South Mountain Park and Preserve

The panorama offers an exceptional vista, providing a sense of tranquility. Hiking trails wind through the landscape, inviting exploration of the natural surroundings. Gentle slopes and varied terrain make the paths accessible to a range of fitness levels. The trails are well-maintained, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for visitors. Capturing moments through photography becomes effortless with the scenic beauty. Sunlight and shadows dance across the terrain, creating dramatic contrasts. The combination of the view and trails offers an idyllic setting for relaxation and recreation. Images serve as lasting reminders of this beautiful and memorable place.

I did the annual national trail event and this was great, the whole thing was well organized and everyone was so positive. You would think with 300 people on the trail it would be crowded but it was spacious. It was a 15.5 mile trek but I would recommend just arranging for a ride at the end of the mountain instead of the last 2 miles of the trail. It’s nothing to look at and just irritating once you finished the entire mountain. You absolutely need trekking poles because the decline switchbacks are severe. I think I went through 4-5 liters of water and make sure you watch throughout the hike. Thank you to the lovely rangers and volunteers

It was a gorgeous day with clear skies, so we drove around to all the lookout spots, and every view was amazing. Dobbins Lookout was the busiest and had some litter, but overall it was a fun, free drive with tons of sharp turns and a big change in elevation.

We’ve been going up to South Mountain Park for many years and enjoy all the hiking trails and beautiful wildflowers when there is a super bloom in the Spring.

This park has easy trails and is good for walking, running, and biking. It also has spacious parking. A washroom and water fountain are located near the parking.

I hike every day. It’s really fun to find new bugs and animals :)

South Mountain Park and Dobbin’s Lookout are incredible spots to catch a magical sunset over Phoenix. The views are breathtaking, and the vibrant desert colors as the sun sets are unforgettable. However, visiting on a holiday can mean heavy traffic and crowds, which might prevent you from reaching the top. Even from ground level, the sunset is stunning, but for the best experience, try going on a weekday or arrive early to avoid the rush. Definitely a must-visit for nature and sunset lovers!

I love going here. The views are beautiful and there are lots of trails. Sunset is magical here!

Had a great time hiking with my boba sistah and little one at South Mountain. We hiked the Las Lomitos trail and we got to take in some beautiful views of the mountains while we were here. It's a fairly easy trail to go on, and it's also a trail that people ride their horses on which means you'll be dodging quite a bit of horse droppings on your hike. There was also a lot of smaller animal scat on the ground, maybe from a careless dog owner or a coyote? Parking was plentiful and easy in the nearby lots. I'd love to go back and hike some more trails here. P.S. fun fact, los lomitas means little hill!

Why don't mountains ever get lost when hiking? Because they always "peak" at the map before they go! Always a go-to mountain that has plenty of flats, and if you decide, you can get a little more adventurous and hit up the vertical climbs. Lots of places to stop and rest, especially at the "red bench," which is about half way point in my opinion. There's also the Pima Wash trail wish it like walking on a sandy beach like David Hassleoff, if you feel like being in a baywatch scene. Good for dogs, and you might get lucky with a good parking spot. Wish they had more parking options.

We chose South Mountain Park as a place for a scenic drive while we waited for our girls to take their afternoon nap in the car. What a pretty landscape of cacti! I was expecting Wile E. Coyote or the Road Runner to pass through. We drove up to the Dobbins Lookout (I believe). It wasn't too crowded for a Tuesday afternoon. There was jewelry and snacks being sold at the top near the parking area. I imagine it's a beautiful spot to see a sunset. The drive through South Mountain Park was successful in putting our girls to sleep. Woohoo!

Nice & scenic w/ beautiful views. There's a covered seating area. As well as restrooms at the bottom & top of the mountain. Very winding & narrow road, a bit scary. The drive up was worth the experience.

I have lived in AZ for 31 years, and this is my first visiting South Mountain. It's free to the park, and it takes 15 mins to drive to the top. From the top, you get a great view of the city. Must visit.

