Papago Park

Awe inspiring nature like we were never taught in school in NYC. This is a must experience especially for unschoolers, homeschoolers and worldschoolers. Come learn first hand what pictures and textbooks can't teach you!

My husband and I visited Papago Park and enjoyed a peaceful walk while taking in the beautiful scenery. The landscape is lovely and very scenic, making it a nice spot to get some fresh air and enjoy nature. That said, Papago Park feels more suited for people who want to spend a longer time hiking, running, or being more active. We spent about an hour walking, enjoying the views, and then headed out, which felt like the right amount of time for us. Overall, it’s a nice park with great scenery and perfect if you’re looking for a place to hike, run, or spend more time outdoors.

This was much needed stop and reflect location. Being out with nature when it was not too hot or cold. Such beautiful views and area. I loved that there were bikers and walkers on the same trails.

This park is definitely always wonderful in nature and peace! It’s an easier park to travel through since your agility level may be beginner yet it’s fun and always memorable. It’s a clean park and a safe one as well. The sunset is my favorite, definitely have been here for 15+ times, and recommend this place to lots of people!

This was magical, coming from Florida. Did a few of the small loop trails and climb to hole in the rock. First time coming out west can only imagine what larger parks would feel like.

My sister/best friend of 34 years set out on the journey today. It was definitely majestic even with all the chatter that was going. Word to the wise if you go for meditation be sure to find a spot away from folks. That was definitely the only downfall of the day.

Nice park with lots to see. The zoo is also near. Level walking path, the hole in the wall climb was easy to navigate

Absolutely gorgeous park! Plenty of spots to sit and chill with breathtaking views of the mountains. The grounds are clean and well maintained. There are plenty of walking and biking paths, which is nice for a bit of solitude even when other people are there. There are picnic areas, water fountains, and restrooms as well. The famous hole in the rock formation overlooks the park, however it was slightly crowded when I went so I chose not to climb it. It was still pretty cool to see! Good place to kick back and enjoy some fresh air. Parking is easy and close by to everything.

This park has something for everyone! There are a plethora of difficulty levels and length of walking options. There are bathrooms and covered picnic areas for stops. I saw every age and physical level today. There was a Mama with a baby in a backpack to an elderly gentleman with a walker. There are flat paved roads, wide dirt trails and elevation rocky terrain if you want to get that photo from the top. This park is close to the zoo and the botanical gardens which is also a bonus if you want to make a day of doing a lot of things. Get out there. Be sure to take water and stay hydrated.

The park is pretty huge, with various sections and access points -- so for clarity, I'll just refer to the south west area here, west side of Galvin Pkwy. You have a decent size parking lot but it can fill up fast as the trails here are pretty easy and accessible. But it's a good spot if you're looking to get a taste of rocky desert formations away from cityscapes. We took the Double Butte Loop which is an easy stroll, right up to the very end, where you'll do some scrambling to get onto the highest point overlooking Papago Golf Course. The trail here turns to scree and loose rock, so just keep an eye out. Pretty nice views at the top though.

Because morning views this was definitely a fun park to run thru. And I'm sure it has a lot more to offer given the right time.

Over crowded and not enough bathrooms in operation. Parking is also tricky. It was alright. It's free you get what you pay for I guess.

I visit Phoenix at least 2-3 times per year, and I always do at least one outdoorsy activity while visiting the area. I decided to check out Papago Park on my most recent visit, which was highly recommended by a close friend. This park get DIAMONDS for: - Beautiful plants and water features - Wildlife - Plentiful, multi-use trails - Cleanliness - Serenity - Scenic overlooks - Panoramic views - Ample parking - Convenient location - Multigenerational accessibility Unfortunately, there is a lot of visible wire fencing in some sections of the park that adds a certain coldness to the park, preventing it from being a complete urban oasis.

