Whether you’re just getting started with hiking or looking for some outdoor fun with family or guests, these easy hikes in the Phoenix area are for you. With trails along seasonal streams, ending at waterfalls on rainy days or up close with ancient hieroglyphics or wacky hoodoos, each trail offers a unique experience. Take a short hike or go the distance on the longer trails.
★★★☆☆ Hieroglyphics Hiking TrailI / Easy / Superstition Mountains / 2 km
Ancient hieroglyphics and pools of blue water stand before endless viewsat the end of this easy hike. This place of unique beauty, at the foot of a vast canyon, is magical to explore with the family.
★★☆☆☆ Hole in the Rock Hiking Trail Loop, Papago Park/ Easy / 0.31 miles
A very short hike up to a huge hole, in a huge rock, is perfect family fun! At just over a quarter mile in length, this loop trail is both easy and surprisingly scenic.
★★★★☆ Jewel of the Creek & Dragonfly Hiking Trail Loop / Easy / Jewel of the Creek Preserve / 2 mile loop
Dragonflies at the edge of a pond, stream crossings made of wooden planks and a children’s cave are some of the fun features of this easy hike around the verdant banks of Cave Creek.
★★★☆☆ Kiwanis Hiking Trail to Telegraph Lookout / Easy / South Mountain / 1.25 miles
Winding through a pretty valley, this hike is perfect for the whole family! Near the summit, Telegraph Pass Lookout offers great views of the valley north and south.
★★★★☆ Marcus Landslide Hiking Trail / Easy / McDowell Mountain Preserve / 1.85 miles
Easy, but spectacularly beautiful… the otherworldly rock formations and intriguing geology of this hike are tailor-made for a sweet day of outdoor exploration!
★★★☆☆ Ocotillo, Apache Wash, Sidewinder Loop / Easy / Sonora Mountain Preserve / 1.95 miles
Escape the northern suburbs of Phoenix on this wide, scenic loop trail, which mixes short and easy pieces of three Phoenix Sonoran Preserve trails.
★☆☆☆☆ Rainbow Valley and Toothaker Hiking Trail Loop / Easy / Estrella Mountains / 10.2 km loop
Meandering through a series of interconnected valleys, this loop is “nice and easy.” Wide, gently sloping trails pass through long stretches of desert, sandy arroyos, and hillside hikes. Distant views of white tanks frame the horizon.
★★★★☆ San Tan Hiking Trail Loop / Easy / San Tan Regional Park / 7.5 mile loop
Spectacular Southwestern landscapes stretch for miles on this level loop hike! Circling the desert between the Malpais and Goldmine mountains, this mostly flat trail offers great views but requires little uphill and downhill hiking.
★★★☆☆ Waterfall hiking trail / Easy / White Tank Mountains / 0.9 miles
Numerous Native American hieroglyphics and a hidden waterfall are just two of the impressive and scream-inducing features of this easy educational trail. Less than a mile long, this is one of the most perfect family hikes for young children.
★★★☆☆ Wild Burro Hiking Trail / Easy / Lake Pleasant / 2 miles
Enjoy a scenic stroll around the intimate blue coves of Lake Pleasant. This hike is full of spring wildflowers and views of boats frolicking on the water year-round. The chance of spotting a wild burro is high!