Breath taking Take the family Natural wonder It will not disappear Bring those hiking shoes

I have hiked here 4 times and it was different each time because there are so many trails! You can choose easy, medium, or difficult (on trail map app) so it's really for anyone. As a person from Michigan, it's a great place to hike locally if you have an "itch" to hike somewhere. Plus it's close to town! Since it's so close, it gets busy around 8-9am on the weekends, so you may have to park on the side road coming in.

The only thing I did not like was the long sidewalk like concrete to the mountain, on the way out it seemed as if it was going to Be forever until we got back to the car however the rest was amazing. A good mixture of climbing to the building structure what I would say was have the hike and we kept going up the road to the next trail which is where you got to see all of the rolling hills and mountains, absolutely beautiful views of the city and downtown. A good steady hike and not much climbing compared to camelback. We saw people walk, run and bike it, the bikers were pretty cool to watch. This is a great trail to hit for sunrise or sunset.

Very beautiful park. My friend took me here because she's been going here for years and wanted me to see the beauty of the mountain at sun set. Upon arriving and driving up the mountain, it was fun. Could have done without the car tail gating us even though we were going the speed limit (and slightly above) We arrived to the top of the mountain and.... No parking. All the spots were filled by tourists. Worst of all were the motorcycles parked IN CAR SPOTS WHEN THERE WERE TONS OF MOTORCYCLE SPOTS OPEN!!! So infuriating. Trying to go back down the mountain to take pictures on the side of the road was tricky... people not letting you leave the parking lot is an issue. We ended up parking on fr right side and we're able to see the sunset and get some cool pictures but dang... they really need to work on the structure on top the mountain to ensure people don't hog spots

I love all the trails I have down so far at the South Mountain Park, it has trails for a variety of difficulty levels, & most importantly, it is an absolutely beautiful park filled with amazing views!

Not for the faint hearted! Thursday hike South Mountain via pyramid, National trail to Bursera Trail. Almost 7.97 miles and 4:48minutes. Fun and exhausted 5 hours. Great views. Wouldn't recommend doing it in the summer as there's not much shade. This was a perfect day!!

I hate to even mention this as it is a pretty special place. Great vistas moderate climbs and great paths. Many choices of trails to choose. Will come at least twice for a visit while I am here

Spent the morning doing the Holbert to Dobbins Lookout trail at South Mountain. Centrally located. Plenty of ample parking. Bathrooms located at the trailhead, but have seen better days. Trail itself is extremely well marked and the trail is maintained quite well. The scenery is beautiful, but South Mountain is what I would refer to as 'Thunderbird, Jr.' No one knows what trail etiquette is and if you're an experienced hiker, it makes for a frustrating experience. You've got people going downhill not yielding to hikers going uphill (who always have the right of way). You'll also have a hiker going at their own snail's pace refusing to allow others to pass. You know that car camped out in the far left lane on the I-17 doing 64.3 mph in a 65 mph zone? ...yeah, that's what it's like. Additionally, there's the losers who have their external Bluetooth speaker attached to their Wal-Mart back with their shitty music blaring at max volume. Contrary to popular belief, no one else on the trail wants to listen to your shitty excuse of what you call music. One suggestion, two words: ear buds. Invest in a pair. Have some common courtesy, ya moron. Like most things in life, there's nothing wrong with South Mountain itself. It's the fair-weather hikers who all of a sudden during the peak of COVID decided they were going to be avid outdoorsmen and women. LOLOL. There are so many more awesome trails waaaaaay off the beaten path where there aren't a lot of people wrecking the experience. Find them. Unless you're one of the many individuals I described previously... then keep going to South Mountain.

