Scottsdale and Phoenix Hiking Trails: Every Major Hike by Difficulty
Scottsdale and Phoenix pack more world-class desert hiking into one metro area than anywhere else in the country, from a flat saguaro-lined nature loop to the boulder scramble up Camelback Mountain. The catch: these trails vary wildly in difficulty, and picking the wrong one is how visitors end up rescued. This guide covers the eight hikes worth your time, organized easy to hard, with the numbers that matter: distance, elevation gain, dog rules, parking, and best months.
Trail Comparison Table: Scottsdale and Phoenix Hikes at a Glance
Every trail in this guide, with figures from the City of Phoenix, the City of Scottsdale, and AllTrails. Distances are labeled loop, round trip, or one way so comparisons stay honest.
| Trail | Area | Distance | Elevation gain | Difficulty | Dogs | Shade | Parking note | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saguaro Loop and Nature Trail | Gateway Trailhead, McDowell Sonoran Preserve | 1.6 mi loop | ~160 ft | Easy | Leashed OK | Minimal | Free Gateway Trailhead lot, water and restrooms | Year-round, dawn starts Jun-Sep |
| Gateway Loop | McDowell Sonoran Preserve | 4.4 mi loop | ~690 ft | Moderate | Leashed OK | None | Same Gateway lot, fills mid-morning in season | Oct-May |
| Pinnacle Peak Trail | Pinnacle Peak Park, North Scottsdale | 4 mi round trip | ~1,300 ft cumulative | Moderate | No dogs | None | Free trailhead lot; no parking on Jomax Rd (ticketed) | Oct-May |
| Tom’s Thumb Trail | McDowell Sonoran Preserve | 4.3 mi round trip | ~1,200 ft | Challenging | Leashed OK | None | Tom’s Thumb Trailhead lot; no drinking water on site | Oct-Apr |
| Camelback via Echo Canyon | Camelback Mountain, Phoenix | 2.3 mi round trip | 1,400 ft | Extremely difficult | No dogs | None | Small lot at 4925 E. McDonald Dr, full by mid-morning | Nov-Mar |
| Camelback via Cholla Trail | Camelback Mountain, Phoenix | 3 mi round trip | 1,420 ft | Extremely difficult | No dogs | None | Parallel parking only, designated west side of Invergordon Rd | Nov-Mar |
| Holbert Trail | South Mountain Park, Phoenix | 2.5 mi one way | ~1,100 ft | Challenging | Leashed OK under 100°F | None | Holbert Trailhead, 10919 S. Central Ave | Oct-Apr |
| Mormon Trail | South Mountain Park, Phoenix | 1.1 mi one way | ~720 ft | Moderate-challenging | Leashed OK under 100°F | None | Mormon Trailhead, 8610 S. 24th St | Oct-Apr |
How to read it: for a stroll, only the Saguaro Loop qualifies. For a workout with a summit payoff but no scrambling, choose Pinnacle Peak or Tom’s Thumb. Camelback is a hands-on-rock climb for fit, experienced hikers with an early start.
Easy: Saguaro Loop and Nature Trail
The Saguaro Loop at the Gateway Trailhead is the easiest genuinely scenic hike in Scottsdale: a 1.6-mile loop with only about 160 feet of gain, wide smooth tread, and interpretive signs along the shorter nature-trail portion. It is the one trail in this guide that works for grandparents, rugged strollers, and kids still deciding whether they like hiking.
It lives inside the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Scottsdale’s 30,500-acre protected desert with more than 230 miles of trails, open sunrise to sunset, free of charge. The Gateway Trailhead at 18333 N. Thompson Peak Parkway has restrooms, drinking water, and shade structures, more than most desert trailheads offer. Leashed dogs are welcome (6-foot leash maximum). Come at golden hour, when the saguaro stands against the McDowells are the postcard shot of North Scottsdale.
Moderate: Pinnacle Peak and Gateway Loop
These two are the sweet spot for most visitors: real climbs, big views, no scrambling, done in under three hours.
Pinnacle Peak Trail
Pinnacle Peak Park’s single trail runs 2 miles one way, 4 miles over and back, with roughly 1,300 feet of cumulative gain as it rises and dips along the granite peak’s shoulder. The City of Scottsdale rates the round trip at 1.5 to 2 hours on an immaculately maintained trail with mileage markers and rock climbers on the spires for entertainment. (AllTrails logs it slightly shorter; the city’s figure is the one posted at the gate.)
Two rules surprise people at Pinnacle Peak Park: no dogs and no bikes on the trail, strictly enforced. Park in the free trailhead lot at 26802 N. 102nd Way; parking on Jomax Road is prohibited and ticketed. Gate hours shift seasonally, roughly sunrise to sunset. Staying in one of our North Scottsdale vacation rentals puts you closer to this trailhead than any resort.
