Hidden Park in Tempe but small and quaint for the folks who live in the area. I only stumbled…read moreacross it for parking reasons but, noticed that they have a skate board park for those skaters and a cute area for the kiddies to play. It's a lil park if you want to go and read a book but, they really should upgrade it with nice turf, spinge wood chips in the kids areas,new swing set and a nice picnic area since the area is still growing and new apartments are being built. Just my observation

This park has a little bit for everyone. There's a cool maze/labyrinth, skate park, volleyball and…read morebasketball court, playground and splash pad. We took the toddler on a hot summer day to splash around. The splash pad looked well maintained and a lot of kids were having fun running around. There are also some BBQ grills which were being used while we were here for a birthday party going on. As for a little bit of history, this park was first built in 1960! That's old for AZ standards. It was then renovated in 2009. The park is named after an influential agriculturist EW Hudson. The maze here is a public art piece named Peace Labyrinth by Mark Lucking. 2021 Hours: Open: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. now through October

Grew up here and always loved this park. Lots of grass and a playground. Looks like they installed…read morevolleyball net too

Quiet, clean great place to walk dogs, sit and enjoy the weather, exercise and walk. Very clean…read morewell kept. Grass was just cut this morning. Friendly people who are walking around the park. I'd recommend this location for dogs and relaxing. Today was a great day (good weather)

I am a frequent visitor to Phoenix and the Phoenix area. Until recently I thought that I knew all…read morethe places to go, but after my last visit I learned that I have a lot to experience still. This realization came about when I realize that I have never been to South Mountain park before! This is the largest municipally managed parked not only in Phoenix area, but in the United States. This park covers over 16,000 acre of desert land. The park covers three mountain ranges that you can learn about in a beautiful visitor center. This park also features more than 50 miles of trails for hikers, mountain bikers and horseback rider. And if you are not a hiker, then you can experience the beauty of the park through a scenic 5.5 mile drive up Summit Road which leads to a peak where you can see Phoenix and beyond. Make sure you plan ahead for your hikes. There are so many trails to explore at different difficulties and start points. Also, the trails are not shaded so start early or pick a cool day. Bring plenty of water too and perhaps a hiking stick. If you need more information, stop in at the visitor center. The visitor center is pretty impressive. The center is very informative on the mountains, the local people, and wildlife. Plus, the gentlemen working the center was super friendly in sharing a wealth of information. He showed me a snake outside the center. Yes, there are snakes in this park- so make sure you look out for them! This amazing park is free! The park entrance is open from 5am to 7pm. Trail hours are 5am-11pm. The visitor center is open Thursday through Sunday 9am-3pm. Note on the fourth Sunday of each month, the park host silent Sunday's where cars are not allowed within the park grounds- check out the park's website for parking on those days. Great experience- I will be back!

We took the whole extended family up through South Mountain Park, and it turned into one of those…read moredays that sticks with you a little longer than expected. We drove up to Dobbins Lookout, and that's where it really hits. Phoenix spreads out in every direction, a grid of life pressed up against open desert, with mountains rising in the distance like they've been quietly watching the whole thing unfold. It's not subtle. It's big, raw, and a little humbling. What makes this place stand out is how much it offers without trying to package itself too neatly. You can hike, bike, ride horseback, or just stay in the car and take the scenic drive. It works for everyone. We had a mix of people, some ready to tackle trails, others perfectly happy just soaking in the views, and nobody felt out of place. The trail system is extensive. You've got everything from easy, walkable paths to longer, more demanding routes like the National Trail, which stretches over 15 miles and cuts through a huge portion of the park. It's the kind of place where you can come back multiple times and still find something new. We did some light hiking, nothing too aggressive, but even then you feel the terrain. It's not forgiving, and that's part of the appeal. The desert has a way of reminding you to pay attention. Loose rock, uneven footing, the occasional reminder that you're sharing the trail with horses. It keeps you honest. Timing matters out here. Go early. Not just to beat the heat, which you absolutely should, but because the light in the morning does something different. It softens the landscape, pulls out color and texture that gets washed out later in the day. By midday, the sun is in full control and it's a different experience entirely. A few practical notes. Bring more water than you think you need. Then add a little more. Wear actual boots, not something you don't mind slipping around in. And keep an eye on the trail, especially on the multi-use sections. You'll know why pretty quickly. What I appreciated most is how accessible it is. You're minutes from the city, and suddenly you're in this wide, open space that feels removed from everything. No overdevelopment, no forced attractions. Just desert, sky, and distance. It's not polished, and it's not trying to be. That's exactly why it works. Five stars without hesitation.

this was such a cute and lovely little park. we came here to burn off some energy with the kiddo…read more they loved it, all the climbing apparatuses and the slides and swings. nothing was in disrepair. there weren't a huge number of kids or families but just enough. the cargo nets and other climbing surfaces were in great shape. I had lots of fun on the swings with the kiddo. there is a large grassy area as well as a few benches, sitting areas along the play area on the cement in the shade and several easily accessible trash cans. we were able to park along the perimeter of the park. there was no fee or permit required. I didn't see a restroom here but we were lucky enough to not need facilities at all. this was a lovely little stop.

