in the Deem Hills Recreation Area in North Phoenix. Before mentioning the hike, this entire recreation area is an excellent spot to spend a nice afternoon. There is a playground, dog park, picnic areas, ramadas, and hiking trails to enjoy here. This hike is one that you can’t judge by the cover. It doesn’t look like it’ll be that impressive with its minimal elevation, but the view from the top is wonderful, especially at sunset.

This hike is suitable for most skill levels and ages. Be prepared for the heat and try to time your hike outside of the heat of the day. Finally, consider bringing a picnic to enjoy in the park after your hike.

The Fay Canyon Trail is a popular trip for its beautiful natural arch bridge and box canyon experience. This hike is easy-moderate and suitable for most skill levels. It sees heavy traffic, but it’s worth it! We recommend downloading a GPS track for this hike as the trail isn’t always very well defined, especially close to the arch.

Fay Canyon stretches towards Bear Mountain in the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness. The red walls towering overhead add a sense of grandeur to the trail, making it a fun hike for anyone wanting a very Sedona experience without needing to work too hard. An option off-trail scramble at the end provides excellent views from atop a red Supai sandstone cliff.

The Bulldog Saddle and Pass Mountain Trail Loop is a fun hike that starts right from the city limits of Apache Junction, Arizona. The hike takes you all the way around Peak 3004 and beside Pass Mountain. The views are awesome and the hike will get your legs working without being overly strenuous. This is a good pick if you want to feel like you’re in the mountains without having to actually climb one.

This hike isn’t very well-signed, so we recommend bringing a downloaded GPS track to help you find your way. Additionally, as with all hikes in Central Arizona, the temperatures on this trail can soar. We suggest trying this hike outside of the extremely hot summer months (June-August) and bringing more water than you think you’ll need at all times of the year. Sunscreen and a hat are also recommended.

Seven Falls is a beautiful waterfall tucked into Bear Canyon in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. This 10.9 km moderately difficult trail is located at the base of Thimble Peak in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness on the northeast edge of Tucson. With waterfalls, countless bird species, and more cacti than you could count lining your path, this is a fantastic area to hike in.

This canyon can reach scorching temperatures in the middle of the day. Start your hike early, bring plenty of water, and avoid hiking this route in the summertime if at all possible. Since this is such a popular hike, midweek visits are recommended if possible. Note that this route begins from Bear Canyon Road, where there isn’t a parking fee. If you want to start this hike from the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area instead, check out our Bear Canyon to Seven Falls Trail guide.

The Abineau-Bear Jaw Loop is a hard hike near Flagstaff that is popular for its views. From the top of this loop looking northwest, you can see the Grand Canyon 112.7 km away – Not bad! On other parts of the trail, you can appreciate wildflowers in the spring and the colorful aspens in autumn. You’ll also enjoy seeing a side of Humphreys Peak that most never see. It’s a varied, and pretty trail. Expect heavy traffic.

This route does make you work for your views. There are some stiff ascents required, but hopefully, the scenery can distract you enough to get through. Additionally, please be bear aware on this hike as black bears do frequent the area. You may also spot deer and elk. With all this wildlife around, remember that dogs need to be kept on a leash on this trail.

The First Forest Point hike in Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park is known for its large collection of petrified wood. These logs eroded from the Jasper Forest bed. There used to be notable rock formations in this area, but they’ve now eroded away–visit the park soon because it changes and erodes every year! This hike is moderately difficult and is suitable for most skill levels and ages.

The Aravaipa Canyon Trail is a 15.3 km hike in the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness southeast of Phoenix, Arizona. This trail is special! It meanders through a beautiful canyon with dramatic walls, lots of wildlife, cacti, and occasionally lush trees all around you. You’ll need a permit for this trail, and even though the permits usually sell out, the trail often feels very solitary. You can camp along this route, too.

The hike is quite easy with little elevation gain, but the difficulty rating comes from the length and the number of creek crossings you’ll complete. You’ll want to be wearing shoes that can handle ankle-deep water throughout the hike. Expect moderate traffic and remember that dogs aren’t permitted on this hike.

Devil’s Kitchen is the name of a sinkhole near Sedona, Arizona. This hike takes you to the sinkhole on a short, easy trail suitable for all skill levels and ages. The sinkhole was suspected to have begun many, many years ago as the southernmost wall began to sink. Two historic collapses in the 1880s and 1989 resulted in the cavernous hole you can see today.

This hike sees heavy traffic, so we recommend arriving at the trailhead as early as you can to secure one of the few parking spots. This hike follows the beginning of Soldier Pass Trail, which can also take you to the Seven Sacred Pools if you’d like to extend your adventure and see another one of Sedona’s natural landmarks.

The Treasure Loop 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. Remember to bring water for pets, slather on some sunscreen, and get a hat on your head to protect yourself from the hot sun.

Bridal Wreath Falls Trail is a moderately difficult 9.2 km hike in the north end of Saguaro National Park East. This route heads uphill through the rugged desert to a delicate cascading waterfall. If you can time this hike to hit the falls when they’re running (early spring and post-monsoon tend to be best for this). The route to the falls is consistently uphill on rocky mountain steps. While it won’t feel that challenging for fit hikers, beginners or younger hikers might find this trail to be on the difficult side of moderate. Bring plenty of water, consider bringing poles, and get your hike in before the heat of the day hits.

The Aspen Nature Loop (sometimes also called the Aspen Loop or Aspen Nature Lollipop is a 4.0 km adventure near Flagstaff known for its great views of the San Francisco field and as far as the Grand Canyon. In the fall, this loop is swathed in gold when the aspens put their fall colors on. In the summertime, you’ll enjoy lots of wildflowers and the company of a variety of bird species.

This is a fairly laid-back hike. Stronger hikers usually call it easy and beginner hikers normally rate it as moderate. It’s a suitable pick for families, and trail runners often enjoy it too. The route is well-signed and easy to follow.