I've been going to this park since I was a child, and it's still one of my favorite places. It's perfect for hosting parties, going fishing, or enjoying the hiking trails. Having the Phoenix Zoo right in the park area is an added bonus. Such a great spot for families and anyone who loves the outdoors!

Very small venue. Beautiful field. Concessions closed on a Friday night. No water available... 100 degrees.. bummed. We had to leave early.

Very busy, if you want a spot get there early. Very beautiful view with the planes coming in!

The red rock is stunning. There's not a lot of parking but it's never been an issue for me. The mountains sir just above everything else in town so you can get some great views of sunrise or sunset without having to go to high. Very accessible. There is a lot of trash on the ground... given the area, I understand, but it can take away from the experience.

Such a cool spot! The Desert Botanical Garden at Papago Park is like walking through a living desert museum. The trails are super easy to follow and everywhere you look there's something new - giant cacti, colorful flowers, hummingbirds zipping around. It's peaceful but also full of life. I spent a couple hours just wandering, taking photos, and soaking it all in. Definitely worth a stop if you're in Phoenix

Love this park!! Hiking up to the hole in the rock isn't that steep or hard and you can sit and enjoy a beautiful view of the valley.

Papago is a peaceful, iconic, large nature park desertland beautiful area in central east Phx/west Tempe border. It includes land consisting of the Phoenix Zoo, the Desert Botanical Gardens, public park space, gorgeous rock formations, a lake, Hole In the Rock, cactus, plants and trees. I have taken many trips here and field trips as a teacher. It is a photographer's dream. They have kiosk space you can rent from the city too.

My husband and I had a blast visiting Papago Park. The weather was perfect, and the scenery was stunning--it was a beautiful, sunny day. It was amazing to see the buttes up close. The trails were easy to hike, and we saw lots of saguaros, plus a jackrabbit! It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip!

5 Stars only because that is the limit!!! I loved this place so much. It has ample parking, facilities, walkable trails, picnic tables, pavilions, and so on. The park has the Phoenix zoo, the Garden of the Desert, and the Hole-in-the-wall. That is what I went for. It did not disappoint. Amazing views and I was there on a perfectly gorgeous day. Highly recommend.

We came here looking to hike a little. My children and wife loved it. It has many trails that lead the same way. You will end up going around the whole mountain and coming back. It is a 3 mile hike. You get to see many birds and desert animals roaming around. Very nice experience.

Must see for a sunset! Surprisingly super crowded on a Monday night, we had to park at the last parking lot available and had quite a bit of a walk to the hole in rock. At first I thought there was graffiti on the rock but everything on it is a person. Maybe get there 20 mins before sunset for a good comfortable spot for you to sit on (we got there 5 mins before), but the view is mostly the same from any spot!

This park is a wonderful gem of a park. It is one of the better red rock parks that I have visited. It is located by the zoo and has tons of parking available in different areas. The park is massive, spanning 1,500 acres. It is home to two attractions, Hole in the Rock and Hunt's Tomb. You will also find some nice hiking trails, fishing lagoons, picnic shelters, a restroom facility with a couple of vending machines. there is also a very small playground area with a small slide, and a turtle and snack to climb on. The park is jointly managed by Phoenix and Tempe. Originally, the park was created as a reservation for the local Maricopa and Pima tribes of Native Americans in 1879. The park has also served as a POW camp, a VA hospital, and a fish hatchery. I recommend bringing your own water to this park, as there are limited fountains and it gets kind of hot. It is free to visit this park and you can spend hours here. It is a very picturesque park. There were a couple of photo shoots going on around the lagoon while I was there. The lagoon is stocked with rainbow trout, largemouth bass, sunfish, channel catfish, tilapia, and carp. The park is near the Hall of Flame Museum, Desert Botanical Garden, Papago Sports Complex, and the Papago Golf Course, so ,making a day trip including your visit here is very easy. The park is very well maintained, but being a nature, red rock, makes it not too maintenance intensive. I visited the park during a weekday and it was hot, and did not have many visitors. I am sure that this is not the case during the weekends though, atleast the visitor part. I am sure that it is still hot. I really, really like this park. It is amazing and unique. It is easily accesible. I cannot tell you how picturesque it is. It also has a very peaceful vibe about it. I highly recommend checking this park out. You can easily make a half to full day of it.

