» destination guides

» attractions

» visitor info

» hiking & outdoor

» scenic drives

Mingus Loop showcases Verde Valley from above
Mingus Mountain is one of Arizona's premier high-country playgrounds, replete with breathtaking views of the Verde Valley, cozy campgrounds, a fine trail system and even a hang-glider launch site.

Groom Creek Loop Trail
Groom Creek Loop Trail

Prescott's shady Groom Creek trail
The well-shaded trail Groom Creek Loop Trail southeast of Prescott is a perfect summertime outing nearly as popular among mountain bikers and horseback riders as it is with hikers.

Old trail cuts across Spur Cross
Our national forests are full of old trails. Some haven't been ''official'' for years - they're not listed on Forest Service Web sites or in printed trail descriptions - yet still get plenty of use.

Reavis Ranch roundup
Some of the wildest, most scenic and secluded lands in Arizona stand a scant 40 miles east of downtown Phoenix. The Superstition Wilderness holds nearly 160,000 acres of backcountry beauty, with dramatic cliffs, rugged canyons, sweeping vistas and mesmerizing rock formations.

Savoring the Sonoran
San Tan Mountain Regional Park, one of 10 parks in the Maricopa County Regional Park System, holds more than 10,000 acres of Sonoran Desert splendor.

Kayaking the Salt River
Mention the lower Salt River and everybody thinks of tubing. But it's also a great place to kayak, especially for beginners.

Streamside ramble
With its rushing stream, tall shady trees and grassy meadows, the South Fork Trail near Greer is a perfect summer hike.

A walk beneath the pines
The Groom Creek Loop Trail, which meanders through the northern Bradshaw Mountains, is a long, not overly strenuous hike among tall ponderosa pines, fat juniper trees and, as you ascend, stands of white firs.

Aspen Trail/Wilderness of Rocks/Marshall Gulch Loop
The Wilderness of Rocks on Mount Lemmon makes for difficult hiking, especially since the trail disappears beneath the boulders.

AB Young Trail
With so much to see around Sedona, it seems a shame to spend an afternoon grunting in pain and cursing in the midday sun. Maybe that's why the hike up the A.B. Young Trail in Oak Creek Canyon is so frustrating.

Antelope Canyon
Walls glow with the fire of a gemstone as sunlight bounces around bends and waves of sandstone in Antelope Canyon.

Apache Maid Trail
The Apache Maid Trail takes hikers to the rim of the Wet Beaver Creek drainage, showing off the striking scenery. But first, hikers will travel two miles of the Bell Trail (No. 13) as it winds through the wide drainage.

Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness
Follow the creek and discover the hidden beauty of Aravaipa Canyon. Make a day of it, or better yet, plan an overnight trip.

Ballantine Trail
It may surprise you the number of times you've passed the Ballantine Trail unnoticed on your way up the Beeline to Payson and beyond.

Sabino Canyon/Bear Canyon trails
Sabino Canyon, in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, has a little something for everybody.

Bear Jaw Trail
When the you get the itch to hike the high country, the mountains around Flagstaff offer a deeply satisfying scratch. But mountain weather can be capricious, as a recent trip up Bear Jaw Canyon reminded us.

Bear Mountain Trail
If there were a list of the coolest hikes in Arizona, the Bear Mountain Trail would be at the top.

Bear Wallow Trail
During the summer, the Bear Wallow Trail comes as close as any place in Arizona can get to a rain forest

Bell Rock
Aptly-named Bell Rock south of Sedona is a popular tourist attraction and one of the Sedona "vortex" spots, an area of spiritual significance to New Agers.

Bell Trail
It just looks like more scrubby desert from the highway, you think, snickering at the name each time you drive north to cooler climes.

Ben Avery Trail
The Eagletail Mountains Wilderness Area, only 75 miles west of downtown Phoenix, offers hikers more than 100,000 acres of rugged landscape with sights ranging from natural rock windows to Indian petroglyphs.

Bill Williams River
The Bill Williams River's mild-mannered beginning in the Rawhide Mountains Wilderness at Alamo Dam belies its wild and demanding nature.

Bill Williams Trail
The trek begins near the Williams District Ranger Station, just south of Interstate 40 and a bit west of Williams. It's a stout hike, gaining more than 2,200 feet of elevation as it snakes up the mountain's northern flank.

