Let me preface this by saying I am a beginner hiker. I believed my boyfriend when he told me this was an easy trail. Grabbed my favorite water bottle and set out for a nice, simple morning hike. O. M. G. Once we got down and I had somehow survived, I saw the sign that said the trail was EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. It was a very busy trail which was a downfall for someone like me who was having to step off the trail every couple minutes to let people pass as it is also narrow in most places. The hike was very tough but enjoyable if for nothing else than the views at the top. One downfall, at the top I set down my Hydroflask water bottle to snap some pictures and someone walked off with it. Who does that? I was then left missing my favorite water bottle AND had no water to get back down the mountain. I will go back at some point but would like to prepare by doing some more moderate hikes to get my endurance level up since this was much more than I bargained for. read more

Double black diamond was super difficult but it was a gorgeous view. Parking sucks, but people just park on the sides (still miserable). Don't go on busy days (holidays, weekend afternoons etc) read more

parking can get pretty crazy here. I had to circle around for a good ten minutes to finally find a spot, which I only got because I stalked two people walking back to their car. the Summit Trail can get pretty crowded, but if you can tolerate the inconvenience of having to step around people or to step aside for the crazy people who choose to run up the mountain (how do they not sprain their ankles?!) then the views are totally worth it. really beautiful vantage point to see Phoenix. although my legs are sore today, I'd come back again. read more

Great hike, absolutely beautiful views, and quite a work out. The trail is never too narrow or unsafe, but does require careful maneuvering at parts, and steep rocks. The challenge made it more fun, and it was inspiring to see some of the more experienced hikers run up and down. The views from the summit were beautiful, and the exercise refreshing. I'd recommend bringing water, sunglasses/hat, and coming earlier in the morning to avoid too much sun. read more

Squaw Peak kick my booty! It took us about 40 minutes to make it to the top, but I definitely felt accomplished once we made it to the top. It's gorgeous our there and I recommend you try it for yourself. Oh, parking is a pain in the butt so get there early!!! read more

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This is a great workout! Is luke walking on stairs though. Also, every time you think that you are close you really have a long way too go. Is a good idea to bring water. The view at the top is well worth it. Thw are even a few squirrels at the top that are a bit too friendly. I also enjoyed seeing a few lizards on the hike! read more

Piestewa Peak - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Great place to hike! I'm out of practice but made it to the top, which was so worth it! Definitely very crowded, but filled with like- minded, kind people. There are no bathrooms. Even so, bring plenty of water. This is a steep, rocky hike, which took more out of me than expected. I had extra water in the car, but next time will carry more with me. read more

Piestewa Peak - At the top! - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I absolutely love Piestewa Peak Summit Trail! If you're like me & love hiking, leg day is your favorite day of the week, & you're into pushing yourself then you're looking at the right trail. I'm here 3x/week & hike this trail 2x/day. I'm definitely not the hike it once-take a picture at the top kind of hiker. read more

one of the best place for a hike gives you a grate work out and amazing views of the valley go around 6 so you can see the best sun set in prisons forget the flash light and please people take lots of WATER or you will die the o LG thing that suck no bath room read more

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This was my first trip up the peak and I enjoyed it! It was a bit hot but it appears everyone gets off to very early morning hikes in the summer. The parking lots were busy so I was pretty far away, and took a long trail to make it to the summit trail. I was joined with tons of people- some jogging, some limping. It was very fun. I made it up in over and hour or so to the top and enjoyed beautiful views of Phoenix. There was a water fountain and shaded picnic tables at the bottom which were nice after my hot trek. read more

If you like great view of the Phoenix Metropolitan area, this is the hike for you. If you are a beginner or never done this hike before, bring water and hydrate yourself before doing so. Get here early on weekends before 7am, If hiking in the evening bring a small flashlight. It gets crowded and not many people are prepared for this hike, and on more than one occasion, I have had to help people down or encourage them to get to the top. The views of the valley are very beautiful, in various spots and I always make a friend or two when hiking here. I like bringing oranges and granola bars to eat at the summit and watch the sunrise. If you see the guy wearing a weight vest and carrying huge punching bag, that's me, say hello! read more

went to piestewa peak for my bachelorette hike. it is definitely a beautiful site especially for a LA gal. i just loved the way you can see all the rocks and how the structure of it is so different from the hiking trails that I am used to. once you get on top and complete the hike the reward is a beautiful view of phoenix. so going up its definitely all incline. so i had to take lots of breaks as i am not a super experienced hiker nor am i super active usually. so allow yourself time to take breaks if you're anything like me. once at the top people usually eat their snacks and takes pictures. you'll definitely wanna sit there for a bit, catch your breath/rest, and take in the view cause you definitely earned it. going down for me on any hiking trip is usually lot easier. i think for many it can be a little challenging as it is slippery from the decline and you don't wanna fall face forward. overall, i would recommend piestewa peak if you're looking for a hiking trail. my bridal party and sister in law including myself really enjoyed this hike! tips: *rub on the sunblock *wear a hat *wear comfy shoes *make sure you bring the agua *parking is a pain in the behind. it's so hard to find even though there are a lot of spots. *people do bring their kids. *bring the camera *stretch before and afterwards if possible. *you'll wanna shower afterwards. cause it is a dirt trail. *this is an intermediate hike. *if you're looking for a shady hiking trail. this is not it. read more

I really like this one, just wish it was closer to me. It isn't too challenging but it is long enough that you get a good work out.