Well that was totally worth the drive up the mountain. Listen, I was told it's a must do by the locals here. Glad I finally went. Wow! What a gorgeous evening view of the Entire valley below ! Head all the way up till you can't go up anymore and you've come to Dobbins lookout. Come and see the stars up close. Check out the city views. Parking is readily available. Sit and park or get out and stretch your legs by walking around the grounds. I'll be back, this time I'll do an afternoon so I can see the view on daylight. It's a perfect spot to catch a sunset.

Absolutely beautiful place to have a view of the valley. Drive up is very scenic and easy to navigate. On the way up, there's also option to hike,bike or horseback ride. Best time to head up there is during golden hour..

I really like this park. I live nearby so I go here quite often. There are some spectacular views of Phoenix as well as the surrounding areas. Just be careful driving up the mountain since the roads curve and wind quite a bit. My favorite time to come here is when the sun is setting since the views are breathtaking. If you're in Phoenix and pass up the opportunity to come here, you will regret it!

I wish I could have spent more time here, as the weather in December was just perfect for hiking. This is the kind of place that you must be grateful for if you're a Phoenician, because it's a whole lot of open space in your backyard, and in an ever-sprawling valley, that's a hard thing to come by. We were on holiday, and the crowds were here as well. We chose to go in the Pima Canyon side, which was also a very popular choice. I wonder if the other areas would have had so many people there, too, but with a population like there is in Phoenix and a pandemic that has us all craving to get out, I don't think there's anywhere on the mountain that really offers much solitude. We really loved the experience, though. It had a lot of nature, some city views, and a nice hike up the wash. There's not much wildlife here due to all the people, but there's a bit of human history to go see, with a few old (modern) ruins of old homes. It clocks in at around 16k acres, and there seem to be a few concentrated access points. You should check out their website to get more info, but the trailheads are: Pima Canyon Trailhead (4800 E. Pima Canyon Rd.); Mormon Trailhead (8610 S. 24th St.); Beverly Canyon Trailhead​ (8800 S. 46th St.); ​Buena Vista Trailhead (N. Buena Vista Rd.); Desert Foothills Trailhead (14251 S. Desert Foothills Pkwy.); Chandler Blvd. and 19th Ave. Trailhead (15451 S. 19th Ave.); 19th Ave. (Ma-Ha-Tauk) Trailhead. (10484 S. 19th Ave.).

South Mountain Park is over 16,000 acres of beauty. It has over 58 miles of trails. Many of the trails were constructed in the 1930's. Dogs are allowed in the park. During my visit I decided to take the drive up to the top of the mountain. The view was breathtaking. Dobbins Lookout was recently opened after a renovation. A stone ramada is there if you need shade. There were lots of people enjoying the view and taking photos. They had a couple of people hawking their wares. It was most Native American type of merchandise.

Nice location for viewing Phoenix. Long road trip up winding two lane roads. The views are spectacular and has adequate facilities.

Great place to hike and get a good view of Phoenix. Trail was sparsely populated during the evening on a weekday. Everyone I encountered was cool and friendly. Gave me good impression of Arizonans.

This is literally my new favorite spot! I guess I was not expecting that much as we wanted somewhere new to hike and checkout the scenery. There is Ponderosa stables at the bottom of the mountain where you can schedule trail rides and a breakfast, lunch or dinner. We will be trying that in the very near future. You have so many options here of parking and hiking or biking. We chose to drive to the top and check it out. Definitely not disappointed. The road driving up is a narrow two lane road that is winding and fun! Well we found the adventure in it. We first stopped at Dobbins lookout which looks over the north side of the mountain and towards downtown Phoenix. It was BEAUTIFUL!! Plenty of places there to hike trails or just sit and enjoy the beauty Phoenix has to offer. There are benches as well to sit at. We decided after that to trek it all the way up the mountain and see the other lookouts. There was another spot to see what's south of the mountain behind all the towers. That was beautiful and windy. We went hiking after that and there are plenty of trails that are clean and fun. Overall, definitely check it out if you have not already. There is no fees you have to pay at any of the stop points and there are restrooms as well at the bottom. Beautiful views and we will be back again soon!

