This park has something for everyone! There are a plethora of difficulty levels and length of walking options. There are bathrooms and covered picnic areas for stops. I saw every age and physical level today. There was a Mama with a baby in a backpack to an elderly gentleman with a walker. There are flat paved roads, wide dirt trails and elevation rocky terrain if you want to get that photo from the top. This park is close to the zoo and the botanical gardens which is also a bonus if you want to make a day of doing a lot of things. Get out there. Be sure to take water and stay hydrated. read more

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Depressing, barren and not dog friendly. After exploring the great parks in parts of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Gilbert, the dead trees and stagnant water at Papago Park were more like an inner city experience. read more

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The park is pretty huge, with various sections and access points -- so for clarity, I'll just refer to the south west area here, west side of Galvin Pkwy. You have a decent size parking lot but it can fill up fast as the trails here are pretty easy and accessible. But it's a good spot if you're looking to get a taste of rocky desert formations away from cityscapes. We took the Double Butte Loop which is an easy stroll, right up to the very end, where you'll do some scrambling to get onto the highest point overlooking Papago Golf Course. The trail here turns to scree and loose rock, so just keep an eye out. Pretty nice views at the top though. read more

Papago Park - Looking south - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

We loved it here! Lots to see from Hole In the Rock to the fishing ponds to hike above to the 1st governor's tomb and see the zoo from above. Very old park from the 20's/30's then redone in the 50's/60's. read more

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Nice place to visit. Nice walking paths. Nice scenery. Seems to be wheelchair friendly.

The park is a urban desert oasis located in Tempe. It houses the Phoenix Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Hall of Flame Fire Museum and Papago Golf Club. We spent some time walking on the trails and admiring the lagoon and pond. There were benches to sit and take in the beautiful landscape and the red sandstone buttes. There were bathrooms. covered pavilions and plenty of parking. read more

Papago Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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We came for the hole in the rock at sunset. Beautiful views and hike was not too bad for us as beginners. We went up using the trail on the right and down using the left, with even more great views of the sunset. Would definitely recommend and return. read more

Great place to explore in the city without feeling like you're trapped in the concrete jungle. Ramadas available for reservation and a slew of hiking/biking trails. Great for a daytime picnic or some fishing too!! read more

Love this park! I've been at least three times on visits to Phoenix. I like how's there's shaded pavilions, perfect for gathering. There's beautiful mountains, trails for walking, the "hole in the rock," and bathrooms. read more

Papago Park - Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Because morning views this was definitely a fun park to run thru. And I'm sure it has a lot more to offer given the right time. read more

Papago Park - Phoenix marathon - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

We just drove around the area. We were looking for wild animals and just enjoying the area. Nice little drive and refreshing to see the water. read more

I visit Phoenix at least 2-3 times per year, and I always do at least one outdoorsy activity while visiting the area. I decided to check out Papago Park on my most recent visit, which was highly recommended by a close friend. This park get DIAMONDS for: - Beautiful plants and water features - Wildlife - Plentiful, multi-use trails - Cleanliness - Serenity - Scenic overlooks - Panoramic views - Ample parking - Convenient location - Multigenerational accessibility Unfortunately, there is a lot of visible wire fencing in some sections of the park that adds a certain coldness to the park, preventing it from being a complete urban oasis. read more

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Very small venue. Beautiful field. Concessions closed on a Friday night. No water available... 100 degrees.. bummed. We had to leave early. read more

Papago Park - Yes, free seats , this close - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

The red rock is stunning. There's not a lot of parking but it's never been an issue for me. The mountains sir just above everything else in town so you can get some great views of sunrise or sunset without having to go to high. Very accessible. There is a lot of trash on the ground... given the area, I understand, but it can take away from the experience. read more

Papago Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Love this park!! Hiking up to the hole in the rock isn't that steep or hard and you can sit and enjoy a beautiful view of the valley. read more

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Very busy, if you want a spot get there early. Very beautiful view with the planes coming in! read more

Papago Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Over crowded and not enough bathrooms in operation. Parking is also tricky. It was alright. It's free you get what you pay for I guess.

