It’s a short trip down the road this week to Pinnacle Peak Park in north Scottsdale, 27 miles north of Tempe campus.
The Pinnacle Peak area is without a doubt one of the more scenic areas of the Phoenix metro area. Though the landscape of the area has changed dramatically over the past 10 to 20 years due to the ever-expanding residential areas, the 150-acre park still provides plenty of scenic views along its trail.
The 1.75 mile trail is rated as moderately difficult with a smooth tread, according to the City of Scottsdale’s website. It’s not as difficult as the main trails at Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak here in town.
There are also designated areas for rock climbing and experienced horse riders are allowed to share the trail with hikers. No dogs or bikes allowed on the trail, though.
The park hosts events such as guided tours and astronomy evenings. There will be an astronomy evening this Friday, Nov. 5, which consists of “a short talk explaining interesting facts about the solar system and the galaxy around the planet earth... followed by observing the moon, several planets, multiple star systems, globular clusters and nebulae through a celestron telescope,” according the city’s website. Registration required.