Black Canyon Trail
The Black Canyon Trail starts out in a soggy segment of a drainage called Quail Springs and doesn't actually enter the Black Canyon drainage for several miles.

Blevins Trail
Blevins Trail is easy to find, well-marked and a breeze to follow. But the 10 trails that intersect it almost insist you explore them.

Bonita Creek
Located in the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area, Bonita Creek is known for its exceptional water quality and is one of the most significant riparian zones in the Southwest.

Boynton Canyon
When you're in the mood for a scenic - but not too strenuous - getaway, consider the Boynton Canyon Trail west of Sedona.

Boulder Canyon Trail

Bright Angel/South Kaibab Trails
Hike the Grand Canyon to Phantom Ranch via the Bright Angel trails.

Brins Mesa Trail
This is not a terribly strenuous hike, especially if you start from the Brins Mesa Trailhead and walk east. Not only does the hike seem to flow better from this direction; it's a heck of a lot less crowded, too.

Burro Creek
Most people pass Burro Creek without even knowing it on their way to Kingman or Las Vegas.

Butterfly Trail
From it's northern trailhead, Butterfly Trail offers some spectacular views right off the bat.

Camelback Mountain
Paris has the Eiffel Tower. New York, the Statue of Liberty. Phoenix has Camelback Mountain.

Canyon X
Not far from Lake Powell, rock and water and time have sculpted a geologic marvel, a slot canyon just a few feet wide but more than 100 feet deep, a place where sinuous sandstone walls twist sunlight into astonishing hues, delighting visitors and dazzling photographers.

Cathedral Wash
This route through a drainage in the Glen Canyon Recreation Area drops hikers into Grand Canyon National Park in Marble Canyon.

Cave Creek Trail
The area around Cave Creek, north of Phoenix, offers outdoor folks a terrific variety of trails to explore.

Charles M. Christiansen Memorial Trail
For sheer variety in a hike, it's hard to beat the Christiansen Trail.

Cholla Trail
The Cholla Trail offers a much different experience on Camelback than the more popular Echo Canyon Trail

Cibecue Canyon
In Cibecue Canyon, vertical cliffs rest on a slope covered with junipers, oaks and creamy yucca blossoms while clear mountain water rushes past peach-colored boulders scattered on the river bottom.

Clear Creek Trail
The trek to Phantom Ranch, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, is one of the most satisfying hikes in the state. It's challenging without being overwhelming and rewards hikers with some of the finest vistas.

Coffee Flat Loop
Jack Fraser picked a beautiful spot to build his cattle ranch - in a canyon passed by the Coffee Flat Trail.

Lakeshore Trail
The short, easy Lakeshore Trail circles Lynx Lake, a few miles east of Prescott.

Cottonwood Canyon Trail
The Cottonwood Canyon Trail, part of the 750-mile Arizona Trail, shows off Arizona's diversity as it travels from the lower canyon at Roosevelt Lake to its upper portion near the northern end of the Superstition Mountains.

Coyote Buttes
In far northern Arizona, just spittin' distance from the Utah border, lies a geologic wonderland, a bizarre landscape of improbable shapes and colors, an outdoor photographer's paradise.

Date Creek Ranch
Successful crystal hunting at this collection site off Date Creek Ranch Road takes a bit of knowledge, not to mention luck.

Desert Ecology/Dougals Springs/Tanque Verde Trails
The Desert Ecology Trail, a few miles from the visitors center, is an easy, quarter-mile loop hike, and wheelchair accessible.

Doe Mountain Trail
The red-rock backcountry west of Sedona is full of fascinating canyons and scenic trails.

Echo Canyon Loop Trail
Walking the Echo Canyon Loop is like walking through an artist's thoughts.

Escudilla Trail
Autumn comes early to the cool uplands of the White Mountains, and one of the first signs of the season is a broad sheen of gold that appears on Escudilla Mountain's northern slopes.

Bull Pasture/Estes Canyon Trails
Judging from the name, Bull Pasture Trail, you might expect a bucolic stroll through grassy grazing land. You are so wrong. There ain't no bull and there ain't no pasture.

Finger Rock Trail
Just how tough is the Finger Rock Trail? Imagine hiking to the summit of Piestewa Peak 3 times in a row.

Ford Canyon Trail
Last year's trail work at White Tank Mountain Regional Park doubled the size of the Ford Canyon Trail.