This place is such a beauty!! Nice views, pretty red pebbles and dirt, great way to catch the sunset!

This is a great park to visit if you want to experience the natural desert landscape without going to the middle of nowhere. Papago park is accessible by light rail. The park features a variety of interesting topography. Sprawling desert, lush oasis, rocky peaks. I've seen lots of wildlife in the park. Turtles, herring, lot's of prairie dogs, little lizards, fish, song birds. There are a few great look out spots. I recommend good shoes. Especially if you are wanting to climb up on the rock features. Papago also contains the Phoenix Zoo, Papago sports complex, Papago golf course and the highly rated Botanic Gardens. There is a frisbee gulf course and a few dirt bike paths, covered picnic areas scattered throughout. And a pathed canal bike path that extends from Tempe to Scottsdale.

Parking is a bit of a nightmare but this is a gorgeous park with lots of different lakes, landscaping and wildlife. This park borders the popular Hole in The Rock hiking spot, a beautiful spot to hike at. Papago Park also houses the Phoenix Zoo & Botanical Garden.

This is such a beautiful park to visit! Phoenix is already a beautiful city to visit. But coming here, all of a sudden, you feel like you have been transported to a piece of wilderness that allows you to stop thinking about the busyness around you. Hiking through the park, you see some amazing rock formations and you are reminded of the beauty of the world around you. You also get some fantastic views of the city and the valley around you. Highly recommend coming to visit this place if you get to spend any time in the Phoenix area :)

Papago park is fun for the whole family. It has paved parts and trail areas. Check out hole in the rock at sunset. It can get busy so come early. Trails are well maintained and it's always a joy to walk

I love this park. One of the few places to watch the great Arizona sunset area is home to the zoo as well as the botanical gardens. Highlights include the sunset views from the Hole in the Rock and views Hunt's Tomb. Great place to do photoshoots by the lake also.

What a fun place! So much to explore. We parked at the golf course and walked to the hole in the mountain then the amphitheater. Go enjoy this desert park! Take water!

Beautiful park!! Didn't have nearly enough time here to explore, but we did a quick drive-thru and hiked up to the slightly odd pyramid memorial (tomb??) of the first Governor of Arizona. We did a short hike up to and around the Hole in the Rock trail (pictures coming soon...) but I could have stayed here all day!! BEAUTIFUL, and definitely worth a visit... Come EARLY to avoid crowds!!

Really interesting views and trails around this area. For sure a well visited location. This location does have designated parking areas as when you approach getting here, it is the n the same vicinity as the zoo. At the top of one of the peaks there is a monument spot in the form of a pyramid. Though this was unique. Went on a semi warmer day around 68, which worked out in favor, because after climbing it was nice to hit cool spots of the park with the fresh air. As you stroll through, you will also see 2 community fishing ponds with lots of ducks/birds. Check this park out!

Awesome place for a hike. A great taste of the desert in the heart of Phoenix. Really great views of the cities too, if you feel like climbing some moderate to steep buttes.