South Mountain Park off Central is one of the most spectacular scenic drives. This is free to the public every day with the exception of every 4th Sunday. It is closed to all vehicles every 4th Sunday known as silent Sunday allowing for hikers, mountain bikers, road bikers, families with strollers to use the road without the worry of cars. The vistas and overlooks at the top are a stunning way to take in the Valley. Highly recommend for your out of town guests

Beautiful view good for hiking and sightseeing with your family.... Best place to view Phoenix, Arizona.

I love the drive up here...so peaceful but scary at the same time. I swear I drive 2 mph going up and down for fear of going over.... not ready to die! The vehicles behind me are always honking at me so I end up pulling over on the "teeny round abouts" that's in place, to take a break or to collect your thoughts to continue on. My poor company from out of town...cheers to them for trusting me to drive them up and down safely! True Friendship Of course I recommend and will always go back! I recommend taking all out your out of State guests for a great view and to take awesome photos

Lots of trails to choose from, well marked, but make sure you stay on the path as it's easy to get a little lost, and bring plenty of water. I like that it's just hilly enough to make the hike interesting and you see plenty of tall cacti. Great views of Phoenix too!

The highest point in Phoenix! Great overview of the city, albeit at the mountain itself is nothing to go home about. Really easy drive up and various entry points. A very popular spot and you'll see a lot of folks who are local to the area or not checking out the views! There's a cool area with old Timey buildings that you can take pictures in and explore as well. You get a really see the city for what it is from this angle; which is vastly different from the other points. Definitely recommend checking out the spot at least once!

I love hiking at south mountain. There are several areas to park and find a trail. If you drive all the way down south on 19th Avenue, you will see a parking area along with a directory showing the trails and how many miles it takes to hike. Make sure to take all the necessities with you .

South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona is an absolute gem! The stunning desert views, the peaceful atmosphere, and the endless trails make it a must-visit spot for nature lovers. Whether you're hiking, biking, or picnicking, there's something for everyone here. The sunsets are breathtaking and the wildlife is abundant. It's impossible not to feel rejuvenated after spending time in this natural wonderland. Plus, the park is conveniently located and admission is free. Don't miss out on the opportunity to explore South Mountain Park - it's an experience you won't forget!

As a disabled person, it's a blessing to be able to drive to the summit, park and take in the stunning panoramic views with just a short walk. I went at sunset and it was truly amazing. I am a new transplant from the Midwest to the Valley, so finding these type of natural wonders here in the Southwest is a joy for me

This mountain offers us so many pleasures. The view is breathtaking. We are very happy to live at the foot of the mountain. My backyard give us a beautiful view. I'm old now so no more hiking. But I can still drive to lookout point, talk to the Natives and things like foxes chayotes.even a mountain goat.

This is a great place to visit no matter your fitness level. We drove all the way to Dobbin's lookout which is 2330 ft to see the great Phoenix view (great view/ride). On the way there are lots of trails for all sorts of fitness levels, and you are also able to take the bike out for a spin. There are lots of signs everywhere so that you are able to know where you are going, please be careful driving as it is a thin winding road with oncoming traffic and cyclists. For those that want to know there are multiple restrooms some at the bottom where the entry gate is and other at the top to make it convenient for everyone. Also keep in mind to stay hydrated in summer months since there is no shade. On top of getting to enjoy the fresh air, taking great pictures with the family, I also learned a little about the saguaro cactus life cycle, and some of the wild life in the area.

One of our favorites for sure! The steak tacos are out of this world. When we have guests we always take them to Cucina Madrigal. It never disappoints!

Absolutely stunning. Worth the visit for certain. The natural beauty and surrounding areas are some of the most beautiful areas in Phoenix.

Best place to go when you just want to get away. It's honestly so beautiful. I highly recommend going if you want to see some breath taking views. CAUTION : Be very careful on the way driving up, the roads do get narrow. Bring water & if you decide to walk around make sure you stay on trail.

