North Mountain Park

We were suppose to explore Trailhead 100 yet somehow we ended up at 44. That side trek almost killed me for a second time lol..I personally did this hike with someone else a year ago made it to where the pavement began. This time round I almost made it to the antennas they say 3rd time is a charm lol. It was not an easy hike for me personally it was still an accomplishment.

There's always so many people on this mountain but I'm not surprised because it's such a pleasant walk ✨ If you go slow, it's gonna take about and hour to be up and back down ⏳ Big chunk of the trail is asfalt road which feels good 🚶🏽‍♀️ One of the cons is people walking with loud music on speakers, some have no tact, I swear.. 🚫🎶 Plenty of parking spots 🚗🚙🚗🚙

Love this area. Mountains everywhere..with many different levels of hiking. Theres one where you can go straight up and theres one to the side where the hills are less steep. Also... theres a nice loop around the mountains where you can just walk and enjoy the views of downtown buildings. Plenty of parking. You can walk your dogs here

Visited this place on fine evening and weather was pleasant to enjoy. If you are hiking lover this is the place you can visit. They have good number of hammock and you can book and celebrate the parties. Avery restrooms and water options are also available. Grill is prohibited during summer due to fire alarm.

I really enjoy this area there are mountains all around and lots of hiking options for different skill levels. You can take a steep trail straight up or choose a gentler path along the side. There’s also a scenic loop around the mountains that's perfect for a relaxed walk with great views of downtown. There’s plenty of parking, and it’s a great spot to bring your dog too.

This is a great park with a 45 minute mountain hike, with a paved side and rocky trail side. Both paths lead up to towers with fantastic views. The hike may be short but is steep, and perfect for quick workout and mediation after work, or weekends. In addition there are walking paths at the base, and pavilions for meetings or events, such as family BBQ

Penny Howe Trail is a nice stroll through the mountain on a freshly paved path. It's listed as .5 mile but it feels even faster. This is a great option for strollers or wheel chairs. The playground is a short drive away (or could walk it). It's pretty basic and a bit rusted, but just fine. Bathrooms are easy to get to and covered picnic tables are abundant.

My boyfriend and I happened to hike this mountain on the most beautiful day, (cloudy and windy)! This hike/trail is super fun, family friendly, and beautiful! Do be warned, the first bit of the trail does have quite the incline and consists of rock and gravel.

This mountain and trailheads are amazing. I haven't been here in awhile since they've remodeled the trails and it's great. Easy access, ample parking and keeps your heart pumping. I love the area. Easy trails too.

Plenty of parking, great incline, few different trails to explore. Also, killer view at the top! I like how it's right by my house so whenever I'm feeling like I need to get out the house or get some steps in.... this will be my go to spot :)

During a recent visit to North Mountain Park, I found it to be a solid local option for a local hike. The trails were adequately marked, making it easy to navigate. The clean bathroom facilities were a pleasant surprise, complete with soap - a practical detail often overlooked in some parks. While I didn't explore the visitor's center, its presence adds a convenient touch to the overall experience. The park lacks substantial shade, but the desert scenery is pleasant enough for a local outing. Overall, North Mountain Park is a decent spot for a casual outdoors hike.

Great and fun park I totally recommend going there with your kids whether it's fishing or just playing it's awesome

Wonderful hike! Clean, safe, and your surrounded by like minded people who are pumped and eager for this morning hike. Everyone is super friendly and we all encourage each other with words of kindness and motivation. It's beautiful and pretty uplifting!

amazing views, not too crowded and i went on a Saturday, plenty of parking space as well

Park with easy access off N. 7th st and adequate parking(although I was a walkin). I just walked the 0.8 mile loop that does have excellent views of downtown and mountains. There are nice facilities including several picnic tables, toilets and well marked areas. However, they closed off many areas to visitors. Recommended.

My boyfriend and I came here for a sunrise hike, it's early November and was a little chilly so I recommend wearing long pants and a crew neck. Although, majority of the hike is completely vertical so that was pretty misleading and if you are a beginner it will be slightly harder, but not impossible. Half the trail is paved anyways. Just take your time and some water stops along the way and you'll be just fine. Once you get at the top, it's absolutely beautiful and totally worth it.