I love this area! It's a great place for nature lovers! This is a pretty large park with lots to do! You can: -fish here (with a license) at the Fishing Lagoons -take a nice long walk by the lake. -if you want to learn, there's a little trail which takes you through Sonoran Desert habitat. There is a little playground area with huge sculptures of desert critters. I can't remember if it was part of this trail or another one. There are more trails, but this one is informative while allowing children a place to play. - get in shape with the Exercise Course - an all metal station exercise course covering 1.7 miles. Located near the Parks Department Central District - East office. I enjoyed the short hike to see the Hole in the Rock and walking by the lake as well as hiking (super easy walk) on the one trail that eventually led to the playground. Other facilities are the Archery Range, Papago Park Baseball/Softball Complex, Papago Golf Course, Bike Trail, Ranger Station/Information Center. There are restrooms, drinking fountains, picnic ramadas available, too! I easily found parking. There are a number of smallish lots to choose from. The Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden are located here. There is also the Hole in the Rock, which is a natural rock formation made up of sandstone. I guess all of these hill formation are called Buttes. Other points of interest are the Tomb of Governor George Wiley Paul Hunt and the Hall of Flame. These are places people like to visit in or near Papago Park. TIP: Bring plenty of water and wear decent shoes! Come early before it gets blazing hot out! If you come here, there's quite a lot to do! I wanted to see more, but I had other plans!

I love going here but it's starting to become overcrowded due to nice weather. It's a short mini hike which takes all of 5-10min to get up but it's nice when it's not so busy! There's plenty of parking first come first served and you may want to park across the trial but walk over which is only 2 seconds away. I've hiked it in heels a few times(Don't judge) but it keeps my calves nice and strong. During the week is best as I'd go eat lunch and read books here daily back in the day. Nowadays, we're only able to go in the evenings. I don't suggest going up at night though as it's pretty dark and they also close it off after a certain time. It's definitely a great place to take out of state guest whenever they visit for photos. Have fun and bring water! There is a bathroom on site should you need to go potty.( Across the trail in the park area.)

I always love making trips to Papago Park, and often bring my friends who are visiting here, as it is such a peaceful and beautiful place. Essentially, the hole is exactly what you might expect, a giant cut-out in a wall of rock, where you can perch yourself and watch the sky. Pros: - Easy walk: A very quick walk up to the hole -- it takes probably about 15 minutes or less to make it up from the parking lot to the lookout area. - Convenient location: Papago Park hole in the rock is conveniently located in, Scottsdale with close proximity to Phoenix as well as the airport. - Beautiful views: You get a wonderful view of the valley from this spot. You can look over the dessert, the zoo, and a part of the botanical gardens - Stand or sit- flexibility: Folks sit and stand and camp out in the hole, it seems like such a relaxing spot overall and there are many ways to enjoy it! - Other thoughts : Papago park Hole in the Rock can get very crowded around sunset, so if you want to get some nice sunset pictures, I recommend getting there a bit early to claim a spot for yourself. Perhaps it might also be a good idea to get there early to ensure that you get parking, or perhaps you might want to get there early in the morning, as I am sure sunrise is also beautiful!

This is a very nice park with lots going on: a zoo, a botanical garden, a golf course, miles of biking and hiking trails, geocaching, a pyramid tomb, ponds for fishing, picnicking areas, and a rock with a big hole in it. Many of these activities are free. The park is vast and there is a decent amount of parking especially near the zoo but I am sure on weekends it must get very crowded. A real gem!

The extended Papago Park has several features. One that is overlooked is the Orienteering course. This is located just behind the archery range's parking lot and also behind the new baseball stadium. You can download the topographical map and then attempt to find the white markers (see pics). This isn't for the faint-of-heart. You'll be walking through the rugged part of the park in search for markers without anything but a map showing terrain and paths. Your search will begin with the first marker and go progressively to the 10th marker - good luck. My wife and I have done several of these together over the years: this builds a marriage or challenges it (we are still together). We enjoy problem solving together and the physical exercise. And then there is the congratulatory beverage afterwards.

A must-see for tourists. I bring all my family and friends who are visiting from out of state here to do the short hike/walk up into the hole in the rock. Everyone always loves the pictures they get there, as well as the view.

What a beautiful park right in the heart of Phoenix. You would never imagine you are inside the city as you truly immerse in the little oasis. Beautiful sights, especially around sunset time. Highly recommended to spend a nice afternoon.