Great hiking close to City except in the Summer Months. It's deadly to hike there in June, July, and August.

BEST OF PHOENIX - Most tourists (like myself) have never heard of the South Mountain. Internet searches will always pull up the Camelback Mountain as the "best hike" in Phoenix. Luckily our hotel was close to the South Mountain so we were able to experience this wonderful outdoor park with the locals. Trails - There are many trails starting at the base of the mountain with the biggest one being the Pima Canyon Trailhead. Other popular trails are the National Trail, the Mormon Trail, and the Hidden Valley Loop. If you're looking for a more aggressive hike you can always walk from the base of the mountain all the way to one of the viewpoints at the top of South Mountain. Trails are pretty family-friendly, just watch out for mountain bikers zooming down the trails with reckless abandon. Not into hiking? No problem. You can drive to the top of the mountain and check out their visitor center and several viewpoints along the ridgeline.

I must add to any hikers day. It's not too difficult yet got a pretty good workout. Some pretty cool stuff to see. Fat Mans pass should definitely be hit while there.

What a wonderful weekend adventure! The weather was so pleasant that we decided to take a hike and get some dose of nature and vitamin D. I have never been here before and expected this to be a regular state park. I was so pleasantly surprised. This park is so beautiful! We drove all the way to the top of the lookout and I would recommend that to all the visitors. Yes, it was crowded at popular spots. But the park is so vast that it is easy to find a spot just for you, there are so many hikes that we were the only ones on several hikes. Take advantage of the weather and head out there, you will not be disappointed!

Hiked National to the Hidden Valley Trail Tunnel this past weekend for the first time. What a beautiful hike! Loved seeing all the saguaros and the view of the city and surrounding mountains from the top. Can't wait to hike it again!

Beautiful and peaceful location! Great overlook of the city! Well kept and clean! Lots of hikes available but you can also drive up to the top to Olathe overlook to get breath taking views!

This was such a fun and awesome hike. The views of the valley are spectacular and this has a wide variety of trails to choose from. You can either go up there and have a nice 10 minute walk, or go for a long trip and spend 3 hours on all of the trails. You have a 360 view of the Phoenix area, and looking down into Ahwatukee. Another awesome thing about this is you can mountain bike here. The trails didn't look like anything crazy, so if you are a beginner you could definitely come up here and try it. Even though there are bikers, you don't feel like your in any danger of being hit. Because there are so many trails, everyone there is so spread out you almost feel like you have the whole park to yourself. The park was free to go into and very painless parking. With most of the hiking trails in Phoenix, the parking can be a nightmare. You can park your car on the side of the road and walk right into the trail. This also makes it nice for when you get back and are ready for a nice break.

Beautiful day to drive up the windy steep road. Be patient with road bikers and also sightseeing tourists It's worth the wait to the top. It was a clear day . Great views

My only regret with South Mountain Park is that I didn't spend more time here. We wanted to kick off the hiking in Phoenix with going somewhere close by. We decided to spend a brief afternoon at South Mountain. My initial reaction is that you can spend hours and days here if you plan out your path. That's the exact thing we didn't do. We chose a trail and decided to go for a while and then turn around and come back. The trail we were on is very much a neighborhood trail. Here I am with my plenty of water and ready to go. Meanwhile... here are the teenagers coming off the mountain dressed in all black, loud music blasting, and with only a small bottle of water! I'm honestly surprised that more people don't die every year while hiking/backpacking. People just don't realize how crucial having water is. Based on the trail we were on, I'd label these trails as easy to moderate. They weren't necessarily hard but you can definitely get a workout here. Steady climbs followed by flat areas followed by slight declines. Repeat. If you plan to tackle Camelback while in Phoenix(and you should), then South Mountain is a good warm-up. Some of the trails weren't clearly marked but once on the trails, they're high-traffic areas so you shouldn't get lost. On the way up the mountain, you can turn around and see most of the city. In the distance, you can also see Camelback. There's not much more to say about South Mountain. The next time I'm in Phoenix, I'll certainly visit South Mountain again but I won't waste days there. The main issue with South Mountain has to be the people. I prefer not to have that many people around when I'm hiking. People are gross and one of the top reasons I hike/backpack/spend time in nature is to get away from them.

