Excellent trail on this chilly morning and I'm very proud of how all the kiddos did. The telegraph pass trail has some incline to it, we went to the old rock "house" structure at the top. Great views. The parking lot here is big and there's a restroom and water fountain. We got started at 8am and it wasn't super busy yet. As day went on more people seemed to be on the trail. It's dog friendly which is great since my boy Flynn loves to hike. Great hike with my peoples. read more

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This review is for Telegraph Pass Trail. It is an easy to moderate 2.3-mile out-and-back trail in the Ahwatukee foothills area near the AZ-202. The facilities at the start of the trailhead are pretty nice and clean. I love doing this hike in the evening because you get gorgeous views of the Valley at night. Once you get to the top next to Summit Rd (the road is paved), there is bench that you can rest on. There you can get some great panoramic pictures of the Valley with Sky Harbor airport and Camelback Mountain in the background. Once at the top, you have the option of heading back or accessing one of a few trails that connect to it. There is a little stone house to the west and the transmitter towers that blink red at night on South Mountain to the east. We once brought up s'mores to the stone house at night and had some campfire fun over a mini propane stove. If you continue on with the Kiwanis trail from here, you can see some Hohokam rock art. Telegraph Pass is one of my favorite Valley trails and makes for a fun quick hike. read more

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My favorite hiking spot on South Mountain. I have done this trail from two different entry points. One from Ahwatukee and one from Southside of Phoenix/Laveen area. Both locations have parking. Parking at Ahwatukee can be scarce, so arrive early at peak times. The location in Ahwatukee has bathrooms and trash receptacles at entrance. Beginning of trail can have a lot of bikers. At trail you can decide on twot different paths. Trail to right is less Mountain, the left trail will take you straight up (Telegraph Pass). Eventually will lead you to National Path and Alta alooo Trail. Definitely recommend downloading all trail apo or map of trail before heading on this hike. Quick tips: No bathrooms on after parking trail. So use potty beforehand. Bring plenty of water. Wear sunscreen. Need hiking all-wear shoes or boots. Do not do this trail with gym shoes. I also like to bring a banana or granola bar for break. Will need appropriate hiking shoes (if visiting go to Turnstyle of Goodwill can find a used pair to throw away for less than $20 bucks), this is better than twisiting your ankle and needing 10k helicopter rescue. read more

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Great place to hike and volunteer. South Mountain is always looking for Park Stewards to help our limited rangers to clean up the trails. It is very nice, you can do it yourself whenever you go for a hike! There are many opportunities to assist with a group too. We always take a trash bag to clean up what gets left on the trails while we are enjoying the beauty of these trails. South Mountain is the best place to hike. There are easy fairly flat areas, as well as steep hiking routes. Some trails are busy, some are quiet, you can choose. Come up and visit! read more

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Today, we had perfect weather in Phoenix (73 degrees) for hiking! We spent about an hour working out the thighs and ankles! Friendly fellow hikers and cyclists that say hello upon passing makes this trail a very neighborly one! read more

Desert Foothills Trailhead - View from Telegraph Pass Trail at Desert Foothills - Hiking Near Me

We did Telegraph Pass trail early on a foggy, very chilly Sunday morning. Had to go through the Ahwatukee foothills neighborhoods (seeing the beautiful houses is a plus), and then came to a fairly small parking lot. It's usually a heavily trafficked trail but it seems everyone wanted to sleep in that day. It's rated as a moderate hike on 'All Trails' and I think that's pretty accurate. The trails in this area connect to different trails, so you could honestly go as far as you'd like, or stop at the top (there's a street that is the end of this trail). We kept walking along the road and connected to another trail to get to a peak. Overall we did just under 2 hours and covered 4.5 miles. It was a great workout, paved on the first maybe 10 minutes and then very uneven terrain. There's some areas with scary looking drop offs, so just watch your footing. Like I mentioned before, it was pretty foggy so the view was mildly obscured but still beautiful. On our way back down though it seems everyone was up and at 'em. The trail had become very busy with several large groups and even more small groups. There were lots of young kids too and people with their dogs. So if you want to whip your kids and dogs into shape or just take them on a good hike this is definitely an appropriate trail. (The parking lot was filled to capacity with people circling to try to snag a parking spot. My advice: if you're meeting up with a group, meet at a close by public parking lot and then carpool to the trailhead. Otherwise, go and get your hike on! read more

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Absolutely love this hike. I enter from the ahwatukee side. I will hike to the road at times. Hike up to the Ramada. Hike to the pass then down to the south phoenix entry and back. Up to the towers. There is a huge variety of options for a short 1/2 hour hike to multiple hours. The trail from the parking lot in ahwatukee to the pass where the road is moderately difficult. My 7 year old daughter was able to do it, albeit with breaks. It does have several hundred feet of elevation gain in a short amount of time. There are petroglyphs and amazing desert landscape. It is a gem of the ahwatukee neighborhood. read more

State of the art Trailhead for South Mountain... Gorgeous facilities from the unisex bathrooms to the sinks to the water fountains. LEAVE NO TRACE. read more

Desert Foothills Trailhead - Hiking Near Me

I live two blocks from the parking lot. I've been on these trails do many times that I know exactly where to stop and push myself to. Whether going high or low this trailhead has it. read more

