BEST OF PHOENIX - Most tourists (like myself) have never heard of the South Mountain. Internet searches will always pull up the Camelback Mountain as the "best hike" in Phoenix. Luckily our hotel was close to the South Mountain so we were able to experience this wonderful outdoor park with the locals. Trails - There are many trails starting at the base of the mountain with the biggest one being the Pima Canyon Trailhead. Other popular trails are the National Trail, the Mormon Trail, and the Hidden Valley Loop. If you're looking for a more aggressive hike you can always walk from the base of the mountain all the way to one of the viewpoints at the top of South Mountain. Trails are pretty family-friendly, just watch out for mountain bikers zooming down the trails with reckless abandon. Not into hiking? No problem. You can drive to the top of the mountain and check out their visitor center and several viewpoints along the ridgeline. read more

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Breath taking Take the family Natural wonder It will not disappear Bring those hiking shoes read more

I really love this park. It has a few different trails, and the one I hike isn't the best for biking due to all the rocks, but it's perfect for an early morning hike when the air is still fresh. read more

Best place to go when you just want to get away. It's honestly so beautiful. I highly recommend going if you want to see some breath taking views. CAUTION : Be very careful on the way driving up, the roads do get narrow. Bring water & if you decide to walk around make sure you stay on trail. read more

South Mountain Park - South Mountain - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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I love hiking at south mountain. There are several areas to park and find a trail. If you drive all the way down south on 19th Avenue, you will see a parking area along with a directory showing the trails and how many miles it takes to hike. Make sure to take all the necessities with you . read more

South Mountain Park - Halfway point up South Mountain. - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

What a wonderful weekend adventure! The weather was so pleasant that we decided to take a hike and get some dose of nature and vitamin D. I have never been here before and expected this to be a regular state park. I was so pleasantly surprised. This park is so beautiful! We drove all the way to the top of the lookout and I would recommend that to all the visitors. Yes, it was crowded at popular spots. But the park is so vast that it is easy to find a spot just for you, there are so many hikes that we were the only ones on several hikes. Take advantage of the weather and head out there, you will not be disappointed! read more

South Mountain Park - Scorpion Gulch at the entrance of the park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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This was such a fun and awesome hike. The views of the valley are spectacular and this has a wide variety of trails to choose from. You can either go up there and have a nice 10 minute walk, or go for a long trip and spend 3 hours on all of the trails. You have a 360 view of the Phoenix area, and looking down into Ahwatukee. Another awesome thing about this is you can mountain bike here. The trails didn't look like anything crazy, so if you are a beginner you could definitely come up here and try it. Even though there are bikers, you don't feel like your in any danger of being hit. Because there are so many trails, everyone there is so spread out you almost feel like you have the whole park to yourself. The park was free to go into and very painless parking. With most of the hiking trails in Phoenix, the parking can be a nightmare. You can park your car on the side of the road and walk right into the trail. This also makes it nice for when you get back and are ready for a nice break. read more

South Mountain Park - Facing West - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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My only regret with South Mountain Park is that I didn't spend more time here. We wanted to kick off the hiking in Phoenix with going somewhere close by. We decided to spend a brief afternoon at South Mountain. My initial reaction is that you can spend hours and days here if you plan out your path. That's the exact thing we didn't do. We chose a trail and decided to go for a while and then turn around and come back. The trail we were on is very much a neighborhood trail. Here I am with my plenty of water and ready to go. Meanwhile... here are the teenagers coming off the mountain dressed in all black, loud music blasting, and with only a small bottle of water! I'm honestly surprised that more people don't die every year while hiking/backpacking. People just don't realize how crucial having water is. Based on the trail we were on, I'd label these trails as easy to moderate. They weren't necessarily hard but you can definitely get a workout here. Steady climbs followed by flat areas followed by slight declines. Repeat. If you plan to tackle Camelback while in Phoenix(and you should), then South Mountain is a good warm-up. Some of the trails weren't clearly marked but once on the trails, they're high-traffic areas so you shouldn't get lost. On the way up the mountain, you can turn around and see most of the city. In the distance, you can also see Camelback. There's not much more to say about South Mountain. The next time I'm in Phoenix, I'll certainly visit South Mountain again but I won't waste days there. The main issue with South Mountain has to be the people. I prefer not to have that many people around when I'm hiking. People are gross and one of the top reasons I hike/backpack/spend time in nature is to get away from them. read more

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South Mountain Park off Central is one of the most spectacular scenic drives. This is free to the public every day with the exception of every 4th Sunday. It is closed to all vehicles every 4th Sunday known as silent Sunday allowing for hikers, mountain bikers, road bikers, families with strollers to use the road without the worry of cars. The vistas and overlooks at the top are a stunning way to take in the Valley. Highly recommend for your out of town guests read more

Great mountain location with beautiful views of Phoenix especially at sunrise. Trails are marked well and range from easy to moderate.