This is a great spot. A visitor center has loads of things to purchase from books to jewelry and it is a large room to comfortably shop with no looking over your shoulder. The restrooms available are only outside. The patio is perfect to sit and watch nature in the shade with very little walking. Our 3 mile walk (#100) gave us a fabulous vista view, we couldn't believe we were close to the big city. Very friendly peeps on the walk and though outdoors more than half were masked ( it helps my allergies from the dust and pollen). I will return to take a different route and carry my walking poles.

Great park for the family! There is a paved trail. If you desire a challenge, try trail 44. It's about 1 hour round trip. The trailhead begins in the Chechan parking lot. Not the avid hiker? There are lots of seating areas with barbeque grills. Great for private lunches or kid birthday parties. Several parking lots.

Beautiful view of Phoenix and the surrounding area. A moderate hike, but bring lots of water and sunscreen. Part of the way is paved if you enter through North Mountain Park.

Another piece of the Phoenix parks puzzle where you can hike up some awesome trails ranging from easy to quite challenging. On selected days and at certain times, this park will be packed and some of the trails will contain human traffic jams, a lot like Camelback. However, if the temperature is soaring into the 90's, there will be times when the park will be empty of almost all humans and you can enjoy the trails in your own silence and solitude. This park has the best parking of all the parks I've been to, right off 7th Street. On my first trip here, I chose to head straight up the trail at the back of the lowest parking lot. Not realizing the trail was quite strenuous, we were many feet up before we decided to head back and attempt the trail in the other direction. It was hot so we chose to try again another day. There are many trails and recreation areas here. Go for it!

Went on my first hike of the year. This was also my first time hitting this trail. The views were pretty great. The trails lead in a few directions which is good for changing it up. Plenty of parking since it's probably not one of the more popular hiking destinations. The desert can be rather beautiful especially when the desert foliage is blooming. One small knock is that some of the paths can be a little sketchy with footing. This is the time of year you really need to get out and enjoy theses trails. Ramadas are available for a family outings as well. It's crazy close to downtown, so it's an easy cruise up the hill. Get off the couch and hike.

I can always find parking at this mountain. That and it's close to my home and trails never crowded. That's why I prefer it. There is no driving around looking for a parking spot or navigating past so many people on the trail. Great views of north central!

There really isn't a shortage of parking here, even on a beautiful Sunday! Plus, picnic tables. This was my first time at this park for a hike, so without looking at the map too carefully (first mistake), we set off in the direction of what looked like a nice little curving hike going up off to the left of the parking areas. There were way less people going that way (for a reason I didn't know at the time). Looking to the right, we could see many people heading up and down, so why go that way? You'll want to look carefully at the map before setting off because it really is a great source of information about the elevation changes and then perhaps reading here on Yelp might also be more information about which trail would be right for you. That lovely trail off to the left that I was on was trail #40 and then trail #44 (which wasn't so lovely near the top). At least I'm pretty sure those were the trail #'s. We met a few informative people who said that if we got to the very top, then it becomes a paved road down the other side. I so wished that I could make it to the paved trail. Unfortunately, there was too much steep scrambling for my knee (which had been overworked for the last several days on other daily hiking treks), and I didn't want to end up seeing my daughter in the emergency room, so I had us turn back, sadly. This is not to say that you should not attempt it. It really isn't all that bad; it was just not my day to do this particular route, and maybe there is something to be said about all the other people choosing to go to the right. Oh, to be young again... I'm still giving this place 5 stars because it isn't the mountain's fault that the route I'd chosen for the day wasn't the one for me. The views were absolutely spectacular at several spots that I stopped to take a moment and look at something other than my feet and the trail. I'd also wished that I'd managed to get my phone out to take a few pictures! I'm going to study the trails, read the Yelp reviews carefully, and attempt some additional hikes in North Mountain Park! If you are used to scrambling up a few steep spots (just a few), then this would be the route for you, but please take my advice: read the map carefully before heading out in whatever direction you choose.

I really loved the hike. Amazing views, perfect for children and even French Bulldogs. I will definitely come back. Highly recommended.

I would give this hike to the summit fivestars except for the trail at the Saddle goes in like six different directions and is no clearly marked Trail. Maybe when I try again it will make more sense since I've only been here a few times. But it's got nice restrooms and great parking a lovely city of Phoenix Park. Update: stay left and walk the ridge for a east navigation to the summit.