Papago is a peaceful, iconic, large nature park desertland beautiful area in central east Phx/west Tempe border. It includes land consisting of the Phoenix Zoo, the Desert Botanical Gardens, public park space, gorgeous rock formations, a lake, Hole In the Rock, cactus, plants and trees. I have taken many trips here and field trips as a teacher. It is a photographer's dream. They have kiosk space you can rent from the city too. read more

Papago Park - Birthday Shoot at the beautiful park. - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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My husband and I had a blast visiting Papago Park. The weather was perfect, and the scenery was stunning--it was a beautiful, sunny day. It was amazing to see the buttes up close. The trails were easy to hike, and we saw lots of saguaros, plus a jackrabbit! It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip! read more

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Such a cool spot! The Desert Botanical Garden at Papago Park is like walking through a living desert museum. The trails are super easy to follow and everywhere you look there's something new - giant cacti, colorful flowers, hummingbirds zipping around. It's peaceful but also full of life. I spent a couple hours just wandering, taking photos, and soaking it all in. Definitely worth a stop if you're in Phoenix read more

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5 Stars only because that is the limit!!! I loved this place so much. It has ample parking, facilities, walkable trails, picnic tables, pavilions, and so on. The park has the Phoenix zoo, the Garden of the Desert, and the Hole-in-the-wall. That is what I went for. It did not disappoint. Amazing views and I was there on a perfectly gorgeous day. Highly recommend. read more

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Must see for a sunset! Surprisingly super crowded on a Monday night, we had to park at the last parking lot available and had quite a bit of a walk to the hole in rock. At first I thought there was graffiti on the rock but everything on it is a person. Maybe get there 20 mins before sunset for a good comfortable spot for you to sit on (we got there 5 mins before), but the view is mostly the same from any spot! read more

Papago Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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I've been going to this park since I was a child, and it's still one of my favorite places. It's perfect for hosting parties, going fishing, or enjoying the hiking trails. Having the Phoenix Zoo right in the park area is an added bonus. Such a great spot for families and anyone who loves the outdoors! read more

This park is a wonderful gem of a park. It is one of the better red rock parks that I have visited. It is located by the zoo and has tons of parking available in different areas. The park is massive, spanning 1,500 acres. It is home to two attractions, Hole in the Rock and Hunt's Tomb. You will also find some nice hiking trails, fishing lagoons, picnic shelters, a restroom facility with a couple of vending machines. there is also a very small playground area with a small slide, and a turtle and snack to climb on. The park is jointly managed by Phoenix and Tempe. Originally, the park was created as a reservation for the local Maricopa and Pima tribes of Native Americans in 1879. The park has also served as a POW camp, a VA hospital, and a fish hatchery. I recommend bringing your own water to this park, as there are limited fountains and it gets kind of hot. It is free to visit this park and you can spend hours here. It is a very picturesque park. There were a couple of photo shoots going on around the lagoon while I was there. The lagoon is stocked with rainbow trout, largemouth bass, sunfish, channel catfish, tilapia, and carp. The park is near the Hall of Flame Museum, Desert Botanical Garden, Papago Sports Complex, and the Papago Golf Course, so ,making a day trip including your visit here is very easy. The park is very well maintained, but being a nature, red rock, makes it not too maintenance intensive. I visited the park during a weekday and it was hot, and did not have many visitors. I am sure that this is not the case during the weekends though, atleast the visitor part. I am sure that it is still hot. I really, really like this park. It is amazing and unique. It is easily accesible. I cannot tell you how picturesque it is. It also has a very peaceful vibe about it. I highly recommend checking this park out. You can easily make a half to full day of it. read more

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This place is such a beauty!! Nice views, pretty red pebbles and dirt, great way to catch the sunset! read more

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We came here looking to hike a little. My children and wife loved it. It has many trails that lead the same way. You will end up going around the whole mountain and coming back. It is a 3 mile hike. You get to see many birds and desert animals roaming around. Very nice experience. read more