Stumbled upon this place while killing time for flight home. Glad we did! It was a gem of a find. Beautiful scenery, and a great place to watch planes coming into Phoenix. You can even see some of the animals at the Phoenix Zoo from the mountain top near the Hunt Tomb. An absolute gorgeous place for a stroll. Super glad we found it.

Super easy to get to and a great quick hike in the city. We parked quite far away, the first parking lot we found however you are able to drive much closer to the rock if you keep going! There are small trails that can lead to the rock, however many of them go in circles as we discovered! We had to get a little creative and it can be easy to loose your way back to the car! When facing the rock, you will want to go to the right side, we tried the left but it doesnt lead to the large hole you see people standing in! You will actually walk to the right, around the backside then up! It can be a bit misleading. We also walked over to the large pyramid on the hillside next to the rock. Very cool! The walk down from there, around a small pond has beautiful views.

We found this park on Yelp! It's a great place to spend 1 hour and climb around the scenic mountain and enjoy the views. Parking was free and ample during our midweek visit. It's adjacent to the zoo and the parking lot is adjacent as well. We recommend visiting Papago and climbing the hill and then visiting the zoo. The trail is moderate and feasible for children and the elderly. One hour is sufficient to hike and enjoy the mountain and views. A ranger was at the parking lot the duration of our visit and made the security of the parking lot great. No trash or graffiti further enhanced the visit. We recommend this park and easy hike!!

Great local getaway. Areas well cared, really great light hiking. Ample parking areas and picnic tables!

Came here on a three hour layover from the airport. Never been to Phoenix and wanted to go somewhere close enough that I wouldn't miss my flight back home. I did some quick research and found this place was less than 10 minutes to and from the airport! I had a morning flight and decided to check it out. Ubers were easy to get to and from this location. The Hole In The Rock is famous here. The view was absolutely beautiful and the surrounding areas before getting up to The Hole In The Rock was stunning! Beautiful water and palm trees. You get desert vibes as well as bugs. They're not too bothersome though. If you're in a layover, it's worth the trip and mini hike!

For a beautiful, yet family-friendly hike, head to Papago Park. There's a large parking lot with information boards and drinking fountains nearby. Then follow the path to the rocks great for climbing. My wife, six-year-old daughter and I loved the short hike and scramble up the rocks for a beautiful view of the area.

This is such a great community park! I have visited many times, whether it is running, hiking Hole-in-a-rock or one of the many other less known trails, the amphitheater, photo-ops or visiting Hunt's Tomb. It really offers so many things for being smack dab in the city. The park shares entry with the Phoenix Zoo and Botanical Garden. It does offer ample free parking lots and the amphitheater does have some free street parking, though it is right off Mcdowell, but the Hole-In-A-Rock hike tends to accumulate quite the crowd, especially for sunset or sunrise.. I love running the Barnes Butte or stairs at the amphitheater, beautiful scenery and nice balance of incline and decline without being too intense. There are many biking trails to enjoy as well. Also, something to note, the lovely water feature/pond that boasts seating areas around it! Great spot for a picnic. I have taken group and family photos here. it is beautiful scenery and provides a lot of different options! Overall, great local gem that you can explore history, enjoy a quick hike and some views all at once!

