Note: Canyon Lake and all its boat ramps and access points will close starting September 8, 2026,…read morefor an estimated 16-week drawdown project by the Salt River Project (SRP) and Bureau of Reclamation for dam safety inspections and maintenance. (Source: SRP) The Tonto National Forest contains various lakes: Theodore Roosevelt, Saguaro, Bartlett, Apache, and Canyon. Canyon Lake is by far my favorite and one I've visited often. The views are stunning and love cruising down the channels. Plus, you can stop by Tortilla Flat for a bite to eat. Well worth the drive from the Phoenix area, and one of the many reasons I chose to live in Apache Junction (proximity to Canyon Lake and trails within Tonto National Forest). Definitely worth a visit if you've never been!

Easy little hikes - bit of a drive out of the way but so worth it. One of the rare natural bridges…read morebuilt in this way

This riparian area is an outstanding terrestrial bird watching biome. Mallards, Great Blue Heron,…read moreRing-necked Duck but just a few of the177 species known to visit. Spectacular views of the Lower Salt River tributary and Red Mountain. In the distance Piestewa Peak to the West and Four Peaks to the East. Fish Species are Rainbow Trout. Largemouth, Smallmouth and Yellow Bass. Crappie. Sunfish. Channel and Flathead Catfish. Walleye. Tilapia. The Salt River is fed by numerous perennial streams that start as springs and seep along the Mogollon Rim and in the White Mountains. Water quality is much poorer this far down stream. Some of this 50 degree water makes it to Tempe Town Lake. Much of the area is covered by cacti, in particular the familiar giant saguaro, but there are also dozens of smaller species like the Hedge Hog or Cholla. These cactus colonies merge with bushes all around. Plenty of tall trees next to the water provide a green treetop canopy over the site. Hiking today was exceptionally beautiful with plenty to photograph.

This is the first place I went paddle boarding and it's still one of my favorites. First of all,…read morethere's areas to have a nice picnic or grill out which is nice for groups or a nice date spot. There are also sightings of the wild horses and cows which is such a treat to see. I enjoy starting at the lower area of the river and paddling up the river a ways. Today was very sticker because of the wind (13 mph with gusts of 20mph). It was still a great workout and experience. There were also some nice enclaves to dock and chill while enjoying nature for a while too. Note: Sometimes there are also groups who play their music really loud (where the others can't enjoy nature) but thankfully today there were only a couple of people doing that.

Massacre falls is awesome to visit when the waterfall is going strong. With all the recent rain…read moreit's pretty great right now. I've done this trail a few years ago. The water fall was much more impressive this time. I will say that this time it felt way harder than I remember. Overall I think we hiked about 7 miles out to the falls & back to the parking area. There is a gradual increase in elevation as you hike up to the waterfall. I don't remember all that, I thought the trail was more flat. The views are gorgeous, especially at sunset. This hiking area is next to the Lost Dutchman State Park which charges for admission. Same overall area but no fee to hike up to Massacre falls. Highly recommend it!

Amazing hike not to bad early in the morning took our husky she loved it and our new puppy his…read morefirst hike ever and wasn't hard for him at all!

Okay, honestly the landscapes are indeed blurring together a bit, but this was such a nice place!…read moreSo much fun navigating through the terrain here. There's a system of trails, and landscape is also not all flat but replete with valleys and smaller peaks. Lots of cacti of course, and other shrubs and plants too. Awesome desert nature, and would recommend for a hike!

First time checking out Hawes Trail System today! Located conveniently within the city, making it…read moreeasy to visit, even on a weekday with an early start! There is a parking lot, right across the street from the trailhead! Though down the road not too far, quick ride if you're on a bike, it seems people may park near the Walgreens - Though Walgreens does enforce a 60 min time, probably for this reason, but there is a mobile bike station at the lot next to it, which is an awesome touch, and I am sure utilized on busy weekends. The lot had ample space this morning though, so definitely check that out first! The trail has a lot of different route options, so make sure to take a picture of the map or download Alltrails or some other app to keep on track. Though there on markers on the corners, it could be easy to get on the wrong path. As some other reviews said, it is not the most beautiful hike, but does have some scenic parts. There were a lot of hikers on the route today and a lot of mountain bikers. Lots of up and downs and rocky trails. The map is marked and routes are rated accordingly, so worth checking out as you plan your route!

I loved it here. I…read moreloved the walking trails and scenery. I loved the park, the views and the ambiance. I loved walking here and hiking. I highly recommend this spot.