Beautiful park, very well organized. At the entrance you find info. Little further there's the first stop with bathrooms where there's more info. Many trails easy to difficult. I went up to Dobbins Lookout and Buena Vista Hidden Valley. Gorgeous and a must visit! read more

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Like how nice and clean it is. You can drive or hike. Love the view driving up. Great photo opportunities. Awesome view from the top. read more

South Mountain Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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This is a great and quick hike!!! The trail we took is at South Mountain Park! We found this particular trail on AllTrails! It's super easy to get to with a small parking lot! There are no bathrooms at this particular spot so go before you go!! The beginning is pretty rocky! It's way fun! There are several Picture opportunities on the way up! Lots of rock formations! It's a fun trail and gives a great view! Make sure you have lots of water for you and your fur buddy as it does get hot even on a cooler day! Gotta love AZ weather! I'd go again and again!!! read more

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This is truly a must stop if you are visiting Phoenix. And I'm sure if you are lucky enough to live there you visit often. (If not, you should.) I was going to go to some botanical garden but the entrance fee was laughable. I figured I'd be able to find a cactus or two on my own. With a panoramic view of the city and surrounding desert this was an experience of a lifetime. Saguaros are amazing. I learned that they don't even start branching out until they are 60 to 80 years old. I wish I had more time to hike while I was there but that just means we'll have to come back again. And my wife found some Native American jewelry for sale in the parking lot . . . . yay. read more

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Ahhhhh! This one is another fave! An original fave, like from the late '90s when the parking was just the lot itself and very rarely was there even a car that was parallel parked at the trailhead. (Now it's two rows of parallel parkers the whole length of the entrance and even full at that some days, but that's how it is...being popular! (I'm talking about the northeast entrance at Pima Canyon Road as my access point.) This is a nice easy-to-moderate hike up the along the base and up the side of the mountain. The trail is wide and it's busy, but I still enjoy it. Have always found courtesy on the trail, thankfully. The Summit Road (come in from Central Avenue at the north) is the driveway to the top for less active desert mountain enthusiasts and it affords a 360 view of Phoenix and surrounding suburbs. The drive is nice to take out of town visitors who want to see some views without the burn :) read more

If the pandemic has given us anything, it's time to get out, explore and appreciate all that is Arizona. Despite being a prolific cyclist, road and mountain, it's been easy to constantly ride the same areas week after week. That's changed the last six months, as evident from my recent reviews of Usery, Cave Creek regional, and now South Mountain Park. SoMo is pretty much a Mecca for Mountain Bikers and I've done a handful of the trails with my mountain bike but this review is specifically around the wonderful treat the mountain provides Sunday mornings to road bikers, runners, and anyone who wants to make the trek to the top of the hill across from the TV Towers, 2000 feet of elevations. . .all without the threat of traffic. Yes, the road is closed Sunday mornings to vehicle traffic-check the website out for official closures (don't rely on this review- caveat emptor). Roughly 2,000 of elevation between the Tower climb and short San Juan road, this is a great way to kick start your Sunday morning! It's a tough climb to the top but completely doable for even the weekend warriors. And the reward is a fast and smooth ride to the bottom. The San Juan road was just resurfaced in the summer of Covid and is smooth as glass-a true joy to ride. Considering this is the largest municipal park in the United States, there are no fees to enjoy this unique and challenging ride, or any of the MTB trails. Phoenix is the place to be and South Mountain is just another great example of that! read more

I must add to any hikers day. It's not too difficult yet got a pretty good workout. Some pretty cool stuff to see. Fat Mans pass should definitely be hit while there. read more

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Beautiful and peaceful location! Great overlook of the city! Well kept and clean! Lots of hikes available but you can also drive up to the top to Olathe overlook to get breath taking views! read more

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Didn't get to hike the whole mountain but did do a little bit of hike to get just a good view of the city. Beautiful and friendly hike for all levels. Highly recommend it if you're looking for something to do. read more

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There are certainly some incredible challenges and incredible rewards in the nearly 1,200 ft elevation change afforded by some of the trails at the largest municipal park in the United States, some say in the entire world. Yep, 17,000 acres right here in our own back yard. I've had the opportunity to do more hiking here over the past 3 years, and my opinion of the park has come up. Now that I live within 3/4 mile of two South Mountain Park trail heads, it's easier to access and I can even be a cheater by parking a car at either Dobbins or Buena Vista overlooks and then hiking home to a 2nd car to drive up and retrieve the 1st car. ;) read more

