When I am looking for a place to run my motorcycle to, Bartlett lake is always front of the list in…read moremy mind. With nicely maintained roads running out of Cave Creek to the lake it's always a pleasant ride. There is a cafe there if you want to have lunch, which overlooks the lake as well. Every time I am there it makes me want to get a houseboat and ditch city life. One of these days maybe.

We decided to drive over to check out the nearby Horseshoe Dam in hopes to catch the spillway…read morerelease and the waterfall it creates into the Verde River and then head over to Bartlett Lake to see the start of the wildflower blooms. Totally worth seeing both when in the area. The drive was beautiful. Water levels are a bit low, but still amazing. The flowers are already in bloom, but will be even better by end of February into March if you'd love to see them. I love poppies but there are so many more flowers also in bloom, to see the best area I'd recommend the area just before Rattlesnake Cove . There is a small trail with roadside parking if lucky. Or can park in the cove parking and small hike back up to area. You do need to pay for a rec pass if parking and spending the day. You can purchase at stores nearby or roadside spots you'll see along the way. Traffic wasn't too bad today but as it warms up and flowers more in bloom be prepared. There is also a restaurant near the boat dock as well.

When the weather is nice -- most weekends between September and May -- we hike either nearby…read moreFraesfield or Granite Mountain Trail. The trailhead provides plenty of shade and clean bathrooms, but no water, so bring plenty of your own. I mean it, out of towners! And don't attempt it over 100. The trails are easy, but the sun is expert. As an aside to trainers: the trailhead is a gym, and there are pokestops throughout. Gotta catch 'em all!

Great trail lots of horse poop couple bikers but views are solid if your looking for a scenic…read morelittle stroll. Restrooms are clean bring water there is not water on site.

This has been on my bucket list for the past 5 years and this weekend I finally made it! I was…read moreexpecting it to be busy since it was a Sunday and a holiday weekend, but we went in the afternoon and tons of people were leaving when we were parking. The downside to that is that you are hiking in at the hottest part of the day. Which makes the water feel that much more refreshing. The hike isn't hard, you just follow the creek. Some people were in flip flops- which is doable, but the rocks can be quite slippery in places. Bring lots of water. There's some shade, but not tons. Oh- and watch out for the random cow. He's not friendly.

There is an awesome hiking spot here. You don't need a pass you can just park and hike. It's a bit…read moresteep in some areas but lots of people of all ages with dogs too. It was so beautiful this time of year. Slightly off the beaten path from Payson but worth a fun day trip from phoenix to get out of the head and see so fall foliage. Highly recommend

What a beautiful trail! And such a pleasant/ easy hike. The most effort you put in here is driving…read moreall the way past Cave Creek, other than that, it's such a peaceful & relaxing place. We hiked over to Camp Creek Falls and back. Couldn't have been more than 3 miles round trip. I didn't look at my watch afterwards. During the golden hour it was gorgeous. I fully recommend this place. But please, it's a super clean and well kept trail. Keep it that way. Otherwise I'll regret sharing it on yelp ;)

Not a challenge to hike, some up & down areas with small hills to climb. Beautiful scenery and…read moreworth the hike to see the waterfalls. Great during rainy season. One to definitely go on.

Talk about an adventure! Four Peaks is a sight to behold from anywhere in the Valley but even more…read moreso from the summit! Came up here with some of my hiking buddies with the mission to hike to the top of Brown's Peak, the tallest of the four. Accessing the trailhead can be done using either of two roads -- the access road off the 87 beeline highway or El Oso, which is a road found off the 188 near Roosevelt Lake. If you want to drive your sedan or non 4x4 vehicle, you're going to want to go with El Oso (which still is a gamble as it's a dirt road with rocks jutting out). If you have a 4x4 high clearance vehicle and want a true adventure, then take the access road. You will not regret the 18 miles of roller coaster action! Upon reaching the trailhead, we encountered a few switchbacks amongst the pines (which I was shocked to see as you don't think of Four Peaks having pines from how they look in Phoenix). After that part of the trail was over, we were met by a steep scree of rocks that you basically have to scramble to clear. Some near-rock-climbing followed as we made our way to the summit. On the day we went, it was cloudy so we couldn't get a good view of the Valley, just the Roosevelt Lake side. However, don't let this weather discourage you from going! There's a cool mystical feeling to being high within the clouds atop Brown's Peak. In either condition, you're in for a treat!

Beautiful place for a hike, especially if you're seeking solitude in a vast open space, high above…read moreand far away from the frenetic, polluted valley. The biggest downfall is the constant sound of distant gunfire, along with all the litter in some spots, comprised mostly of cheap beer cans and bottles, shotgun and bullet casings and targets left behind by the vulgar, uneducated, ordinary shit bird ghetto trash that frequent the desert in search of cheap thrills. Them kinda folks like to shoot shit up, while they hoop, holler and cuss for the world to hear. Aside from that, it's terrific! ;-))

Visited McDowell Mountain Regional Park while in Fort McDowell, AZ. The atmosphere was vast and…read morerugged, and the overall experience felt impressive but spread out. The park is massive -- it's honestly a bit crazy -- with nearly a 20-minute drive just to get from the entrance to the North Trail, which really puts the scale into perspective. Tried the North Trail -- scenic and well maintained, but the sheer size makes it feel more like a destination than a quick outing. Overall, worth checking out once, but not a spot I'd go out of my way to revisit. Saluti

This is a really nice park. Very big lots of trails. We went to the north trail which was nicely…read moremaintained. The huge plus here is the fact that sprinkled through this huge park are actual running water bathrooms!! SO NICE!! Clean bright. Superb.

Visited Pinnacle Peak Park while in Scottsdale. The atmosphere is scenic, peaceful, and…read morewell-maintained, making it a go-to spot I've been hiking for 20+ years. The vistas are beautiful, with views overlooking golf courses and, as you start the climb, some stunning homes -- clearly a bit of wealth in the area. It's a great mix of desert landscape and elevated viewpoints that never gets old. Over the years, you never know who you'll run into -- I even crossed paths with Ming Tsai on one of my hikes. There are restrooms at the base, free entry, and a parking lot that can fill up quickly, with many people parking along the road leading in. Overall, a consistently great hike with rewarding views -- a local staple I keep coming back to. Saluti.

If you're looking for a short easy hike, then this may be your place. This hike provides a 4 mile…read moretrail that includes some elevation. You may experience wildlife such as lizards, deer birds, and more. This hike is very popular with the locals who you may see running and walking on a trail. What's great about this trail is the free parking, clean bathroom and a visitor area to learn more. The hike should definitely be on your list for beautiful sunset and wildlife sighting is. Prior to coming in, you should note the hours as you don't want to get your car locked in when they close the gate the hours change with daylight changing.

Amazing place to view Red Mountain. There were a lot of big ants (9/14/2024), so be ready for that…read more Geese, horses, ducks. Parking was full by 7am on a Saturday, need tonto pass.

Great spot to easily SUP!! Parking is limited but we were able to get a spot no problem during the…read moreweeknight but could get busy on the weekend. Easy to navigate and great spot to watch the sunset