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0:00 Intro
0:44 Papago Park
3:33 South Mountains Kiwanis Trail
8:01 Camelback Mountain Echo Canyon Trail

#1 Papago Park
Papago Park is ideal for beginners. And families. This has to be the #1 most popular hiking spot in Phoenix. It’s my first time here and I was not disappointed. Comprised primarily of sandstone, the range is known for its massive buttes that rise and fall throughout the park.  The trails that interlace the area are generally easy treks. The smooth footing and low elevation gain make it a popular place for running and mountain biking.

Papago Park is a hilly desert park covering 1200 acres in its Phoenix extent and 296 acres in its Tempe extent. Tempe refers to its section of the park specifically as Tempe Papago Park.The distinctive red sandstone geological formations of Papago Park were formed some 6-15 million years ago. One such formation, Hole-in-the-Rock, is a major landmark, thanks to the openings (tafoni) eroded in the formation over time.

Papago Park is notable for its many distinctive geological formations and its wide variety of typical desert plants, including the giant saguaro cactus.

Papago Park was designated a reservation for the local Maricopa and Pima tribes of Native Americans in 1879.One fun fact: During World War II, Papago Park housed a POW camp and contained as many as 3,100 prisoners from 1942 to 1944. 
The park offers free parking (no entry fee, no parking fee). Bring a lunch as there are lots of places to picnic.

It was fun climbing around on the rocks and eventually just sitting and watching the sun set.

#2 South Mountains

The South Mountains, known locally as simply South Mountain, is a mountain range in central Arizona in south Phoenix, Arizona. It is on public land managed by the city of Phoenix as South Mountain Park.

Geologically, the South Mountains are thought to be a metamorphic core complex: evidence of movement of the North American tectonic plates from southwest to northeast and northeast to southwest, pushing up a series of mountain ranges including South Mountain. Other ridges with parallel orientation lie within the basin covered by basin fill sediments. The structural basin forms the current Phoenix metro area, which appears flat like a lake around mountains that rise over it like islands. The buried ridges are in the same orientation as the South Mountains, about one km high, and about one km apart from peak to peak, perhaps about 15 of them underneath the basin fill.

The mountain, along with the nearby Sierra Estrella, is considered sacred by the Akimel O'odham and the Kwevkepaya band of Yavapai.

The South Mountain Preserve is part of the Phoenix Parks System and is the second largest municipal park in the world. The preserve features recreational facilities such as ramadas, hiking and mountain biking trails, and equestrian facilities. The mountains overlook downtown Phoenix, AZ.

#3 Camelback
Located just 20 minutes from downtown Phoenix, Camelback Mountain is one of Phoenix's best hikes and most popular attractions for thousands of visiting hikers each year.

The hike reaches an elevation of 2,704 feet.
Hiking Camelback Mountain is perfect for a tourist activity in Phoenix, because the hike is quick and is located in the middle of the Phoenix Valley with great views.
Camelback gets its name from its two rock formations that resemble the head and back of a kneeling camel.
In January 1879, U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes included Camelback Mountain as part of a reservation for the Salt River Pima and Maricopa American Indian tribes.
It became a city park in 1968.
The most common Flora on the Mountain are the Saguaro Cactus, Ocotillo, Palo Verde, Cholla, Barrel Cactus and the Creosote Bush.
Rescues on the Mountain happen often so please proceed with CAUTION and know your limits and ALWAYS stick to the trail.
There are 2 hiking trails, Echo Canyon and Cholla. Both trails are difficult, while Echo Canyon is steeper and Cholla is longer.