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Beautiful day to drive up the windy steep road. Be patient with road bikers and also sightseeing tourists It's worth the wait to the top. It was a clear day . Great views read more

South Mountain Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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As a disabled person, it's a blessing to be able to drive to the summit, park and take in the stunning panoramic views with just a short walk. I went at sunset and it was truly amazing. I am a new transplant from the Midwest to the Valley, so finding these type of natural wonders here in the Southwest is a joy for me read more

THIS IS THE NATION'S LARGEST CITY PARK! MORE SQUARE MILES THAN MANHATTAN! I've been exploring this place for 20 years now. On my first visit I drove up the summit road to get a bird's eye view of the whole place. I have biked this road on silent Sunday's. They close the road to traffic once a month..check website to see if it's still scheduled. Do not bike up this road with traffic. Tragically many have died due to driver error. It's just not worth the risk. Instead buy a mountain bike. MUCH better workout and trails are designed for beginners through experts here. I like to hike the foothills area on the east side. Never crowded and really can't get lost. Just a great place to be alone with your thoughts. I like to bike the national trail. It's pretty tough in spots so don't feel bad if you have to walk the bike in spots. My favorite spot has to be fat man's pass. Short hike from the parking lot at the summit or you can start at pima canyon and walk up. This jewel has 1 requirement of all who want to explore. BRING WATER AND TURN AROUND BEFORE IT'S HALF GONE! ENJOY! read more

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The largest municipal park in America is also the best place for taking out-of-town visitors for a grand view of practically the entire Valley of the Sun and the mountain ranges surrounding it. And there's no need to take a strenuous hike to a summit for that (although you could, if you wanted to) because the Summit Road makes it possible to have a scenic, leisurely drive to several viewing areas, the most popular of which is the Dobbins Lookout, which is now newly renovated. The Summit Road and the other paved roads leading from it are also popular with cyclists, so be careful when driving. A visitor center near the main entrance provides plenty of information about the history, terrain, geology, flora and fauna of the park. Numerous trails wind through the mountains and vary in difficulty form easy to challenging and picnic ramadas are scattered throughout the extensive flat desert area at the base of the mountain complex. This park definitely deserves its place in the list of Points of Pride of the City of Phoenix. read more

South Mountain Park - Enjoying the view from the Buena Vista Lookout of South Mountain Park. - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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There is a lot to see at South Mountain Park. It's a nice drive up to the top to the lookouts. read more

South Mountain Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This place should not be overlooked, and yet so easily is by visitors to Phoenix. It's stunningly beautiful, the trails are well maintained, the walking paths are great for those with less mobility, and there is this great educational center with really helpful guides who are great with kids. Definite point for this girl Laconia who answered so many great "kid" questions with ease (granted, I had no idea how to answer these without wikipedia). This is also the final stop for a lot of local outdoor events like the Phoenix (Seven) Summits Challenge. Great food trucks, music, local breweries. Just be sure to bring a lot of water if you do go hiking. I know that seems obvious but Phoenix can be tricky. it may be dry and you may not be sweating as much as usual but you should carry plenty of extra water. read more

South Mountain Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Absolutely a gorgeous view of the entire city. About a 6 mile drive to the top once you've passed the ranger/bathroom station. The road is paved the entire way, however no street lights! Plenty of free parking at the top of the mountain. I'm sure the sunset is gorgeous from up here, but we left to avoid driving in the dark. I highly recommend this place for out of towners! read more

South Mountain Park - View from the top! - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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This is an amazing park. 15,000 address of desert land! Hiked the Kiwanis trail twice in three days. Being from a different climate it was a good workout. Many locals out on the trails so get an early start. Arrive by 5:30am weekends to get a parking spot and pan on a minimum of 90 minutes. Two water bottles covers you. Locals seen to use the trail for workouts and my hat is off to those running the trail. I worked hard just to walk it. This is a must do for people who like to hike. read more

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One of our favorites for sure! The steak tacos are out of this world. When we have guests we always take them to Cucina Madrigal. It never disappoints! read more

This was my second time driving up the mountain to reach Dobbins Point. The road is curvy, but it only takes 15 minutes to get to the 2230 foot plateau. Obviously the views are nice and you can even see Cardinals Stadium way in the distance. Mostly tourists show up here, but every local should check it out once. Much better to go on a weekday, but despite less crowds, you still get some weirdo's. The pot smoking Mexican guy drinking a beer as he walks with his little kid and baby mama Two young adults settled in on the scenic bench reading the bible Two adults in full makeout mode in biker gear An empty twelve-pack of crappy beer in the fort The Indian women hawking jewelry and then packing up when their lookout spots a park ranger. Oh and some loud coyotes howling away at 1pm in the afternoon. Get your photos and head on back down as speeding cars tailgate you all the way. read more