Four Peaks Trail
And though the largest fire in the history of the Tonto National Forest has left the trail a strange place, the trail has not relinquished its remote atmosphere, particularly as it contours around the backside of the mountain.

French Joe Canyon
French Joe Canyon provides panoramic views of the surrounding Whetstone Mountains and is one of the few sources of water in the area.

Grandview Trail
The Grandview Trail drops from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon onto Horseshoe Mesa, where remnants of the Last Chance Mine can be seen.

Go John Trail
The Go John Trail is a surprisingly beautiful loop through the desert north of Phoenix, worthy of out-of-towners as well as hardened locals.

Goat Camp Trails
The White Tank Mountain Regional Park contains darn near 30,000 acres of desert splendor, offering hikers a wide variety of satisfying treks.

Granite Mountain Trail
An incline that can be hotter than Hades, the Granite Mountain Trail also can be a windy slice of heaven.

Groom Creek Trail
Those who find solace in the pines will feel at home on the Groom Creek Trail.

Guindoni Loop Trail
Visitors to Kartchner Caverns who take a few extra hours to hike the Guindoni Loop Trail will find that the uniqueness of the Whetstone Mountains doesn't stop at the caverns.

Hogan Spring Trail
The Hogan Spring Trail (No. 8), located in a tucked-away section of the New River Mountains, crosses a lot of different country on its way to Hogan Cabin and Spring.

Half Moon, Rock Creek Trails
Trails in the Mazatzal mountains accommodate both moderate day hikers and those looking for a more strenuous challenge.

Harquahala Peak
There are two ways to reach the summit of Harquahala Peak. You can slog up a long, steep, thigh-pummeling trail that gains more than 3,300 feet in six miles, or you can skip the hike and drive up.

Havasu Canyon
Towering cliffs, lush landscape and awesome waterfalls with blue-green pools await heat-weary hikers visiting Havasu Canyon.

Heart of Rocks Trail
It's not often you get a good workout and a good laugh. But the hiking trails at Chiricahua National Monument prove that, once in a while, Mother Nature has a sense of humor.

Hermit Trail
The Hermit Trail at the bottom of the Grand Canyon offers hikers terrific views of the Colorado River and solitude you won't find in the main part of the park.

Hieroglyphic Canyon
This trail is trickier to access than it used to be because of development and private property rights near the Superstition Wilderness.

Holbert Trail
The Holbert Trail gives you a healthy climb and a little history with it.

Hunter Trail
Scenic vistas await hikers who venture up the Hunter Trail to the top of Picacho Peak.

Inner Basin Trail
The Inner Basin Trail begins among towering aspens and, in the summer, opens up into a wildflower-carpeted meadow.

Jacks Canyon Trail
Once a faint deer track, Jacks Canyon Trail was built by Cal Fox and a couple of friends one week in April 1937 to transport Fox's cattle to and from the high country.

J.F. Trail
Among the rewards of the JF Trail is a spectacular view of the Superstition Mountains. It's a steady climb to the trail's halfway point.

Kachina Trail
Hikers of all abilities will enjoy this one. The experienced can do the entire 14 miles up and back in an afternoon.

Kendrick Mountain Trail
This well-maintained trail climbs slowly but steadly up to the 10,400 foot summit and to some of the finest views of northern Arizona.

KP Trail
The KP Trail has everything an alpine hike has to offer and more.

Lava Flow Trail
This wheelchair-accessible path follows a lava flow from approximately 1150 A.D. in the Sunset Crater National Monument area just north of Flagstaff.

Lava River Cave
Exploring the innards of a lava tube may or may not be your idea of hiking, but spelunking your way through this cave is a kick regardless of your definition.

Little Granite Mountain
One of the rewards of hiking the Little Granite Mountain Loop outside Prescott is stunning views of Granite Mountain.

Little Horse Trail
Nothing sounds appealing about a trek to a place named after a chicken, but this is Sedona, where you almost can't go wrong on a hike. Every trail leads to something beautiful.

Little Wolf Creek Trail
Hikers comfortable with a remote and lonely trail will enjoy the solitude of the Little Wolf Creek Trail.

Lookout Mountain Trails
Don't judge Lookout Mountain by its size.

Lost Canyon
It's called Lost Canyon for a reason. Maybe two reasons.

Massacre Grounds
Massacre Grounds in the Superstition Wilderness rewards hikers with expansive views.