On my first visit to AZ when I was still living in LA... I was brought here for a hike. I remember thinking, it couldn't phase me, I'm queen of the stairmaster at the gym. LOL. ohhhh was I wrong. This far surpasses any stairmaster at any gym. I couldn't make it to the top that day. This mountain especially with the crazy AZ summer heat kicked my ass! After moving to AZ, I was determined to conquer it. On my second attempt, I was able to make it to the top. Over the last two years, I've probably hiked this over 30 times, and believe me it does not get any easier each time. But once you make it to the top and see the view you'll see that it's sooo worth it. Now, my next goal is to go up and down twice. So far, I've been able to go up and down 1 1/2 times. It's a great workout. And yes, I take all my LA friends that visit up here and get a kick out of watching them dying trying to climb it. It's definitely different from what we're used to out there. read more

Beautiful views, multiple trails, lots of enthusiastic outdoors-peeps, and a good location. This is a great park! We hiked about halfway to the top of the main peak when the rain became quite visible to the north, so we unfortunately had to come down before we saw the summit. However, we enjoyed a semi-challenging, steep and rocky climb that led to spectacular views of most of the valley, and we were likely only 2/3 of the way up! Also, we noted there are many other trails to explore, so we'll certainly return when we're looking for a nice afternoon stint in the sun! read more

Great hike and the views from the top are wonderful! It won't be so bad when they finish the new parking lot to allow more people to enjoy the trails. read more

Such a great hike! This trail is pretty intense. Keeps your heart rate up, which is what I love about it. The trail is easy to follow and the steps make it easier to climb. The parking isn't great, it can get crowded quickly, especially with the nice weather. The summit has a great view of the valley and totally worth the heart pumping hike! read more

Piestewa Peak - Summit view.. - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Fun place to hike. Lots of parking. Easy trails that get more difficult as you ascend. Great views of the city.

was such a fun hike!!!! love the views and the difficulty of the hike! it's a great hike if your looking for a little bit of a challenge but having a good time at the same time! read more

Love hiking this mountain. The views of are incredible and the trails are fun. Great time for the entire family.

I could not find a place to park my Honda Civic and enjoy the trails. After about 60 minutes of looking. I gave up. Need more options to get there, and where to park the car so that the trail can actually be enjoyed. I will save my time and go elsewhere. Suggestion: Should consider developing an offsite parking area, and providing a shuttle to the entrance (perhaps for a small fee)...and let it be known where to find the shuttle. read more

Tough hike in summer heat but well worth the climb. Take lots of water. View from the top is worth the hike. Gets very busy so go early.

For a mountainous hike in Phoenix this is worth it. I find it a perfect mix of difficulty and fun. My son (13) and I (37) have been to Phoenix 2 years in a row and wouldn't miss this. I am not as fast as the locals who seem to make it up in less than 30 min but I also like the scenery. It's a tough climb at times but it's so worth it. We climbed at dusk the 2nd time and stayed for the night fall. Worth it as long as you bring a flashlight for the way down. read more

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Great hike with excellent views of the city. Tons of people though. I would recommend getting here early and bringing plenty of water. read more

Piestewa Peak - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Hi People, This peak is an excellent short workout. I wouldn't choose to do it when the temp gets up over 90 degrees or so, but this is February 2012 and in the seventies. Still started out plenty warm on the uphill section(which is the entire way :+] ) . Wifie and I made it with several breaks in 2 hr, 20 min. I'll be seventy in March and the rocky path took a toll on my ankles & knees in spite of a good pair of Vasque boots. We are from the Midwest and have nothing this nice to hike back home in Michigan. This is not quite as demanding as Picacho Peak by any means, at least not the long desert route up Picacho, but the rocky path up Piestewa presents a new set of challenges. The rock of the mountain in general seems to be stratified in a near vertical tilt, so there are many projections to trip over on the way up and down. Personally, I prefer a more primitive trail(this one has concrete poured between the rocks much of the way) and a whole lot less fellow travelers. We did this on a Tuesday afternoon, getting on the trail a little after 2:00 pm. It was like hiking on a freeway. The traffic was heavy and there was a lot of stepping aside to avoid those who liked to run and jog their way up and down as well as the normal human hiker traffic. Overall, I enjoyed the experience. Next time around I think we will try doing the longer route rather then the short 1.2 mile ascent. I'm sure in this case the less traveled road may well be the best. Have yourself a great hike! Bruce Donley Jenison, MI read more