This is a great park to visit if you want to experience the natural desert landscape without going to the middle of nowhere. Papago park is accessible by light rail. The park features a variety of interesting topography. Sprawling desert, lush oasis, rocky peaks. I've seen lots of wildlife in the park. Turtles, herring, lot's of prairie dogs, little lizards, fish, song birds. There are a few great look out spots. I recommend good shoes. Especially if you are wanting to climb up on the rock features. Papago also contains the Phoenix Zoo, Papago sports complex, Papago golf course and the highly rated Botanic Gardens. There is a frisbee gulf course and a few dirt bike paths, covered picnic areas scattered throughout. And a pathed canal bike path that extends from Tempe to Scottsdale. read more

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I love this park. One of the few places to watch the great Arizona sunset area is home to the zoo as well as the botanical gardens. Highlights include the sunset views from the Hole in the Rock and views Hunt's Tomb. Great place to do photoshoots by the lake also. read more

Parking is a bit of a nightmare but this is a gorgeous park with lots of different lakes, landscaping and wildlife. This park borders the popular Hole in The Rock hiking spot, a beautiful spot to hike at. Papago Park also houses the Phoenix Zoo & Botanical Garden. read more

Papago Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This is such a beautiful park to visit! Phoenix is already a beautiful city to visit. But coming here, all of a sudden, you feel like you have been transported to a piece of wilderness that allows you to stop thinking about the busyness around you. Hiking through the park, you see some amazing rock formations and you are reminded of the beauty of the world around you. You also get some fantastic views of the city and the valley around you. Highly recommend coming to visit this place if you get to spend any time in the Phoenix area :) read more

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Papago park is fun for the whole family. It has paved parts and trail areas. Check out hole in the rock at sunset. It can get busy so come early. Trails are well maintained and it's always a joy to walk read more

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This is such a great community park! I have visited many times, whether it is running, hiking Hole-in-a-rock or one of the many other less known trails, the amphitheater, photo-ops or visiting Hunt's Tomb. It really offers so many things for being smack dab in the city. The park shares entry with the Phoenix Zoo and Botanical Garden. It does offer ample free parking lots and the amphitheater does have some free street parking, though it is right off Mcdowell, but the Hole-In-A-Rock hike tends to accumulate quite the crowd, especially for sunset or sunrise.. I love running the Barnes Butte or stairs at the amphitheater, beautiful scenery and nice balance of incline and decline without being too intense. There are many biking trails to enjoy as well. Also, something to note, the lovely water feature/pond that boasts seating areas around it! Great spot for a picnic. I have taken group and family photos here. it is beautiful scenery and provides a lot of different options! Overall, great local gem that you can explore history, enjoy a quick hike and some views all at once! read more

What a fun place! So much to explore. We parked at the golf course and walked to the hole in the mountain then the amphitheater. Go enjoy this desert park! Take water! read more

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Beautiful park!! Didn't have nearly enough time here to explore, but we did a quick drive-thru and hiked up to the slightly odd pyramid memorial (tomb??) of the first Governor of Arizona. We did a short hike up to and around the Hole in the Rock trail (pictures coming soon...) but I could have stayed here all day!! BEAUTIFUL, and definitely worth a visit... Come EARLY to avoid crowds!! read more