Gateway Loop
The Gateway Loop is a 4.4-mile circuit with about 690 feet of gain, climbing gradually to a saddle with long Valley views before looping back through classic saguaro and cholla forest. It starts from the same Gateway Trailhead as the Saguaro Loop, so upgrading or downgrading plans on arrival is easy. Expect rocky tread, zero shade, and mountain bikers sharing the trail; in March and April the wildflowers along the lower washes are the best in Scottsdale. Leashed dogs are allowed, though Scottsdale asks owners to leave dogs home above 90°F.
Challenging: Camelback, Tom’s Thumb, and Holbert
Camelback Mountain is the Valley’s signature summit and its most underestimated hike. The City of Phoenix rates both routes “extremely difficult”: steep rock, hands-on sections, full sun. Dogs are prohibited on all Camelback trails year-round, the mountain is open sunrise to sunset, and on Extreme Heat Warning days both trails close from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rescues here are routine; treat the summit as optional and the turnaround time as mandatory.
Camelback via Echo Canyon
Echo Canyon is the shorter, steeper, more famous route: 1.14 miles one way with 1,400 feet of gain, including handrail-assisted rock faces and a final boulder field, per the City of Phoenix trail page. Budget 2 to 3 hours round trip. The trailhead at 4925 E. McDonald Drive has restrooms, water, and a small lot that typically fills from late morning even on weekdays in season; arrive at sunrise or use a rideshare, because police ticket and tow cars idling along McDonald Drive and Tatum Boulevard. See the Echo Canyon reviews on AllTrails for current conditions.
Camelback via Cholla Trail
Cholla Trail is the longer ridgeline route: 1.5 miles one way with 1,420 feet of gain, more gradual until the final quarter mile, a true rock scramble where you follow the posts and watch your GPS track. Cholla closed in March 2020 after a hiker was injured by a loose boulder, then reopened September 30, 2022 after a renovation that stabilized the rock, improved the tread, and moved trailhead access onto Invergordon Road, away from Cholla Lane. Parking today is parallel parking only, in designated sections on the west side of Invergordon Road, plus a rideshare drop-off zone. One 2026 timing note: Phoenix has scheduled a short construction closure of Cholla from August 10 to 21, with hikers directed to Echo Canyon.
Tom’s Thumb Trail
Tom’s Thumb is the McDowell Sonoran Preserve’s marquee hard hike: 4.3 miles round trip with about 1,200 feet of gain, switchbacking steeply to the granite pinnacle you can spot from half of North Scottsdale. The grade comes early and relentlessly, the tread is rocky, and there is no shade, but it is a hike (not a scramble) the whole way, making it the best “hard but not Camelback” option in the Valley. Leashed dogs are allowed. The Tom’s Thumb Trailhead at 23015 N. 128th Street has restrooms but no drinking water, so arrive with every liter you plan to drink. Recent conditions are on AllTrails.
Holbert Trail, South Mountain
Holbert is South Mountain’s classic climb: 2.5 miles one way with about 1,100 feet of gain from the Holbert Trailhead near the park’s Central Avenue entrance up to Dobbins Lookout at 2,330 feet, the highest publicly accessible point in the park. The stone lookout is also reachable by car via Summit Road, so you summit to an audience, but the trail itself is quiet, steady, and a genuine workout. Prefer shorter and sharper? The nearby Mormon Trail packs 720 feet of gain into 1.1 miles.
South Mountain Trailhead Guide
South Mountain Park/Preserve is one of the largest municipal parks in the country: more than 16,000 acres with over 100 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Trails are open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.; parking gates run 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. The trailheads to know:
- Pima Canyon Trailhead (4500 E. Pima Canyon Rd): the busy east-side hub, gateway to the National Trail and the mellow 9-mile Desert Classic Trail.
- Holbert Trailhead (10919 S. Central Ave): start of the Holbert Trail to Dobbins Lookout.
- Mormon Trailhead (8610 S. 24th St): short, steep access to Mormon Trail and Hidden Valley’s Fat Man’s Pass.
- Kiwanis Trailhead (10919 S. Central Ave): the 1-mile Kiwanis Trail, a quieter canyon climb.
- Beverly Canyon Trailhead (8800 S. 46th St): east-side loops away from the crowds.
- Desert Foothills Trailhead (14251 S. Desert Foothills Pkwy): south-side access near Ahwatukee.
On the fourth Sunday of each month, Summit Road closes to cars for Silent Sunday and becomes the Valley’s best long bike climb.
When to Hike: Heat and Season Safety
October through May is prime hiking season in Scottsdale and Phoenix; from June through September, desert trails are dangerous by mid-morning and every serious hike should start pre-dawn and end by 9 a.m. Heat is the top cause of trail rescues and deaths here, and it kills fit people who “just wanted a quick hike.”
