Exploring the Spectacular Hiking Trails of Arizona: A Journey Through Natural Beauty and Adventure

Living in Arizona, we are lucky enough to be surrounded by opportunities to immerse ourselves in nature and enjoy the beautiful landscapes in our “backyard”. There are numerous trails for all skill levels in the Phoenix area alone. We've gathered our favorites to share with you, but before embarking on these journeys, be sure to take precautions and always be prepared. Bring plenty of water, a sandwich or snack, and use proper sun protection. Most of these incredible trails are within an hour of the Shea Homes® in Arizona. 
 
First up on the list is the Waterfall Trail in the White Tank Mountain Regional Park. This is considered a very easy route but is so much fun, definitely a spot the whole family can visit. This trail is 1.9 miles long, has 229 feet of elevation gain, and should take under an hour to complete! 
 
Another great and relaxed trail to try out would be the Hieroglyphics Trail in Gold Canyon. This is particularly breathtaking during sunset. The warm light makes these low mountains glow orange and pink. This 2.9-mile hike delivers you to ancient petroglyphs from the Hohokam people around 1,000 years ago. This trail is a welcome to people of all ages and experience levels, remember not to damage these depictions so that others can enjoy them too.
 
Next, we have some more moderate trails. Hidden Valley Trail is a half-mile loop, but part of the greater Mormon Trail, which in total, reaches 3.6 miles and 925 feet of elevation. This trail is very popular because of the portion known as "Fat Man’s Pass". This pass is a tight squeeze between two boulders but can be bypassed by going over the boulders instead. The rest of the trail has unique rock formations which make the hike a special place for exploring. The whole trail should take around 3-4 hours to complete. 

 

Gateway Loop Trail is another popular hiking destination and a very beautiful trail. A little further from the city, located in the McDowell Mountains of Scottsdale, this hike is 4.4 miles long and has 705 feet of elevation. This hour-and-half-long trail has spectacular views of the neighboring mountains and beautiful landscapes. 
 
Another moderate to challenging hike we love is Wind Cave Trail in the Usery Mountain Regional Park. This trail is 3 miles long and 1,043 feet of elevation. Wind Cave Trail starts very flat but leads up to an alcove, which is a cliff of rock that has been eroded by water over thousands of years.  As elevation increases, you will encounter many switchbacks and rocky paths leading up to the alcove. One at the top, there are striking views of the city.

Lastly, we have our most challenging hike, Siphon Draw of the Lost Dutchman State Park. A beautiful and scenic route to try after mastering the previous trails. This 5.5-mile route has over 2,000 feet of elevation. The trail leads you from the desert into the center of the mountain in a large basin. From there, hikers can continue another mile on the Flatiron trail which ends at the very top of the mountain.
 
If you’re looking for a home base to come back to after your hike, find more info about Shea Homes on our website.