Excellent trails and a popular one too! Start on the Telegraph Pass Trail for about 500 feet in elevation, 2.3 miles round trip. This is considered an easy hike even for your kiddos. First quarter of the mile is paved and then the rest is some rubble terrain. If you're feeling like hiking more, then you should prepare for some water. You'll need a minimum of 50 fl oz to barely be good in the sweltering heat and no clouds in sight. And you'll want to take some salty and sweet bars, trail mix or the like. If you continue on you can take the National Trail West and the Kiwanis Trail. This one has plenty inclines and declines that makes a round to the Telegraph Pass Trail. You can also mountain bike here too! You will easily trek about 8 miles here. Ample parking lot, a picnic table in the center and a water fountain. read more

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Easy relaxing walk/hike, wild flowers are beautiful! Be sure to hydrate, it's starting to get warm

No matter what time of year it is, I always enjoy hiking this trail up South Mountain. There's always something to see from the tall saguaro cacti to the desert wildlife. The last time my wife and I hiked this trail we even ran into a chuckwalla! I recommend hiking to the stone hut at the top of the telegraph pass trail, or if you're up for it, hiking all the way to Dobbins Point at the summit. Be sure to bring plenty of water and wear good hiking shoes. read more

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Love this hike! Super safe and great area. I go alone all of the time , it's my go to for a good work out and nice view of the foothills. I'm a rookie at hiking and this was easy enough for me. Takes me hour and 15 to get to the overlook. If I go all the way to the top (that little house) takes a little longer. read more

worst hike i've ever been on. i will never go here again because of this experience. there was no shade from the brutal desert heat. there was cacti jumping onto the trail and stuck to my face. it was the worst pain i ever felt. i was then hallucinating and seeing bears jumping up from the dens attacking me. i then got supercharged and ran 50mph out of the mountains so i was able to survive. i also saw these creatures crawling around. one jumped onto my head. read more

By this trail there is a fantastic Bed & Breakfast! There we got pampered thanks to our welcoming hosts. We took advantage of the oversized hot tub, pristine pool, lush garden, outside and inside dining. SPA services are available (facials and bodywork) and are super cheap! Meals were prepared fresh and perfectly executed by a professional chef. Breakfast and dinner menus offer lots of selections, there is even a "Health Nut" with smoothies, homemade bread, vegan alternatives and more. Great Staycation or luxurious getaway affordable and simply out if this world! We enjoyed an entire suite along with a mini gym, outdoors and complimentary refreshments and snacks. We walked from this B&B to our favorite trail every morning. Here is the link to the Oasis in the Desert https://abnb.me/EVmg/nA2FY7cWfI read more

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This is a great trailhead into South Mountain. Telegraph Pass offers a good mile or some of trail running but it can be packed at times so be aware of day and time. You can hop off to some other good trails such as National and Kiwanis. This is a good introduction to petroglyphics in the park and can be both a leisurely hike or an intense workout. I rather like the view of the valley from the army corps of engineers stone lookout. read more

All I can say is that people need to start picking up after their pet and themselves. I came here to enjoy a walk with my dog and my dog was literally trying to avoid all the poops along the trails. It saddened me to think that people just don't care about anything, but can keep using it to their advantages. The littering also got heavy here and we did not stay for too long. I am now in a haunt for a cleaner trails and or a park. read more

I love the views. Definitely an amazing hike in early & late months of AZ weather!!! Otherwise don't forget a cool towel, sunscreen, & H20!

Located a few miles away from home! Quick and easy hike from the base to the top. It's about 1.5 miles to get to the top where the brick house is. Trail can get busy so it's better to come early in the morning. Dogs are allowed. Most dogs I see are on a lease. Great for kids who enjoy hiking as well.. I hike Telegraph Pass trail mostly. read more

This is a great trail that burns a decent amount of calories due to the steep part at the end, but even my three year old can do it. You get a great view on your way up too. I feel so lucky to have this in my backyard. read more

Desert Foothills Trailhead - Another beautiful morning on the trail - Hiking Near Me

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Great way to start the morning or end the day. I got here about 5:30am just in time to head up and watch the sun rise. Takes about 30-45mins to summit at a moderate pace (depending on how often you stop to take in the scenery, and pictures. Desert Foothills trailhead, Desert Foothills Parkway (north of Chandler Boulevard) and Seventh Street. It will be on the north side of Desert Foothills Parkway, approximately 1.5 miles west from Chandler Blvd. provides access to: Telegraph Pass trail and Desert Classic trail (see Desert Classic details). Telegraph Pass Trailhead is located at Desert Foothills Parkway (north of Chandler Boulevard) and Seventh Street. The first 1/2 mile of this trail is a textured concrete surface for easy walking. The trail then splits off to continue on to Telegraph Pass, or on to The Desert Classic Trail. The remaining one mile of Telegraph Pass Trail ends at the Summit Road, and offers quick access to the National Trail and the Kiwanis Trail within the park upon reaching the roadway. The Desert Classic Trail continues on for about 9 miles through the foothills on the south side of South Mountain and terminates at the south ramada area in Pima Canyon. Distance: 1.5 miles to Telegraph Pass, the saddle in the summit road (approximately 3.5 miles up on road). Difficulty: Easy to moderate - steep sections toward the top Elevation Change: Approximately 600 feet. read more

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This is one of my favorite trails in Phoenix. It's easy enough to where I don't want to die at the top, but challenging enough to make it enjoyable each time. You can't beat the view at the top. read more

In my opinion, this is the best trailhead in the Phoenix area. Really, the number one advantage is the fact that even when busy, you can still find parking, have a great hike and enjoy a late summer afternoon. As it gets close to dusk most of this trail head is actually shaded by the mountain making it one of the most enjoyable hikes all through the summer in the area. The view is also pretty awesome from the top at Telegraph Pass looking south. read more