Phoenix enforces this with its Trail Heat Safety Program: on days the National Weather Service issues an Extreme Heat Warning, the city closes Camelback’s Echo Canyon and Cholla trails, the Piestewa Peak summit trail and its associated trails, and South Mountain’s Holbert, Mormon, and Hau’pal Loop trails plus National Trail access from Pima Canyon, all from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The program expanded in 2025 to add South Mountain and start closures an hour earlier. Scottsdale’s preserve trails stay open, but the same physics apply.
The flip side: winter here is glorious. Highs around 70°F make December through February the best hiking weather in the country, which is exactly why trailhead lots fill by 9 a.m. If you are planning a cool-season trip, our guide to the top winter things to do in Scottsdale pairs these trails with everything else in season.
Hiking With Dogs
Leashed dogs (6-foot leash) are welcome on the Saguaro Loop, Gateway Loop, and Tom’s Thumb in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, and on South Mountain trails like Holbert and Mormon. Two hard exceptions: Camelback Mountain bans dogs on all trails year-round, and Pinnacle Peak Park does not allow dogs at all. Phoenix also bans dogs on all city trails whenever the temperature reaches 100°F, and Scottsdale asks owners to leave dogs home above 90°F. Hot rock burns paws long before the air feels dangerous, so keep dog hikes to early mornings from October through April.
Where to Stay After the Trail
Beating the parking crunch at Echo Canyon, Gateway, or Pinnacle Peak comes down to sleeping close to the trailhead. Porter’s Scottsdale vacation rentals put you 10 to 20 minutes from every trail in this guide, with private pools, hot tubs for post-hike recovery, and kitchens for the 5 a.m. coffee that makes a sunrise start civilized. Browse the wider collection of Arizona vacation rentals, check live availability on our rental search, or see what else is nearby on our Scottsdale activities hub.
Stay in a Porter home minutes from the trailheads, with the pool waiting when you get back down.
Browse Scottsdale RentalsFrequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest hike in Scottsdale?
The Saguaro Loop and Nature Trail at the McDowell Sonoran Preserve’s Gateway Trailhead is the easiest scenic hike in Scottsdale: a 1.6-mile loop with about 160 feet of elevation gain, smooth wide tread, and restrooms and drinking water at the trailhead. It works for kids, casual walkers, and leashed dogs, and it delivers real saguaro-and-mountain scenery rather than a sidewalk stroll.
How hard is Camelback Mountain?
Camelback Mountain is rated extremely difficult by the City of Phoenix on both routes. Echo Canyon climbs 1,400 feet in 1.14 miles, Cholla climbs 1,420 feet in 1.5 miles, and both finish with hands-on rock scrambling in full sun. Fit hikers typically need 2 to 3 hours round trip. It is not a beginner hike; start at sunrise, carry 2 to 3 liters of water, and skip it entirely in summer heat.
Which is harder, Echo Canyon or Cholla Trail?
Echo Canyon is generally considered harder because it packs the same 1,400-foot climb into a shorter distance, with sustained steep rock sections aided by handrails. Cholla is more gradual for most of its length, but its final quarter mile is a genuine scramble where route-finding matters. Both reach the same summit and both are rated extremely difficult, so neither is the easy option.
Are dogs allowed on Camelback Mountain?
No. Dogs are prohibited on all Camelback Mountain trails year-round, and Pinnacle Peak Park in Scottsdale also bans dogs. For dog-friendly alternatives, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve allows leashed dogs on the Saguaro Loop, Gateway Loop, and Tom’s Thumb, and South Mountain allows leashed dogs on its trails. Phoenix bans dogs on all city trails once the temperature reaches 100°F.
How long does the Pinnacle Peak hike take?
Plan on 1.5 to 2 hours for the full out-and-back, per the City of Scottsdale. The trail is 2 miles each way, 4 miles total, with about 1,300 feet of cumulative elevation gain spread across rolling climbs rather than one sustained ascent. Gate hours are seasonal, roughly sunrise to sunset, so check closing time before an afternoon start.
When is it too hot to hike in Phoenix?
From roughly June through September, any hike after mid-morning is risky. On days with a National Weather Service Extreme Heat Warning, Phoenix closes Echo Canyon, Cholla, the Piestewa Peak summit trails, and several South Mountain trails from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In summer, start at first light and be off the trail by 9 a.m. October through May is the season when long hikes make sense.
Where do you park for Echo Canyon and Cholla Trail?
Echo Canyon has a small lot at 4925 E. McDonald Drive that typically fills from late morning onward in season, so arrive at sunrise or take a rideshare; police ticket and tow cars stopped along McDonald Drive and Tatum Boulevard. For Cholla there is no lot: you parallel park in designated sections on the west side of Invergordon Road, near the renovated trailhead’s rideshare drop-off zone.