I am not a hiker by any measure. All my life, I have avoided hiking because I never saw the appeal in it. This morning I felt like doing something out of my normal and go hiking! As a beginner hiker who often is "huffing and puffing", this hike was quite easy to complete! North Mountain offers a variety of pathways. If you feel like taking an easy hike, I definitely recommend this mountain.

About 1.6 miles roundtrip from the Maricopa Ramada. Pretty cool little climb, but then you end up on a road heading to the summit. Near the top, you get to go offroad for a bit to the very top. You can see 7th St go all the way downtown. Total time up and back was 50:12. Pretty easy hike. This was my third of four mountains, one Saturday in April.

An absolutely beautiful hike. I admire Arizona's beauty at night, but the views here allow you to truly admire it in the day. If you have someone visiting from out of town (like I had the first time I came here), bring them to North Mountain! The main trail is fairly easy and marked clearly. From beginning to end, the sights here are stunning; and once you're at the top, you can see the downtown skyline as well as Westgate and Tempe on the far west and east. To this day, this is my favorite spot to hike in Phoenix.

The biker I wrote about finally stopped and we talked it out. And since then it appears he is using a more biker friendly trail. I haven't seen him for at least 2 months. BTW...I'm glad to say that most hikers have good relations with bikers. And vice versa. We all love the trails.

Wonderful park with lots of hiking trails. From easy hiking to challenging...the only thing I would avoid is the ladies bathroom.

This is one of my favorite trails, close to me and very quick workout (I finish it in 30-35 minutes). Nice views of north and south Phoenix. One issue I have is the upkeep, though generally well maintained, I feel the city should have more park rangers here to cite and ticket all violators who do not pick up after their dogs' doodoo.

Maricopa trail (the paved one) is still closed! It's the only paved trail (so of course it's my favorite!) but I've been back several times and always closed. :(

I've gone to this trial a couple of times. Beautiful view on top. Amazing human beings around. Always friendly & support each other to get to the top. I've seen a couple kids make it to the top as well. Spoke can run up & down a couple of times. As always stay hydrated!

My go to mountain every time I hike !! Love it and obsessed with it! I always encourage everyone I know to visit because it's so worth the workout and view !

I stayed within walking distance of the trailhead so walked to it around 11 AM this morning to check out the hike. I'm not a super avid hiker but also not in bad shape, and found the climb to be moderately strenuous. Definitely got my heart rate going but it was rewarding because even after just a small climb you could see cool views of the city. I wouldn't go way out of my way for the hike but it was cool enough for what it is.

There's a lot to do here. This is a massive park and it's pretty heavily trafficked. There are a couple of hiking trails and ironically the most popular is the antennae service road because it's paved. The park does an absolutely horrible job marking the trails, which I'm finding to be very common around Phoenix. The trail I was looking for isn't marked except at the trailhead. At the top of the paved road, it veers off behind the cluster of radio antennas but there are no signs. Once I realized where the trail actually goes, it was much easier. But it took a couple of hours. And nobody there had any idea that other trail was even there. There's ample parking and satisfactory bathrooms both in the south parking lot and at the visitors center. The visitors center has limited hours. The views are spectacular and everyone should check this place out. The paved trail is moderate difficulty at best. The unlaced, unmarked trail that curves around the back side I would rate as moderately difficult. Bring water.

My dog and I come up here every weekend, and sometimes after work. It's easy to get to and there always parking. We used to frequent the more advanced trail, but until the construction is done we'll stick to the pavement. There's a trail for everyone and fitness level, and is a great spot to bring out of town guests. Awesome views of the city and plenty of wildlife/flora, all fifteen minutes from downtown.

Enjoy coming here for a quick/rigorous hike! I take the back side of I believe trail 44, so it's the unpaved section. The paved section is always extremely busy, which I avoid since I love the quietness when I'm outside in nature. The hike starts off good but quickly it steepens up. Dogs are welcomed on this trail, but they must be leashed. There are other trails at North Mountain and they range from easy to moderate. The views are spectacular of the city and the surrounding mountains! I love how this park is in the heart of the north Phoenix area, so it's easy to access. I enjoy coming here, especially, when I only have about an hour to get in a quick workout!