Beautiful Scenery for hiking and enjoying the outdoors…read more - - - - - - - - February, 2026 Visit We visited Scottsdale / Phoenix and had a very memorable partial- and full-loop hike at McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. Before leaving home for Scottsdale, we explored hikes and parks near the hotel and McDowell is one we briefly looked at. Once we arrived, McDowell was on our short list and after a work day we got here just at sunset for a Hoo before it got dark - we enjoyed the short Saguaro hike and also the Interpretive Trail, on a nice night. The next day I did not work, but had a planned day off, so we had more time for the full hike...The Gateway Trail... 4.4 mile loop from the trailhead and another half mile or so to/from the car. This Trail rating is Moderate, and that seems right. There is a wide variety of rock on the trail, from sand to pebbles to rocks and built rocks. There is 650+ feet in elevation gain; the high point is about midway, at or near the Gateway saddle (thatMs just what it looks like!) and it's up one way and down the other; depending on whether you go left or right right. Someone else recommended following the trail clockwise, so we did... it's a bit shorter to the high point... about 2 miles "hiking to the left / to the northern side and about 2.5 miles on the right / southern side. Along the way we saw some birds, which looked like quail, at the 1.0-1.5 mile mark; fauna: the Arizona landscape is different from the California that we are more familiar with... many more types of cacti - tall Saguaro, shorter barrel, and buckhorn cholla and cholla; also, blue polo verde and more Do take a lot of water; even on a mostly cloudy day in the 70s, we drank two 32oz bottles apiece and had the last sips on the walk to the car; a sunny day would have had us likely feeling a bit dry from having finished our water earlier. The elevation change may provide a challenge on your thigh muscles and to your knees. As we we headed down, we met a lady who passed us going up, and then on her return down, some 30 minutes later, and she mentioned having not yet completed the full loop before, and being impressed that we were about to finish it; that was a good motivation for us - thanks!! Thank you all at the Conservancy who created and maintain this wonderful trail.

This is a nice hike to take if you want great views of the Valley. I highly recommend doing this…read morehike in the early evening so you can see the lights around the Valley come on. Just make sure you bring a flightlight or headlamp. The trailhead is located in the Superstition Mountains in Apache Junction. I consider it easy to moderate as there are lots of rocks to walk over at the beginning of the trail and an elevation climb as you get near the cave. The total distance is 4 miles RT. The Broadway trailhead is tucked into a neighborhood and has a very small parking lot. Keep this in mind if you are hiking with a group of people. At the beginning of the trailhead, you will embark on your adventure using Jacob's Crosscut Trail. At the half mile point, you'll see the first intersection where you'll want to stay left along Jacob Crosscut Trail. At the second intersection, head right towards Broadway Cave (don't take the Jacob's Crosscut path at this point). The trail will get very narrow at this point as you ascend to the cave. The view of the Valley is amazing in the evening. My group hung out for a few hours as we ate snacks and took photos inside the cave. I hear there are bats in the cave, but we didn't see any. Once again, remember to bring a headlamp if hiking at night and sunscreen during the day. Enjoy this hidden gem of a hike!

Trail has good views as you ascend. The path is very rocky…read moreso footing can be unstable at times. There were not any "flat" areas on the trail. I recommend hiking poles. The total trip is 4.2 miles out and back. It's a slow incline but gets steeper in the last half mile. The trail can be considered moderate difficulty due to terrain and path being narrow with lots pokey vegetation along the way. The last half of the trek is shaded in the early morning as the sun moves to the west you will be totally exposed. The bugs were out in full force in early May. I wish I had bug spray.

How can I not give 5 stars to a trailhead like this? I've only been a few times but my experiences…read morehave been positive. There seems to be a good amount of parking, but since I haven't driven and parked here, I can't comment much on that aspect. However, the bathrooms are great. There is one entry door with a water fountain and water fill up station inside, and a women's and men's restroom on the left and right, respectively. The bathrooms are in good condition though the women's didn't have soap this time - not a problem as I popped into the men's and washed up there. There are a few trails to choose from here and I hike to this trailhead from the Lost Dog trailhead, so it's a bit of a trek. I did the trail that goes to Sunrise Peak and finishes out on Andrew Kinsey. Didn't see too many folks which was good. Nice to have a well-maintained place to stop and take a quick break. Thanks, Fountain Hills!

Wow! There are so many trail options from this location. But whether you want a short hike or a…read morelong hike, you'll have beautiful views overlooking Fountain Hills. My parents took my husband and I here for a hike, and we were so impressed. After you've already done the major touristy hikes in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, I highly recommend coming out to Fountain Hills. The parking lot looked like it had space for about 30 cars, and there were bathrooms and a shade structure with benches for pre- and après hike. You also get to drive by an impressive Marriott hotel and many beautiful new Toll Brothers homes. Depending on the environmentalist views of your carmates, you might have to listen to a 10-minute lecture about how awful it is that folks are cutting into the mountain to make these homes. But... it's precisely the infrastructure for those homes that make it possible to create beautiful and useful trailheads like these. We loved that this trailhead was not very crowded.

Been out exploring and looking for new trails to hike out at the Superstition Mountains and came…read moreacross Carney Springs Waterfall. You can access this trail off Lost Goldmine Trailhead East. Its an easy to moderate round trip out back trial with over 4 miles of hiking and almost 700 foot elevation gain. The last trek to the waterfall is when it gets the steepest, and on the way to the waterfall you will come across a cool cave as well. Now Carney Springs Waterfall most of the time is dry, but if you happen to go after a rainfall or monsoon, you will be treated to the waterfall. The Carney Springs Waterfall is visible from Peralta and is apx a 240-foot drop. While hiking along the trail making your way to the waterfall if you look to the left you can see the trial for the Wave Cave and even spot it in the distance. You also will see some interesting canyon views along the way. There isn't any clear signs to the waterfall but if you are going along Lost Goldmine Trail #60, at the fork that goes to the Wave Cave, turn right go past the cave and make your way to the waterfall. We went after a rain fall and got to see the fails. Once you turn off the 60 and head up Peralta trail the road becomes a dirt road, but you don't need a 4x4 to get there. The parking lot will be on the left side of the dirt road just up the road from Peralta Park.