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.

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!

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!

I love this trail. Two peaks up and down. Nothing too difficult some beautiful vistas. It's a quick…read moretrail with three good parking spots.

Such a gorgeous and interesting place. Feels like an escape. Trail is not hard…read more -parking on the street -wear pants you are okay with sliding down a granite rock with -bring grippy shoes if you want to climb rocks -mostly just a long walk -be aware of mountain bikers

The hike up to Fatman's Pass via Mormon Loop Trail is not very difficult. Completed the hike and…read morejust over two hours with ample stops. I am a moderate hiker, not novice but not advanced by any means and thought this trail was fairly easy even after a long summer of not hiking outside in the brutal Phoenix heat. The trail is very rocky and requires a close eye on your footing to not trip. The trail is mostly clearly marked. However, there were a few instances where I had to pull out my AllTrails map just to verify that I didn't veer off the trail down a wash or an unofficial pathway that other hikers has created. Fatman's Pass should be actually be called Not-Fatman's as the opening between the two rocks is very narrow. I could barely fit with my Camelback on my back and my hat on my head. Others have reported there is no shade along the trail; however, I did find a few shady spots around noon on a November day. There's also ample shade at the pass itself. I chose to take the loop counterclockwise and glad I did! My original theory was that it looked to be a sharper incline going uphill and I prefer to do that versus a steep decline. But to my surprise after the pass, there were very slippery, smooth granite rocks that we were sliding across even with proper footwear. I decided to use five points of contact and slide down on my bottom, just to make sure that I didn't slip and fall. I saw a number of hikers with their dogs and think this trail would be okay in the cooler months with plenty of water. But I would feel very nervous about taking my own dog on those slippery granite rocks. Maybe I'd hold my dog in my lap and slide down and pretend I was on a playground with a friend at the bottom to catch us. lol! I saw several chipmunks, dragonflies, and even a small snake (not a rattlesnake) on the trail. Not very buggy and pretty clean minus a couple not-picked up dog poops. There is a small parking lot at the trailhead and plenty of street parking in the surrounding neighborhood. There is no bathroom or water station so make sure to use the bathroom and fill up your water before hitting the trailhead!

Really good hike You can see the valley the whole time…read more When you get to the top you can't help but think of what a great accomplishment you just made.

I had heard good things about this trail and it has a cool name, so I decided to check it out one…read moremorning. I didn't want to pay for parking so I started at a different trailhead and hiked a few kilometers to get to the beginning of this trail. I saw a good amount of people along the way, but not too many. They were all courteous and respectful of the trail and its rules. There are lots of switchbacks and some decent elevation, I'd classify it as a moderate hike. The top with the "cave" was nice, more like an indentation, and I saw 2 chipmunks. I guess I didn't make it all the way to the top according to my map, but close enough. I went back down the trail and continued on my loop back to the parking lot I came from. There isn't much cover from the sun so be sure to dress appropriately, wear sunscreen, a hat, drink water, etc. I'm glad I got to do this trail.

Jaw droppin, cardio pumpin, drive train spinin, suspension popin, no stoppin as I'm trippin 'round…read morebitchin trails on a fatty plus. "Get some booty on that fatty carbon" SC Tallboy blastin cross eye knockin Sonoran desert flora & fauna, gonna pedal in flow motion, quads burnin as wheels turnin slowly up to the top, higher. Then descendin like ya ridin pants on fire, faster, leanin into curves, coastin slidin by Teddy Bear cholla, Saguaro, Ocotillo, goin hard pack sandstone, goin fatty tires spittin DG, rippin through washes, big knoobies grippin and pop pop popin on the rock gardens rockin & rollin---look out for the hikers, single tracker MT bikers 10 to 15 to 20 miles or more I suppose, who knows? Fun place to saddle up! In my 3 rides here fast furious fat tire fun in the OMG Arizona sun! Oops, today overcast! Here is how to access Hawes trailhead: at Mcdowell Rd and Power Rd traffic light, go north 2.7 miles cross the canal and look left at dirt parking lot. Trails across road. I have the Trailforks iPhone (or Android) app to get around! See my photos!

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!

What an absolutely gorgeous trail in the greater Phoenix area! Sunrise Peak is a favorite of mine,…read moreoffering gorgeous views from the beginning of the trail all the way to the top making for a lighthearted, happy hike to a peak summit overlooking the valley. The trail conditions are pristine with gorgeous saguaro cactus lining your path the entire way. Stunning rock formations present as you work your way up and before you know it, you've arrived a top an iconic mountain in the Sonoran desert. Can't recommend this hike enough!

Mountains are to me a cleanse for the soul.This trail was a 1100 gain off of 145 th in Scottsdale…read more We were lucky enough to discover this trail after meeting a Scottsdale local who recommended it. We found parking at the entrance although there is parking down the mountain another 500 feet away from this one if full. Even though it was 56 degrees at the start it can get warm as the trails are a moderate climb in parts but with good trail shoes and balance you most likely would not need hiking poles . The views from different points are worth a view and we were lucky to go early on a Saturday where the trails were not crowded. It was dog friendly and clean.No facilities so definitely need to bring water or drink of choice. Return: definitely for the views