Did you know that there are over 320 miles of hiking trails in Scottsdale?
It’s a destination city for people who love the outdoors.
While Camelback Mountain often gets all of the attention from tourists, it only scratches the surface for what Scottsdale has to offer. There are dozens of trail systems for hikers of all interests and skill levels.
Whether you’re looking for beautiful views, close encounters with nature or Instagrammable moments, here are some of the best trails that aren’t Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale.
Tom’s Thumb
Tom’s thumb got its name from the protruding granite formation that looks like a thumb. It’s an out and back trail that’s not for beginners. At its highest points, it gains over 1,000 feet in elevation. This trail is roughly 9 – 10 miles in total.
Pinnacle Peak Trail
Located in Pinnacle Peak Park, this trail boasts sky-high valley views and encounters with wildlife. The park is technically an animal sanctuary, so seeing critters like quail, javelina, coyotes, and lizards are common. This trail is intermediate, it’s about four miles round-trip.
Gateway Loop Trail
The Gateway Loop is a great hike for beginners, it hugs the baseline of a mountain peak. It’s a fairly easy walk for hikers. There are a lot of opportunities to access other trails and the loop is roughly four miles long.
Lost Dog Wash
This out and back trail is intermediate. It’s an out and back hike that’s about four miles round-trip. This trail does a lot of twisting and turning and dips into a handful of washes. This feature makes it especially interesting after it rains.
Brown’s Ranch
Brown’s Ranch trail is a popular mountain biking trail, so it’s very important for hikers to stay alert! This trail is located north of the McDowell Mountains. Brown’s Ranch is especially interesting because it intersects with many other regional trails that lead to landmarks like Granite Mountain, Balanced Rock, and Cathedral Rock. This hike is an out-and-back trail that’s about six miles round-trip and is considered a moderate trail.
Sunrise Trail
At only four miles round-trip, Sunrise Trail is one of the shorter “best of” trails on the list. This summit-style hike leads to a peak that offers 360-degree views of the valley. At sunset, the trail offers some truly amazing opportunities to capture Scottsdale’s city lights. Parts fo this trail can be challenging, but overall it’s a moderate trek for hikers.
Are you ready to make hiking and biking part of your weekly lifestyle? There aren’t many cities with access to the outdoors like Scottsdale. Click here to connect with our team!