Papago Park is a bumpy, lumpy desert park covering 1200 acres on the Phoenix side and 300 acres on the Tempe side. Tempe refers to its section of the park specifically as Tempe Papago Park", which seems kind of snobby and elitist. Isn't this how Hotel Rwanda started? The park, full of giant saguaro cactus (perfect for "stick em up" photos), and ancient and distinctive red sandstone geological formations, also features the 140-acre Desert Botanical Garden, the Phoenix Zoo (go when it's not hot. Which, I believe, is a four hour window in late January), picnic areas, 6 acres of Papago Ponds (8 foot deep on average with 6 types of fish), hiking trails, bike paths, a fire museum, Hunt's Tomb, and my main reason to go: Hole in the Rock. Hole in the Rock is well... it's a hole in a rock, so no surprises there. It's such a simple hike that it shouldn't qualify as a hike. It's more an uphill dirty walk in the sun, really, with the shade of the hole area as reward where it's a cool 92. Unless you recklessly climb the dangerous slippery sandstone rocks off-trail as we did one adventurous day), there's not a "hole" lot to do, other than enjoy the view. But even though it's unremarkable, I've been making Hole in the Rock a side trip almost anytime I visited Tempe's Mill Avenue since the 90s. (the decade and the temperature). There is some evidence that the Hohokam--a now-extinct aboriginal tribe that once lived in the Phoenix area--used the openings and sunlight to track the solstices. One legend has a 150-foot Kokopelli using it for his personal enjoyment when he was 13. Hunt's Tomb is a small, white, fenced off, pyramidal tomb of Arizona's first governor, George W. P. Hunt, who had it built there for his wife. He is buried there. Also, their daughter and his wife's family. I wonder if Mike Hunt is there. Some historical facts: Papago Park was designated a reservation for the local Maricopa and Pima tribes of aboriginal Americans in 1879. But they cancelled the reservation. It became the Papago-Saguaro National Monument in 1914, but this status was recalled by Congress, April 7, 1930, because the area was not considered suitable for a national monument. Talk about Indian givers! During World War II, Papago Park housed a POW camp and contained as many as 3,100 prisoners from 1942 to 1944. It was also the site of the largest mass escape from any United States prison camp in World War II. It's hard to keep them 25 Germans from crawling out with all those holes in the rock.

I'd say if you are in the area it's totally worth checking this park, especially for the "hole in the rock". There is also a couple ponds with palm trees, very pleasant to have a picnic or just relax. Otherwise, it's a desert park with not much as far as vegetation goes (not many cacti). But we went during the day and it might be better to go at dusk or sunset.

This place was great, especially for fitness. The 5k path is really neat AND it's soft track (easier on them knees). I'm giving it four stars because it's just not EPIC. Definitely worth a visit tho

We came to catch the very last sunset of 2020 here. It did get a bit crowded since everyone else had the same idea, except for the kids most adults did wore masks. Parking was plenty since people come and go here. It was a fairly easy hike/walk to go up to the Hole in the Rock. I don't recommend open toes shoes though it is pretty rocky and sandy all around. Many people brought their doggies here as well and so did ourselves. We got a perfect spot about 45 minutes before sunset and we had a perfect view of the park, downtown Phoenix and Sky Harbor Airport. It was a great way to say good-bye to 2020. Wish we had more time in Phoenix to explore the park and around the city.

What was confusing at first was the parking lots are along the route to the zoo parking lot. You could even park at the outskirts of the Zoo lot and walk over. This area has the zoo, papago park, and botanical gardens in one area. After parking, the hole in the rock attraction was just a short walk away. However, it was very crowded and hard to get a nice picture. People were constantly getting in and out of the hole in the rock. There is a nice view of an oasis in the distance. There are some short trails in the park as well. If you walk along the paved courses all the way around, it can be around 2 miles. However, there are also small short paths that lead to small hilltops. Overall it is a nice place but not very strenuous if you're looking to get some exercise. Especially with the crowds and bikers, it's not super relaxing. However, it's a great place too top by to see the Hole in the Rock archaeological site. This is very kid friendly as well! There are covered benches if you want to bring lunch as well.

Papago Park is a really easy-to-access, wonderful park in the Phoenix area. There are many different trails which intersect with each other, and the zoo and golf course are nearby too. The trails are well-marked and very well-maintained and the scenery is gorgeous. Hole-In-The-Rock is very well-known and offers a gorgeous and unique view of the city.

I highly recommend to come here whether daytime or sunset. We came right before sunset to go up the Hole-in-the-wall rock and it was amazing! The park is very well maintained. You can see all the little picnic table areas around that are even more pretty in the dark when lighting up.

Beautiful park great views. Close to old town Scottsdale restaurants and shopping area.