I love this area! It's a great place for nature lovers! This is a pretty large park with lots to do! You can: -fish here (with a license) at the Fishing Lagoons -take a nice long walk by the lake. -if you want to learn, there's a little trail which takes you through Sonoran Desert habitat. There is a little playground area with huge sculptures of desert critters. I can't remember if it was part of this trail or another one. There are more trails, but this one is informative while allowing children a place to play. - get in shape with the Exercise Course - an all metal station exercise course covering 1.7 miles. Located near the Parks Department Central District - East office. I enjoyed the short hike to see the Hole in the Rock and walking by the lake as well as hiking (super easy walk) on the one trail that eventually led to the playground. Other facilities are the Archery Range, Papago Park Baseball/Softball Complex, Papago Golf Course, Bike Trail, Ranger Station/Information Center. There are restrooms, drinking fountains, picnic ramadas available, too! I easily found parking. There are a number of smallish lots to choose from. The Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden are located here. There is also the Hole in the Rock, which is a natural rock formation made up of sandstone. I guess all of these hill formation are called Buttes. Other points of interest are the Tomb of Governor George Wiley Paul Hunt and the Hall of Flame. These are places people like to visit in or near Papago Park. TIP: Bring plenty of water and wear decent shoes! Come early before it gets blazing hot out! If you come here, there's quite a lot to do! I wanted to see more, but I had other plans! read more

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Really interesting views and trails around this area. For sure a well visited location. This location does have designated parking areas as when you approach getting here, it is the n the same vicinity as the zoo. At the top of one of the peaks there is a monument spot in the form of a pyramid. Though this was unique. Went on a semi warmer day around 68, which worked out in favor, because after climbing it was nice to hit cool spots of the park with the fresh air. As you stroll through, you will also see 2 community fishing ponds with lots of ducks/birds. Check this park out! read more

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The extended Papago Park has several features. One that is overlooked is the Orienteering course. This is located just behind the archery range's parking lot and also behind the new baseball stadium. You can download the topographical map and then attempt to find the white markers (see pics). This isn't for the faint-of-heart. You'll be walking through the rugged part of the park in search for markers without anything but a map showing terrain and paths. Your search will begin with the first marker and go progressively to the 10th marker - good luck. My wife and I have done several of these together over the years: this builds a marriage or challenges it (we are still together). We enjoy problem solving together and the physical exercise. And then there is the congratulatory beverage afterwards. read more

Papago Park - Found marker #7 - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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I love going here but it's starting to become overcrowded due to nice weather. It's a short mini hike which takes all of 5-10min to get up but it's nice when it's not so busy! There's plenty of parking first come first served and you may want to park across the trial but walk over which is only 2 seconds away. I've hiked it in heels a few times(Don't judge) but it keeps my calves nice and strong. During the week is best as I'd go eat lunch and read books here daily back in the day. Nowadays, we're only able to go in the evenings. I don't suggest going up at night though as it's pretty dark and they also close it off after a certain time. It's definitely a great place to take out of state guest whenever they visit for photos. Have fun and bring water! There is a bathroom on site should you need to go potty.( Across the trail in the park area.) read more

I always love making trips to Papago Park, and often bring my friends who are visiting here, as it is such a peaceful and beautiful place. Essentially, the hole is exactly what you might expect, a giant cut-out in a wall of rock, where you can perch yourself and watch the sky. Pros: - Easy walk: A very quick walk up to the hole -- it takes probably about 15 minutes or less to make it up from the parking lot to the lookout area. - Convenient location: Papago Park hole in the rock is conveniently located in, Scottsdale with close proximity to Phoenix as well as the airport. - Beautiful views: You get a wonderful view of the valley from this spot. You can look over the dessert, the zoo, and a part of the botanical gardens - Stand or sit- flexibility: Folks sit and stand and camp out in the hole, it seems like such a relaxing spot overall and there are many ways to enjoy it! - Other thoughts : Papago park Hole in the Rock can get very crowded around sunset, so if you want to get some nice sunset pictures, I recommend getting there a bit early to claim a spot for yourself. Perhaps it might also be a good idea to get there early to ensure that you get parking, or perhaps you might want to get there early in the morning, as I am sure sunrise is also beautiful! read more

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This is a very nice park with lots going on: a zoo, a botanical garden, a golf course, miles of biking and hiking trails, geocaching, a pyramid tomb, ponds for fishing, picnicking areas, and a rock with a big hole in it. Many of these activities are free. The park is vast and there is a decent amount of parking especially near the zoo but I am sure on weekends it must get very crowded. A real gem! read more