Author: Peenz

Hiking to Inspiration Point in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve is definitely worth it! It has great views and a bit of elevation to get your heart pumpin!

The Granite Mountain Loop hike has mountain views for days. It’s gorgeous. Plus the powerlines are less intrusive in this part of the preserve.

Beautiful mountain views and desert landscape. Get out to the Taliesin Overlook. It will make you feel wonderful.

The Saguaro Nest Trail hike has a lot to look at! Mountains in every direction! You can combine this with many other trails and bounce over to the McDowell Mountain Regional Park or Tom’s Thumb.

The Levee Trail Hike in the McDowells is a great hot weather hike. It’s falt, short, has great views and allows you to get in that precious outdoor time!

The Desert Vista Trailhead hikes are great! Make it as short or as long as you want and enjoy tons of those majestic Phoenix mountain views!

The Ridgeline Trail Hike in the Phoenix Sonoran Preserve has spectacular mountain views. If you want to almost all the mountains in the valley, then do this hike!

The Walkin’ Jim Trail hike is a beautiful hike on the west side of Lake Pleasant. Expect to see more burros than people. Definitely worth a visit!

If you are spending the day driving Bloody Basin you will likely make several stops to explore and stretch your legs. Forest Road 44 is a great opportunity for and easy hike and some outdoor time!

Hiking around Brown’s Mountain in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve means great views plus an easy hike. Check out this article to get inspired to go visit this area. It’s beautiful!

The best thing about the Sidewinder Trail Hike is the views. Be prepared to see mountains in every direction. It’s an easy trail with minimal elevation and the ability to make it longer or shorter.

The Horseshoe Trail Hike is perfect if you are looking for a quick, easy hike with A+ views. There are also a ton of Teddy Bear cholla on the Horseshoe Trail. If you are like me and think Teddy Bear cholla are particularly cool (and deceptive) then you will like this trail. 

The Bell Pass hike is pretty tough, especially if it’s hot out. It is up all the way until the pass, with the last 0.5 miles being pretty steep. The views are excellent. This is McDowell Sonoran Preserve hiking at it’s finest! 

The Whiskey Bottle Trail is a quick easy hike with not so many people and sweeping views of the Tonto National Forest. We only hiked for an hour but there are tons of options to extend.