There are 2 extremes to this hike. You can choose to explore the lower canyon to a beautiful…read morewaterfall at the end surrounded by cliffs and call it a day for a total of 3 miles out and back OR you can hire a guide and canyoneer the upper canyon and spend around 5-7 hours while rappelling, climbing, and wading through endless pools and more waterfalls for a total of over 5 miles. On this adventure, my hiking group decided to take the easy route and enjoy the lower canyon. It kind of reminded me of West Fork hike in Sedona, because you cross the creek bed repeatedly, and you cannot help but stop and stare in awe of how beautiful the surroundings are. The hike is peaceful and you feel kid-like once more since you are forced to climb over small boulders, get knee deep or sometimes even waist deep in water, and brush past tree branches of various foliage. The life is teeming with so many different plant species present and with the Salt River connecting nearby, you just know the place is great for fishing as well. Permits are $15 per person for day hikes. Cibecue is on sacred land so remember to enjoy the hike in all its glory but be respectful and pack out everything you bring in.

One of my favorite hikes in AZ! How can you beat stunning canyon views, creek crossings, and a…read morebeautiful waterfall at the end!? Not to mention it's in the middle of nowhere away from all civilization--a great day trip getaway to relieve yourself after a stressful workweek! A few things to note before trekking out here: -You're going to want to be driving a 4x4 or high clearance vehicle as the road from the 60 turnoff is nothing but dirt and rocks. I've seen a Prius do it but it looked painful and damaging lol. -Permits are now $30 per person and you pay with cash into a box so come prepared. I'm not a huge fan of the price hike *no pun intended* but I can see why the reservation did it reduces the crowd. -Bring sturdy water shoes or prepare to get your hiking shoes wet/muddy. I have some pretty flimsy Walmart water shoes so I opted for the latter. There are multiple creek crossings and it's not like Seven Falls or Oak Creek--there are not enough stones to hop across and you will need to walk in the water.By the end of the day, my hiking shoes were completely soaked with muddy water. They will need some deep cleaning. -Piggy-backing off the point above, if you go following a monsoon storm, expect the creek and falls to be saturated with thick mud. Grand Falls style. -PLEASE pack in what you pack out. Do not litter or leave anything behind in this beautiful place.

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.

Probanly one of the last standing Great Depression dams in the world…read more You have to see it to believe it. Vaulting Eagles, Columns of such beuaty it will take your breath away. This is possibly the greatest standing Art Deco example of CCC work left in the US. Go see it now, before they take it down. Go now.

This dam is very unique, and very picturesque! Too bad they have contracted the water downstream so…read moremuch, the lake is rarely very deep. The Apache Rez is currently closed for Covid. I was therefor business and able to go to the dam.

This is a beautiful area with scenic views. As a kid, I've hiked this area and really enjoyed. I…read morerecently drove by, but since it's August, we didn't explore too much as it isn't safe with the heat. Some of the best trails and hiking in Arizona if you ask me; especially for the Phoenix area.

This trail was life-changingly beautiful! It's a great trail for the advanced side of beginner…read morehikers. I'd recommend going with a group as it is pretty isolated and we only passed two other groups within the three days we were there in the Springtime. We saw lots of amazing species like Gila monsters and road runners up close. The campgrounds were very primitive in a great way. Overall, if you're looking to backpack around Arizona, I'd recommend checking this trail out!

If you're looking for a great hike in the Superstition Mountains, Hieroglyphic Trail is absolutely…read moreworth checking out. The scenery is incredible and the petroglyphs at the end make the hike feel especially rewarding. A few things to know before you go: the parking lot is pretty small and fills up fast, so getting there early is definitely recommended. Otherwise, you may end up waiting for someone to leave. I also wouldn't risk parking in a no-parking zone because I've heard they tow pretty regularly. The trail description says it's "a 1.5 mile trail that climbs a gentle slope covered with many cacti then enters the lower end of a boulder-filled canyon, ending at a rocky section where pools persist for much of the year," and that's mostly accurate. There are some sections before the canyon where you'll need to scramble over larger rocks, but overall it's manageable for most hikers. Once you reach the canyon and the petroglyph area, the terrain becomes steeper with much larger boulders. There's also a small streambed with several pools of water, which was a nice surprise. The petroglyphs themselves are amazing and can be found on both sides of the canyon. You can get fairly close to several of them, which makes the experience even better. Bring plenty of water because most of the trail is fully exposed to the sun during the day. Once you reach the petroglyphs it's a great spot to sit, rest, and recharge There is shade inside the canyon, although when we arrived most of the shady spots were already occupied by other hikers. Overall, this is a fantastic beginner-to-intermediate trail with spectacular views, unique scenery, and a rewarding destination at the end. Definitely one of my favorite hikes in the area.

Hieroglyphic Trail is a beginner to intermediate hiking trail you can hike to see the sunrise early…read morein the morning. There are plenty of parking spaces and the hike is not too challenging to hike even for the first timers. On either side of the trail there are beautiful landscapes be admired with mountains that can only be seen in the Arizona. With the sun slowly lightening up the trail, mid October morning was a perfect time to hike this trail. When you reach close to the summit, you will find yourself in between two rocks with hieroglyphic markings on them with the stream of water running between them. What a sight to see. We decided to hang out here for a bit enjoying the fresh breeze and the scene. No matter how many pictures and videos we take they don't do justice for this beautiful trail. We also brought some small snacks and protein bars to munch on while we planned out the rest of our day during our short visit to Arizona. Please be careful with every step. Don't leave trash behind. Take lots of beautiful photos. Let me know how much you enjoyed this!

