Day Trippin' › Arizona › From Phoenix › Best hikes
Our picks for the best hikes within 3 hours of Phoenix: 32 places, 1 under an hour away, 17 between 1 and 2 hours and 14 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 85004.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Lost Dutchman State Park, 46 min east of Phoenix.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: ksblack99, Public domain
#1 · State park · 1 hr 47 min northeast
What may be the world's largest travertine natural bridge, with trails down to the creek below it.
Heads-up: Right now the Pine Creek and Anna Mae trails and the area under the bridge are closed after flooding; the Waterfall and Gowan trails and the top of the bridge are open. Trails are steep. No dogs on…
Photo: Lee Adlaf from Birmingham, AL, USA, CC BY 2.0
#2 · Canyon · 1 hr 51 min southeast
A green desert canyon with a creek, pools and saguaro slopes. Ride the narrated shuttle up the canyon road, then walk back down or hike from the top stops.
Heads-up: The Sabino Canyon Crawler shuttle was suspended on November 2, 2026 after flooding, so check before you go. No dogs anywhere in the area (service animals are OK).
Photo: Mike Lewis, CC BY-SA 4.0
#3 · Cave · 2 hr 23 min southeast
Take a guided walk through a living limestone cave that is still wet and growing, with formations so fragile the cave stayed secret for years after it was found.
Heads-up: Book tours online, up to a year ahead. No phones or cameras in the cave (lockers on site), kids under 7 can't take the Big Room tour, and no strollers or walkers underground. I-10 construction can…
Photo: Ken Thomas, Public domain
#4 · Trail · 1 hr 39 min north
Easy loop around two big red rock buttes right off the highway, with as much or as little climbing as you like.
Heads-up: Little shade; carry water, especially in summer.
Photo: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0
#5 · National park · 1 hr 42 min southeast
The graded dirt Bajada Loop runs through some of the thickest saguaro forest anywhere, with a short climb at Signal Hill to boulders covered in ancient Hohokam rock carvings.
Heads-up: The Bajada Loop is unpaved but fine for regular cars, and closes to vehicles from dusk to dawn. Dogs can go on the loop road and the paved Desert Discovery Trail, but not on the Signal Hill path.
Photo: WClarke, CC BY-SA 4.0
#6 · Scenic drive · 2 hr 50 min southeast
Climb from saguaro desert to pine forest in about an hour, with big viewpoints like Windy Point on the way up and pie and cabins in tiny Summerhaven near the top.
Heads-up: The road is narrow and curvy, and it can close or require chains in storms; check the Pima County Sheriff road line before winter trips. It is about 25 degrees cooler on top, so bring layers.
Photo: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0
#7 · National park · 2 hr southeast
Drive the paved 8-mile Cactus Forest Loop through thick stands of giant saguaros below the Rincon Mountains, with pull-offs and short walks on the way.
Heads-up: The park takes cards only, no cash. Loop drive hours differ between NPS pages, and long rigs (40 ft combined, or wider than 8.5 ft) are not allowed on the loop.
Photo: Terrydarc, CC BY-SA 3.0
#8 · Trail · 1 hr 45 min north
A short, steep scramble up slickrock to a saddle between Sedona's most famous red rock spires.
Heads-up: When the free Sedona Shuttle runs (usually Thursday to Sunday) the trailhead lot is closed to cars, so ride the shuttle. Not for anyone uneasy with heights.
Photo: davidpinter, CC BY 3.0
#9 · Trail · 1 hr 57 min north
Walk out onto Sedona's largest natural sandstone arch for a classic photo.
Heads-up: Expect a line for photos on the arch at busy times. The dirt road to the closest lot needs high clearance; most people park at Dry Creek Vista or Mescal trailhead (both served by the free Sedona…
Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
#10 · State park · 46 min east
Trails at the foot of the Superstition Mountains, gold with wildflowers in a good spring.
Heads-up: Very hot in summer; hike early. Leashed dogs welcome on all trails. No walk-in entry or hiker drop-off; drive in.
Photo: Benjamin Cody, CC BY-SA 3.0
#11 · State park · 1 hr 43 min north
Lagoons, cottonwoods and trails along the Verde River, good for birding, fishing and easy walks.
Heads-up: Gates close at dark.
Photo: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0
#12 · State park · 1 hr 45 min southeast
Hike and bird among saguaros at the foot of the Santa Catalina Mountains, with easy loops and longer canyon trails from the same trailheads.
Heads-up: The park reopened after flooding on November 1, 2026; watch for water in the washes and eroded trails. Wash-crossing construction runs until May 2027. Leashed dogs OK, but not in the Pusch Ridge…
Photo: Wendy from Pennsylvania, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
#13 · State park · 1 hr 55 min north
Easy trails along Oak Creek with red rock views and a visitor center.
Heads-up: No pets and no swimming in the park.
Photo: William Wadas, CC BY-SA 4.0
#14 · National monument · 2 hr 15 min north
A stairway trail down to cliff dwellings tucked into ledges of a forested canyon.
Heads-up: The Island Trail drops 185 feet by about 240 steps you climb back up, and may close for snow or ice. Dogs on the Rim Trail only.
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wablair/, CC BY 2.0
#15 · Museum · 2 hr 30 min southeast
A quiet museum and art gallery among the giant boulders of Texas Canyon, with Native American art and artifacts from across the Americas, plus nature trails in season.
Heads-up: Open Tuesday to Sunday 10 to 4, closed Mondays and major holidays. Trail users check in at the museum and sign a waiver. No dogs except service animals.
Picacho Peak State Park (1 hr 8 min), Thumb Butte (1 hr 47 min), Schnebly Hill Road (1 hr 48 min), Airport Mesa (1 hr 51 min), Fay Canyon (1 hr 56 min), Boynton Canyon (1 hr 57 min), Soldier Pass Trail (1 hr 57 min), Doe Mountain (2 hr 2 min), Colossal Cave Mountain Park (2 hr 9 min), Oracle State Park (2 hr 12 min), Humphreys Peak (2 hr 30 min), Lava River Cave (2 hr 31 min), Madera Canyon (2 hr 33 min), Buckskin Mountain State Park (2 hr 39 min), Red Mountain Trail (2 hr 41 min), Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve (2 hr 42 min), Cattail Cove State Park (2 hr 55 min)
Our top picks are Tonto Natural Bridge State Park (1 hr 47 min), Sabino Canyon Recreation Area (1 hr 51 min), Kartchner Caverns State Park (2 hr 23 min), Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte (1 hr 39 min) and Saguaro National Park West (1 hr 42 min). The page lists 32 places in all.
32: 1 under an hour away, 17 between 1 and 2 hours and 14 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 85004.
Lost Dutchman State Park, about 46 min east of Phoenix.
1 need no pass or fee, including Mount Lemmon and the Catalina Highway. Fees change, so check each place.
21 of the 32 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.