South Mountain Park - Cloudy day - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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This park offers some of the best hikes in the metro Phoenix area! I've gone in both sunny/hot and cloudy/stormy weather and each setting offers its own benefits. If you're coming from the north side (downtown area), I recommend driving up to the summit and then hiking on one of the trailhead that begin up there. For those in Chandler/Ahwatukee, park at the end of Chandler Blvd. or at the Telegraph Pass Trailhead along Desert Foothills Pkwy. Another fun activity/tradition my wife and I have around the holidays is driving up to the summit while listening to holiday music. It totally gets you in the festive mood! If you're hiking during the summer months, make sure you are used to the AZ heat and bring PLENTY of water. Even though it's a dry heat, it's still heat. read more

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Beautiful park with nice hiking trails and the views are great especially at sundown. Be sure to take a drive up to Dobbins Lookout for amazing views and photo ops. If we have plenty of rainy days over the winter the wildflowers are so pretty come March and April. Would not advise hiking in the very hot summer months unless you go very early and take plenty of water. There's Silent Sunday on the fourth Sunday of every month where no vehicles are allowed. Just hikers, bikers or walking. read more

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Nature gets 5 stars! It's a great place to hike/bike/horseback/run/explore/geocache/Pokémon....etc. There's something there for everyone. Just remember to pack water. So many people forget it. Also, It's a great place to bring dogs, but please keep them on a leash and remember, theres cholla cactus, sharp rocks, snakes..... If you have trash, pack it out! There is no cleanup crew there. LOL The scenery there is always beautiful. It's hard to get lost. Stay on the path, and look up the trails. It's a good idea to look at maps and determine where all the trails are. Bikes Yield to horses and pedestrians. Pedestrians Yield to horses. Uphill has the right of way. Please follow the rules and be courteous to others. Bikers often don't remember these rules so keep aware of your surroundings if you're hiking or horseback riding. I see people of all ages and abilities out there. Also, every fourth Sunday of the month, the city of Phoenix closes the main roads up the mountain from the Central Rd entrance. It's a great way to safely ride the paved roads to the towers and lookouts on the main road. There are riders, hikers, runners, bird watchers and so on. It's a great way to spend a Sunday while the weather is beautiful. read more

South Mountain Park - Great night for a hike!!!!! - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Nice and easy hike. Had to do 3 peaks to make it long enough. The climbs are not very high. No fee to get into the park. Plenty of parking. read more

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First time here at MORMON TRAIL. A little too technical for us leisure hikers. The 170° view of the valley from the summit was quite picturesque. There are no facilities at the trailhead other than drinking water fountain, albeit questionable. Lol. Along the trail itself ... -well marked -rocky -dog poop -unleashed pets -hikers congregating and hanging out along the trail blocking the already narrow pass... (Pssst... pls, move to the side. Thanks, lovelies. ^_^) -busy at 8:00 AM Parking ... A small lot that fits approximately 20 vehicles. Street parking is available read more

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Nice location for viewing Phoenix. Long road trip up winding two lane roads. The views are spectacular and has adequate facilities.

Beautiful view good for hiking and sightseeing with your family.... Best place to view Phoenix, Arizona.

Great variety of hikes to enjoy through out the year. There are no entry fees to South Mountain park. Kiwanis trail to telegraph pass is a favorite hike. You will see the landscape kissed with orange, purple, and yellow desert flowers blooming during the springtime. I also enjoy hidden valley, and national trail and ranger trail. A good moderate hike is Mormon trail. read more

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Nicest place we visited in Phoenix so far. Highly recommended if you like the Arizona Wildnerness and Mountains. Beautiful Cactus Mecca and lovely Hiking Trails. read more

South Mountain Park - Beautiful Park, highly recommended! - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

The road on San Juan Road after the fork with Summit Road and Central is closed, so I parked at the parking lot there. The parking lot is small but I came on Thanksgiving so it wasn't too problematic to find a spot although most spots were taken by the time I arrived at 8:40AM. I did the Alta and Bajada loop clockwise which was fine; it was flat for the first half and then went up to the peak, then came back down. No shade per usual Arizona hikes, and scenery was just okay. At the top, I could get a view of the cities and towns as well as the mountains behind it. Not bad! I got back to the car at 12:50PM, totaling about 3 hrs 40 mins. It's ~9.8 miles - there's a map at the parking lot with mileage on it, and parking at this parking lot adds 1.4 mi to the trip. read more