I have done this hike twice and think its a great short hike. It will get the blood flowing but is not crazy difficult for any avid hiker. The views of the city are amazing and it really feels like you accomplished something when you get to the top. Trail is always busy so if you are looking for a getaway this is not the trail for you but overall it's a great hike! read more

Two Saturdays ago we did the Circumference Trail hike and had a great time. For people who get bored on hikes, the terrain is rocky enough that you really have to think about where you put your feet. Some great views on the back side of the peak and a nice sense of accomplishment when you are done. Picking through 3.75 miles of rocky trail took us longer than we expected, though-- about 3 hours. We were amazed by the people who literally RUN up the mountain (there's a 1.2 mile trail to the summit). We also found out that the fire department has an average of 23 rescue trips in the park PER WEEKEND! We couldn't believe it. So the search and rescue team was parked down at the base just waiting for their next call. Definitely pack more water than you think you'll need. I started to slow down when we ran out about halfway through (duh!). Four stars because the parking is so limited. I don't know what the park can do to improve this situation, but we were just darn lucky to find a spot and we arrived at 8:30 AM. If you drive to the very very end of the road, be sure not to park in the striped area: it's a search and rescue helicopter landing pad and you'll get ticketed if you do. (Luckily, we didn't!) read more

Arizona is certainly the place to go for great sights when it comes to a number of things as it is, but it certainly was an awesome idea to go to Piestewa Peak. It's quite a tough hike and all but it was definitely worth it to get to the peak and my wife and I really enjoyed doing this. Once you get to the top there are some gorgeous views that words cannot describe how awesome it was. There's no doubt that it was tough getting up there but it's a glorious reward you are given when you do get to the top. It was a good challenge and one that we certainly thoroughly enjoyed. Parking wasn't great but that really was outweighed by how much fun we actually had once we got out of the car. We would definitely go there again because it was a great experience and definitely worth it. read more

This hike is my favorite hike in the valley. It's challenging but not so challenging that you have to be a regular to manage to Summit the mountain. This Trail is popular with the locals so it's safe to come at anytime during the day. Of course if it's the summer time make sure you bring enough water to stay hydrated. Parking is usually difficult to find here l. If you're coming with multiple people try to carpool when you can. read more

Camelback Mountain is Phoenix's most popular hike....Piestewa Peak is Phoenix's best. Less crowded, less dangerous, and more rewarding at the top this is a trail I would do again in a heartbeat. The beginning can feel a lot like a giant stairmaster but toward the summit the trail gets really cool. Found a really good description of the trail here if you're looking for more info http://www.fuistetravels.com/mountains/camelbackmountain read more

This is my favorite hike in the valley, and during the cooler months I will do it 5 times a week. Incredible views and you don't have to go all the way to the top to get them. Sunsets can be awe-inspiring. Sometimes you can hear the owls who nest in the park hooting at a full moon on the rise at dusk. Impossible to describe. Lots of inaccurate information in the reviews for this hike so I wanted to list a couple things: 1. Piestewa Peak Park has several trails, the summit trail being the most popular. 2. Summit trail is ALWAYS busy during fall, winter and spring during the last 2 hours of daylight. During those hours, parking can be an issue. 3. it is 1.25 miles to the top, with 1190 feet of elevation gain. It is not easy. 4. dogs are NOT allowed on the summit trail or parts of the circumference trail (about 3.5 miles), but are permitted on other trails in the park. Just read the signs. 5. The summit trail is NOT ok for the whole family. It is extremely narrow in places after the first half mile. 6. It should not be attempted by people with heart or respiratory issues, especially on high pollution advisory days. 7. Many people run the summit in 25 minutes. Twice. These people are called fanatics and you should stay out of their way. :-) 8. The basic rules are just like driving: stay to the right, only pass on the left. If there is a line behind you, pull off to the side. 9. ALWAYS hike in single file, always stay on the trail. Leaving the trail disturbs the habitat and is very dangerous. 10. Never smoke. (Yes, some people still do that.) 11. Summit trail during the summer time should only be attempted by those who have done it during cooler months first. The rocks are granite (used to be called Granite Mountain) and during the summer, it retains heat after sunset. 12. At least a quart of water for newbies during the cooler months. If the temp is over 90, you will want twice that. And have extra in the car. Follow these guidelines and you will have a great time. read more