This is a nice neighborhood park that has a lot to offer. There is free street parking around its…read moreperimeter and within a reasonable walking distance. The park is well maintained and is home to a very nice and modern playground. The playground is on a bed of wood chips and has benches around its perimeter for caregivers to sit and watch their littles while they play. The playground has a huge a large and small jungle gym with slides, tunnels and bridges. The area has a couple of canvas shades that provide a decent amount of protection from the sun. The park also has a nice paved path that runs through it that was popular with dog walkers while I was there and a lot of green space, that was being used by a little kid flag football league during my visit. You will also find water fountains and a picnic shelter with a table under it and another picnic table on the green space. I liked this park. It has a wide-open layout and a trendy feel. The park does lack a restroom facility and formal parking, but that is ok. I will accept that. It is not a very large park, covering about 3 acres. As I mentioned, it is well maintained and updated though. I enjoyed my time at the park and sure that you will too.

As a respectable hiker, I'm not going to call this a hike but it is a cool experience. I stopped by…read moreon Memorial Day in the afternoon by design. It was 95 degrees so I knew a challenging hike would be out of the question. Something like Hole-in-the-Rock though, easy peasy. While there were a decent number of people there, I had no trouble finding free parking. This natural wonder is located in Papago Park close to the Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden. After you park, you'll have a five-minute walk to get to Hole-in-the-Rock. You'll have to climb an incline to get in the hole, so definitely be careful, but there are kids that do it too. And a lot of tourists that show up. So that pretty much sums it up. Once you get inside, you'll have an awesome view of the Phoenix through a literal hole in a big rock. You'll see a lot of people using it as a photo opp. That's not really my style, so instead, I took a seat and enjoyed the beauty for 10 minutes or so. It can get pretty crowded so keep that in mind if you stop by on a weekend. Hole-in-the-Rock is one of the top attractions on TripAdvisor in Phoenix. Definitely a cool (and short) adventure to cross of the bucket list. I spent 30 minutes there (which included hanging out in the rock for half the time).

A truly mystical and magical place. They close at 7:00 p.m…read more Most people try to get there later in the day to avoid the scorching 110 deg. weather and hot sun. There is a pond with tons of geese. I saw a man fly fishing.

This park is BIG and part of it is setup for disc golf- which my husband likes to play. It doesn't…read moreseem to matter the temps outside; there's always groups playing so that's really cool. They have a huge green space on the other side of the park; playground area for the kids (kids playing on it today so no photos- will add one later) clean restrooms and a senior center onsite too. There are picnic tables around and we've had a few picnics here as well- you're just a block or so from Starbucks so we've done some grab and go and enjoyed the park on a nice day. Sprouts is an option as well as they have sandwiches and such too. Can't wait for the temps to come down so we can stay a little longer!

This is a great park with nice mountain views! It has a disc golf course, sand volleyball, exercise…read morestations, a playground, restrooms, and water fountains. I walked a mile with a few loops along the walking path.

It is August 2026. I arrive at yhe banks of the Rio Salado most Sunday mornings. August brings a…read more5:45 a.m. gathering time.fot the Protectors of the Salt River. It is a South Phoenix and Gila River Indian Community endeavor removing the invasive plant yellow stinknet from the area. It is hot and sweaty out in August.

Rating is on the current facility, and meeting Daniel, who explained the future plans to us. We…read morearrived early and walked some of the area. Due to construction on road, we went opposite direction. We were told (later) that wetlands were in another direction. Signage is being replaced around the whole facility, so information is minimal (in future plans). Getting there currently is tricky depending on arrival direction due to construction of future train-stop which will be a huge positive for visitation to center. Opened up on time (8am), friendly staff and we met Daniel who is one of the directors (hope I got that right), he was kind enough to fill us in on the past history and the huge future plans which sound amazing. Very nice inside to include the restrooms, open & airy with information areas and exhibits. Pond in the back with vegetation. Gift shop, but at this time, not open for sales. We will definitely be back to see the improvements and go the right direction in hopes of seeing some residents (birds). Birding at this time was minimal (direction, time of year, day), and it definitely has huge potential at the right time.

Tried the Pecos Park Swimming pool today. Ample parking space and their pools were huge. 1 beach…read morestyle, which is divided into a deeper pool for laps. They had 2 slides that drop into a 3 feet pool. They also had a separate pool for diving. The only downside is lack of enough sitting area. There were about 4 picnic tables and a private ramada with its own tables. The rest is open area and it looks like you can bring your own chairs and tents. Pricing $3 for adults, $1 for kids

This park is located on 48th St south of Chandler Blvd and Frye Rd. You get there from Chandler…read moreBlvd. It looks like there should be an exit directly from 202 but there isn't one. The parking area is pretty large but on weeknights when there is soccer practice the lot is packed. There are tennis and pickleball courts near the entrance when you drive in. The bathrooms are located near the tennis courts. There are many soccer/football fields. Then all the way to the East side there is a dog park. They recently put in a covered seating area (see photo). The dog park is fairly well maintained. The fields do get worn down and out from all the teams practicing but they rarely have games here for kids in high school. Probably a good idea because the fields are worn out.