Very easy hike, highly recommended for beginners!!! Trail is paved and loops around the widely shaped mountain. Incredible views at night, the only complaint is the lack of better and closer parking, The parking adjacent to the mountain is limited to about eight spaces, with not so close parking near by! Other than that small bump, this mountain is great!!! :)

Great hike, several different trails to pick from. The location is so close, that it is probably my favorite mountain.

Hike #4 for 2010 was North Mountain Park. Got there around 10:30am on a Sunday. Sunny and wonderful weather! We got a parking near Trail #44. We hiked up trail #44, it was strenuous but we needed a little more so we went down the pavement and off to this little trail that led us to trail #101. Cool! It was a little declines/inclines and between two mountains. The scenary was goregous! We walked until we hit trail #100 and we took a left. Walked and walked.. Watched people walk their dogs & people riding horses. Neat! We got to where the trail ended. Hum? Went off to trail #60 then. Another strenuous hike and it was a circle. Circled back to trail #100 and we back tracked all the way back. 3-1/2 hours later we were back at the car. Man, my calves are SORE today!

Nature is amazing everywhere. More of these parks need to exist. Taking a stroll here, breathing in the fresh air, makes you feel like a new person. Definitely recommend.

Got friends in town that like to hike? Take them for a hike up North Mountain National Trail # 44! It's a fun 30-40 minute uphill hike with stunning views at the top! Park at the Maricopa picnic area and hike up the south side of the mountain - the first leg gives you a fun & rugged 5 minute steep uphill hike. It gets easier after that, with a wide, tarmac path winding all the way up to the top of the mountain. There's several spots along the way where you can stop and take in the beautiful, panoramic views. It's great in the early morning when the sun is rising or at dusk when it's setting. If you've got energetic dogs, bring them along! It's a dog-friendly park and great exercise for them as well :)

We did the Shaw Butte Loop (#306) in a counterclockwise path. It was about 4.5 miles total and took us an hour and twenty minutes. The first 1.5 miles gives you a nice gain in elevation up to the towers. You will get your heart rate up on this stretch. There is a nice viewpoint at the top to take in the entire valley. After the towers you loop around to the west. It is downhill for another 1.5 miles and the path is really rocky in parts- rocky enough that I was worried about twisting an ankle. The path levels out on the southern end and it is a mostly flat (aka boring) walk back to the car. This isn't a bad hike if you are in the area and don't want to drive too far. There are, however, many better options in the greater Phoenix area. I prefer South Mountain.

After hiking nearly every mountain in the valley, I finally checked off this one from the list this past weekend. Maybe it was due to all the crazy large and challenging trails I've tackled, but North Mountain was pretty underwhelming. I equate it to a larger version of Hayden Butte ("A" Mountain) with paved trails but slightly steeper parts with some scrambling involved. The view at the top though is pretty nice! I like how you can see Central Ave go straight into downtown. Not sure if I'll be going here again any time soon as it's far away from where I live, but if you want a hike that's noticeably less strenuous than Camelback or Piestewa, definitely come here.

For serious hiking or relaxing meditative strolls within the city of Phoenix, this is my preferred mountain park. Trails of varying degrees of difficulty can be found here, from those with relatively steep portions for a good leg workout, to scenic, (mostly) no-incline trails that wind within the valley between the mountains and offer great Sonoran desert scenery and relative solitude. I usually park at the visitor center area at 7th street near Thunderbird because that area never runs out of parking spaces, and you encounter less crowds in that part of the mountain park.

This is a good hiking park. The trails are well maintained, that being said there is still a decent amount of ruggedness. Trails are generally well marked, but we did miss one when we returning to our car. I do wish people would clean up after their dog, there is a lot of crap on the trails and that detracts from some of the enjoyment. Parking and facilities were pretty nice. Went early on a Friday afternoon so there were not a lot of people. Definitely better than Camelback.

This is a great place for a stroll or strenuous mountain hike, but trails are not marked well, so you should us an app like All Trails if you are prone to making wrong turns or getting lost! Trust me on this! Have fun!