My favorite hiking trail in Phoenix. It's a total workout and a real butt kicker, but I always feel like I accomplished so much when I reach the top! And rewarded with a great view of the valley!! There is surprisingly a lot of parking here too, another reason it's my favorite!! read more

Did Piestewa and Camelback (Echo trail) in consecutive days and preferred this one more because it required less "rock climbing" aka using your hands but it was still a great workout. Nature's ultimate stairmaster. read more

This is my go-to trail when I want a nice burn but also a workout that is easy on the eyes! There are multiple trails that you can explore and they are all marked well. On the way back down the 300 trail I saw a sign that marked the trail 'extremely difficult.' I have to disagree with this as the hike is a workout and a fun challenge if you decide to keep exploring all the way up to the top, but nothing that a determined individual can't accomplish. There are also plenty of places that you can 'pull over' and recoup or just simply sit and enjoy the views like I do. Part of me loves the fitness aspect, but I go mostly to enjoy the outdoors and to get some fresh air. If you're like me, and aren't in a rush, maybe hold off for a little while on your journey here because some of the reserve is under construction and when I was up there today enjoying just how beautiful Phoenix can be, I was reminded of just how busy our world really is because it was hard to ignore the bulldozers and busy crew working. read more

This was the launch of our "Seven Summits" of Phoenix mountaineering adventure. Our goal is to reach all of the seven summits by the end of April and we are off to a great start. Although it took us two attempts (two separate visits) to reach the summit, we did it with a few breaks and plenty of gasping along the way on New Years day. It was our way of starting the New Year on the more active side of things. This hike really gave us a great work out with the steeper parts of the path allowing for a good sweat. The trail is a continuous climb with a few resting spots and with plenty of photo ops to the summit. It does get pretty crowded and parking can be an issue on the weekends after the early hours. There are picnic tables, ramadas, restrooms and of course a stunning 360-degreee view once you reach the summit. read more

I love the convenience of Piestewa Peak's location, and share the same views of the park with nearly everyone else so I won't rehash too much. Fun hikes, a good workout, great views, but damn it's crowded. HOWEVER...I have a new-found love of the place because I found out about the 302 trail. It's great. I like the summit trail, but only on a slow midweek afternoon or dusk in the summer when the crowds are light. My friend and I decided to do the summit a couple Sundays ago under beautiful sunny skies with highs in the 60s. So of course the summit trail was a glorified Disneyland ride line. About 1/4 of the way up the summit I suggested we split off and take a side trail I had always noticed but never ventured on. It was a revelation! It's the 302 trail...Like I said, it's about a 1/4 way up the summit on your left side (or start at the far north parking lot and end up on the summit trail). You zig-zag down the side of the hill then head north, then cut east around the back of the summit. After getting around the summit, you can head back south and eventually it ends at the far north parking lot. It's a beautiful trail and offers views of the rocky mountainside that I never knew about. There's a few parts of the trail where you are completely surrounded by desert...no views of the freeway or houses. The elevation doesn't fluctuate too much (obviously not as much as the summit trail) but it's a great workout. It's longer than the summit trail...a good 75-90 minute hike. Plus there's still a few more adjoining trails that I need to check out. And the best thing...No one is on the trail! I've done it three times now, and have yet to see more than 8 people the whole trail. The summit is still fun, but I'm hooked on the 302 for now. There's some other side trails that aren't ever crowded, but are boring compared to the 302 and summit. read more

This place is great for all age hike. Bring lots of water and if brining little ones bring some bandaids in case they stumble. There are lots of stones and loose gravel. It's an easy to moderate hike. Don't forget lots of water. It is Arizona! read more

Whoa momma! I am deathly afraid of heights so this one gave me a run for my money. The workout itself is FANTASTIC as long as you look at your feet going up and crab walk on some parts going down. Seriously!!! I had a fantastic time and I know that I will be back again soon, that is as soon as I get over my fear of heights! read more

This was my first hike in Phoenix, actually Arizona for that matter. It was the perfect December afternoon, mid 70's; a far cry from the low 30's in Washington! We found a parking spot, did a few stretches, and got going. It was fairly busy with hikers, but everyone was very polite/friendly if you needed to pass someone or while waiting to let a downward hiker by. The views were amazing and pictures from the top are worth framing. I was a hiking virgin, but I think this place was awesome! I think I'm ready to conquer Camelback now! read more

I was looking for a quick, moderately difficult hike that was relatively close to my Tempe hotel and the Summit Trail on Piestewa Peak was just that! It was a great way to get a decent morning workout but didn't require much preparation--a small CamelBak, a fruit bar, and some good shoes were all I needed. The final stretch to the summit was just challenging enough and the view was fantastic. My only complaint would be that it was fairly busy and I started at 6am. Roundtrip time was 1 hour 20 minutes, including a 10 minute break at the top. read more

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