The Picketpost Trailhead gives you access to the Arizona Trail, which traverses the state from…read moreMexico to Utah. We did not hike the Picketpost Trail up the mountain, but instead did an hour out and back along the Arizona Trail. While the scenery at Lost Dutchman State Park east of Phoenix is beautiful, driving the additional 30 minutes east to this trailhead is well worth the extra time. It's less crowded and I found the backdrop of Picketpost Mountain spectacular. If you are new to the Sonoran Desert, you will find the landscape fascinating; there is much more green than you would expect, at least in the winter. Of course, the saguaros are the highlight, and the saguaro sentinels abound up and down the ridges on this stretch of the Arizona Trail. I loved it. Access to the trailhead is on the south side of US60 about five miles west of Superior. There's a sign for the trailhead on the highway.

Let me make something clear before I start rambling and raving--Picketpost is not just a hike. It's…read morea guaranteed adventure! You know how they say a picture is worth a thousand words? Well the number of routes to get to the summit are pretty high up there as well. Coming from Phoenix on the I-60, look for signage just before Superior heading eastbound. Turn right onto a heavily worn road which will lead you to the trailhead. NOTE: if you have a sedan like me, be prepared for a bumpy ride! Good thing I just got new tires last week lol. Once you park and start along the trailhead, the important thing is to continue straight until you find the rocks pointing in an arrow to the left (see photo). I made the mistake of swinging left at the first fork approx 3-4 min into the hike and ended up finding myself amongst a pack of cattle all staring at me...yeah pretty intimidating! After about 8 min after swinging left at the proper spot, you reach the nightmarish incline that seems to never end. Some say this hike is equal to Flatiron. I'd say without a doubt Picketpost is much harder. There are spots during the ascent where you have to rock climb and know how to position yourself to avoid slipping and falling. Definitely not for the faint of heart or for those who are afraid of heights! For those who love adventure, it's pretty darn exciting but exhausting at the same time hehe! After what seems like an eternity of climbing/scrambling, you reach the flat summit. Within a few more minutes you are at the red mailbox and convenient metal bench. The 360 view is downright breathtaking and perfect for a photos. Be sure to remember to log your journey in a notebook located inside the mailbox! The descent is almost as hard as the ascent as you really need to watch your feet placement (Gravity is no longer on your side!). Unlike Picacho, there are no cables. One false move or loss of balance and you might be toast. Overall, this hike is excruciating but extremely rewarding. Be careful out there and have a blast! Oh and stay hydrated especially during the warm spring/summer/fall months!

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park is beautiful, I'm so glad I had the opportunity to finally check it…read moreout! It costs $10/person and you can pay at the entrance booth with cash or go inside to pay with card. We did not hike down to the creek/observation bridge but will definitely check it out on another visit. There are four easily labeled viewpoints that show different angles of the bridge. There was a lot of wildlife when we went and we even got to see a Coati! This place is great, definitely check it out.

Why it is $10 PER PERSON for a park that isn't that big and only has a few trails? And why do the…read moretrails close at 4pm? At least during the months where the sun doesn't set that early, the park should stay open past 5. Anyway, my mom, dad, and I stopped here around 3 on a Friday in early October. There were several different parking lots to choose from with plenty of spaces. There weren't that many people there but there were quite a few groups for them supposedly closing in less than an hour. Even at 3:45 there were still a decent amount of cars in the various lots. The actual natural bridge was pretty cool to see. The waterfall was interesting in that it was many trickles combined to form a "waterfall." I just wish my mom and I weren't experiencing leg/hip injuries that prevented us from doing the couple strenuous trails that we so would've done had it not be for our ongoing pain issues. I really would've liked to do the Gowan trail. Alas. We loved how each trail was nicely marked and there were even arrows painted on the rocks down in the canyon part. Way to go, Arizona!

Peralta Trails is by far one of my favorites in the Phoenix Metro Area. The drive is beautiful and…read moremost of it dirt. You don't need a four-wheel-drive however. Even if you're not a hiker, just go for the drive alone. I'd suggest getting out of your car at the provide lot and taking pictures at the beginning of the trail as it's something in itself to experience.

Fantastic trail away from everything. Pretty easy steady climb to the Needle on the other side…read more 5miles out and back. Today after few days of rain saw running water and everything was so green. The sound of water made the experience even more beautiful.

Easy to find the parking for the trailhead. The lot is small, but it wasn't busy so there was…read moreplenty of parking. The trail is also easy to follow thanks to the spray painted white arrows. The hike is rated difficult on AllTrails. I would say it's more moderate. The views are stunning and the cave is a fun way to end the hike! We came on a Sunday afternoon and there were only a few other people. We had the cave to ourselves for awhile. We saw a total of 3 tarantulas on the trail which was cool!

Parking lot is small; we were lucky to find a spot around noon on a Thursday. No bathrooms at the…read moretrail head and several were "popping a squat" and leaving behind their toilet paper which was kind of gross. Also no enforcement of the required permit and no other vehicles had parking passes displayed on their dash as instructed by the permit guidelines. Trail is not marked at all and we did get off trail by accident a few times coming down. The entirety of the trail is rocky, which doesn't matter as much during the first mile that is relatively flat but did require strategic footing on the way up the last half mile and extreme caution coming down. I slid several times despite being extra cautious (and saw many others sliding too) and even fell twice (luckily didn't get hurt). There was a small bee hive at the wave and bees followed us the entire way back to the parking lot. Saw some birds and lizards. Made it up in an hour and took just about the same amount of time coming down with full sun the entire time. I recommend this hike because the wave cave is a cool feature but I don't think I'd do it again because of the trail conditions and bees.