Beautiful park, very well organized. At the entrance you find info. Little further there's the first stop with bathrooms where there's more info. Many trails easy to difficult. I went up to Dobbins Lookout and Buena Vista Hidden Valley. Gorgeous and a must visit!

Ahhhhh! This one is another fave! An original fave, like from the late '90s when the parking was just the lot itself and very rarely was there even a car that was parallel parked at the trailhead. (Now it's two rows of parallel parkers the whole length of the entrance and even full at that some days, but that's how it is...being popular! (I'm talking about the northeast entrance at Pima Canyon Road as my access point.) This is a nice easy-to-moderate hike up the along the base and up the side of the mountain. The trail is wide and it's busy, but I still enjoy it. Have always found courtesy on the trail, thankfully. The Summit Road (come in from Central Avenue at the north) is the driveway to the top for less active desert mountain enthusiasts and it affords a 360 view of Phoenix and surrounding suburbs. The drive is nice to take out of town visitors who want to see some views without the burn :)

Like how nice and clean it is. You can drive or hike. Love the view driving up. Great photo opportunities. Awesome view from the top.

This is a great and quick hike!!! The trail we took is at South Mountain Park! We found this particular trail on AllTrails! It's super easy to get to with a small parking lot! There are no bathrooms at this particular spot so go before you go!! The beginning is pretty rocky! It's way fun! There are several Picture opportunities on the way up! Lots of rock formations! It's a fun trail and gives a great view! Make sure you have lots of water for you and your fur buddy as it does get hot even on a cooler day! Gotta love AZ weather! I'd go again and again!!!

If the pandemic has given us anything, it's time to get out, explore and appreciate all that is Arizona. Despite being a prolific cyclist, road and mountain, it's been easy to constantly ride the same areas week after week. That's changed the last six months, as evident from my recent reviews of Usery, Cave Creek regional, and now South Mountain Park. SoMo is pretty much a Mecca for Mountain Bikers and I've done a handful of the trails with my mountain bike but this review is specifically around the wonderful treat the mountain provides Sunday mornings to road bikers, runners, and anyone who wants to make the trek to the top of the hill across from the TV Towers, 2000 feet of elevations. . .all without the threat of traffic. Yes, the road is closed Sunday mornings to vehicle traffic-check the website out for official closures (don't rely on this review- caveat emptor). Roughly 2,000 of elevation between the Tower climb and short San Juan road, this is a great way to kick start your Sunday morning! It's a tough climb to the top but completely doable for even the weekend warriors. And the reward is a fast and smooth ride to the bottom. The San Juan road was just resurfaced in the summer of Covid and is smooth as glass-a true joy to ride. Considering this is the largest municipal park in the United States, there are no fees to enjoy this unique and challenging ride, or any of the MTB trails. Phoenix is the place to be and South Mountain is just another great example of that!

Looking forward to receiving nature's energy! Check back in later to share the trail deets. .

This is truly a must stop if you are visiting Phoenix. And I'm sure if you are lucky enough to live there you visit often. (If not, you should.) I was going to go to some botanical garden but the entrance fee was laughable. I figured I'd be able to find a cactus or two on my own. With a panoramic view of the city and surrounding desert this was an experience of a lifetime. Saguaros are amazing. I learned that they don't even start branching out until they are 60 to 80 years old. I wish I had more time to hike while I was there but that just means we'll have to come back again. And my wife found some Native American jewelry for sale in the parking lot . . . . yay.