I've been hiking for years now and of all of the trails that I have hiked, this has been my favorite. The trails here at North Mountain are really nice and relaxing. Most of your fellow hikers are very kind. That's one thing I love about hiking, usually everyone speaks and smiles at one another. I like to compare the trails here to the trails at Camelback. In my opinion, Camelback is nice and challenging and here at North Mountain they're are less challenging but still a great workout, except it's not so strenuous that you can't relax and enjoy the view from the top. North Mountiain also has a paved trail, this is especially nice if you are new to hiking or want to take the kiddies in a little trip.

Great spot for a quick after or before work hike. The popular summit trail has 2 trailheads. One is on 7th street just north of the main park entrance. The parking here is usually impossible during peak hours. I suggest going to the main entrance, taking the park loop north to the top of the hill and parking there. That pavilion has more parking, a water fountain, and is easy to access. There is also a park restroom just across the road. I won't promise it will be clean or even open though. Honestly, I have only used it once.... that was on the 4th of July, and it was only mildly offensive (as far as park toilets go) The summit trail is short steep hike with pavement the last 2/3 of the way. I like to go up and back in the afternoon, after work. Sometimes i just go for a run on the loop around the park. There is also a back way to the summit. The trail for that is near the south end of the park behind the pavilion at the bottom of the hill. That trail is very rough and easy to lose. I suggest going up that side and down the main summit trail.

Great place for a hike in the middle of the city! We took the easy trail around the north side since we had kids with us. When you get back there between the hills it's so quiet, pretty amazing to think the hustle and bustle of the city is directly on the other side! Nice, wide trails. I didn't bring my dogs this time but next time I will. At 5:30 on a weeknight it was pretty desolate. A Peaceful and relaxing walk for sure! And convenient too.

I parked at the Visitor Center - tons of parking. Especially at 8am on a weekday. I had the intention of just doing an easy hike on trail #100 but as I passed the marker for the Shaw Butte trail, I decided I wanted something a little more strenuous. Starting out from where I did, it was a good warm up and cool down. I took the trail counter-clockwise. Like other yelpers have said, it is pretty smooth up to the top (although quite steep in parts) and very rocky on the way back down. It was my first time on this trail (I'm a beginner) so I tired paying attention to everyone's footwear. I would say there were half sneakers, half hiking boots. I was comfortable in my sneakers but could see how someone could twist an ankle if you weren't careful. By the time I got back to the parking lot, it was pretty full near the trailhead but there was still a ton of parking left. There are so many trails to choose from in Phoenix, I will definitely be back but not before checking out some of the others.

I like hiking here. once you get into the path and in the hills you can't hear the city traffic or noise and you only see nature around you. a nice escape from town that is only a short drive away. last weekend I parked at the 7th St. parking lot (plenty of parking at 9 am) and took the 306 trail up to Shaw Butte until it connected to the 100 trail and back to the 306 in a big ~4 mile loop. it was a lot of fun and not too crowded! the other hikers and bikers were also really helpful in giving directions because I had never hiked there before and wasn't sure where to go.

Great selection of hikes! I did trail 44 (I think). I took the paved path to the top, where you get killer views of the Valley. In fact, there are killer views the entire way up. The walk up is fairly easy and not very long. Once at the top, I wanted more of a workout, so I took the rugged way down. This path was super fun. A little more challenging than the paved path, and requires careful stepping. Once I got to the bottom I walked back up, and then back down the paved path. On the way back up the unpaved part, I got a teensy bit off trail, and had to shimmy my way down some loose rocks. It's pretty well marked, but I wasn't paying close attention. It took me a little over an hour to finish up 2x and down 2x. Really fun area! Do note: bathroom stalls inside restroom do not have doors.

Sometimes I want a tough hike.. lately because Im injured with a bad knee.. I need a hike.. just not a tough one.. Here you get that.. Alot of bikers.. sometimes not the best etiquette of bikers.. beware of that if you have your iPod on high..and alot dont clean up after their pups.. eewww how RUDE! BUT I love this park.. and this time of year its beautiful..

Great views of the surrounding city, especially around sunrise or sunset. The visitor's center is nice, and tells a bit about the desert and various surrounding fauna. This is a bit of a hike, if you go more than 20 minutes. If you're going during the day, don't let the beautiful desert deceive you -- that glowing orb above you (called the sun!) will kill you if you don't bring enough water and take enough breaks.

If you some spectacular views of the valley, there are trails here to see them. There's plenty of parking and there's even quite a few activities in the park. Bring the kids, bring the dogs, bring everybody!