We aren’t going very far down the road this week. Instead, we’ll take a look at some places around town where you can escape into the desert without ever leaving the city. There are several places to hike through desert and mountains around the valley, and we’ll take a look at three of them here.
Closest to Tempe campus is the nearly 17,000-acre South Mountain Park, arguably the world’s largest city park. There are several different points around town to access the park, but for ASU students coming from the Tempe campus, I’d recommend the Pima Canyon area which provides a number of trails of varying length and difficulty.
To get to the Pima Canyon section from Tempe campus, head south on Rural Road, take a right on Guadalupe Road and head several miles west to Pointe Parkway. Turn left at Pointe Parkway, followed by a right on 48th Street and a quick left into the gates of Pima Canyon Road.
My personal favorite place to hike in town is Piestewa Peak (formerly known, and still referred to by many locals, as Squaw Peak), located in north-central Phoenix. Like South Mountain, there are several trails of varying length, incline and overall difficulty. To access most of the trails, turn north on Squaw Peak Drive from Lincoln Drive between 22nd and 24th streets. Of all three hiking spots in this post, Piestewa Peak is most accessible by public transportation.
If you're feeling up to the task, the summit trail is very doable for people in good shape, but it is a bit strenuous. Thankfully, there are several benches to rest on throughout the trail and handrails near the end that help you cheat on the tough last leg. The stunning panoramic views of the entire valley from the peak make it all worth the effort, though.
The summit trail does get very busy during peak days and it can feel more like a line for a ride at Disneyland than a nice hike through the desert. That's why on busier days I'll do the #302 trail. Head about one-third of the way up the summit trail to the second bench. Behind the bench is a small #302 sign and a trail that takes you back down to the base of the mountain. You'll head north and go around the peak of the mountain then south back towards the parking lots. It's a scenic trail 3.74 miles in length, not too strenuous once you get off the summit trail portion of it, and for some reason there is only several people on the trail at any given time.
Lastly, if you're really up for something strenuous, there is Phoenix's most famous natural landmark, Camelback Mountain.
Now I'll admit, I've never made it to the peak of Camelback. I generally stick to Piestewa Peak and the few times I have gone to Camelback, I wasn't ready for how strenuous the trails to the peak are. If you are up to the task, though, there are two ways to the top: Cholla Trail and Summit Trail (aka Echo Canyon). Both are recommended for experienced hikers and are considered very strenuous. Parking is very limited at both spots, so I'd highly recommend carpooling and avoiding peak usage times.
Regardless of what hikes you decide to go on, don't forget to bring plenty of water and wear supportive shoes. Don't be that guy who shows up in flip-flops. Don't touch the rattlesnakes, don't worry too much about the coyotes (they're a fairly common sight at dawn and dusk at South Mountain, but don't seem to mind hikers), and be sure to flee from any javelinas. They're mean little guys.
Ready to drop the books and get away from campus for a while? Looking to explore more of Arizona than just Mill Avenue? On The Road is here to help you find things to do outside the valley and around the state when you need a break from campus life. From hiking the mountains around town for a few hours, to exploring the red rocks of Sedona for a day, to a weekend ski trip just hours away in the winter, this Arizona native is here to help you see and explore more of the state. Feel free to contact me with any ideas for future posts at chadmhays@hotmail.com or follow me on Twitter.