Mayor's Loop Trail
Although just 25 miles west of downtown Phoenix, the silence of the Estrella Mountains makes civilization seem worlds away.

Miller Peak Crest Trail
At 9,466 feet, hikers atop Miller Peak might feel they can touch the drifting clouds. The view would be the same if they were riding them.

Mormon Trail
Although this is a short trail, there is plenty to explore off the many branches of the Mormon Trail, especially in Hidden Valley

South Mountain National Trail
A hiker has found a nice place to rest, think and see the city along the National Trail in South Mountain Park. End to end, the trail is all-day exercise.

North Kaibab Trail
The North Kaibab Trail stretches from the aspen-shaded flanks of the North Rim all the way down to Phantom Ranch, the most popular below-the-rim destination within the Grand Canyon.

Mingus Mountain
Among Mingus Mountain's vast bounty are amazing panoramic views. The mountain is about a two-hour drive from Phoenix, near Jerome.

Old Baldy Trail/Super Trail
The Old Baldy Trail heads generally southeast, gaining nearly 1,700 feet on its way to Josephine Saddle, about two and a half miles from the trailhead.

Oldham Trail
If you plan on ascending up the Oldham Trail, look at maps, watch the signs, or just relax and remember which way you came.

Pristine desert - no bull
Judging from the name, Bull Pasture Trail, you might expect a bucolic stroll through grassy grazing land.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
At Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument just north of the Mexican border, you can catch some great wildflower displays, plus the organ pipe cactus that gives the monument its name.

Palm Canyon: Fronds in high places
Nestled high in a small side canyon, deep within the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Arizona, grows a most unlikely oasis. Dozens of stately palm trees, among the last remaining examples of native Arizona palms still growing in the wild, wave an airy greeting to hikers.

Papago Park Trails
The trails in Papago Park offer the best and worst of city hiking.

Parker Creek Trail
Starting in the depths of Parker Canyon, the Parker Creek Trail (No. 160) begins its non-stop three-mile ascent to the rim of the Sierra Ancha Mountains in a particularly flourishing riparian cover.

Parson's Trail
Convenient to Sedona and the Verde Valley, one can enjoy a fair amount of solitude along cool, heavily-shaded Parson's Trail.

Pemberton Trail: Rolling scenery

Peralta Trail
One of the most popular hikes in the Superstition Wilderness is the Peralta Canyon Trail to Fremont Saddle.

Picacho Peak not for wimps

Panoramic Pinnacle
Studded with saguaro, cholla and other flora, the Pinnacle Peak Trail winds through the upper Sonoran Desert in north Scottsdale.

Quartz Peak Trail
As the only established trail in the Sierra Estrella Wilderness, the Quartz Peak Trail lets hikers transcend into a remote atmosphere - but only by the sweat of their brow.

Rainbow Rim Trail
Like the fingers of an outstretched hand, the five points of the Rainbow Rim Trail between Parissawampitts and Timp points reach into the Grand Canyon from the North Rim.

Plot of gold
You may not find a pot of gold at the end of the Rainbow Valley Trail, but there are plenty of scenic treasures along the way.

Reach 11 Loop Trail
A trip through Phoenix's Reach 11 is more a walk than a hike, but that's not to say the trails aren't worth traveling.

Reavis Ranch Trail
Rarely do I recommend a machete as an essential piece of hiking equipment, but the Reavis Ranch Trail is so overgrown with brush and grass that it wouldn't be a bad idea to take one along.

Red Mountain Trail
Standing as a relic from a spurt of activity in the San Francisco volcanic field, Red Mountain is one of the most colorful of the area's cinder cones.

Rogers Canyon Trail
The road to ruin is paved with good intention, but the road to the Rogers Canyon Trail isn't paved, or even graded. It could even be the road of ruin for flimsy vehicles.

Rogers Trough Trail
A hike into Rogers Canyon takes you past boulders bigger than cars, through a creek bed lined with trees and around amazing rock formations and even Salado Indian ruins.

Romero Canyon Trail
The Romero Canyon Trail was named after a rancher who built his home near Indian ruins on the Canada del Oro Wash, which marks the beginning of the trail.

Salt Water Wash
The crusty ledge of Kaibab limestone provides good handholds and footholds for hikers' descents into Salt Water Wash, where layers of rock the color of toast stack neatly atop one another.

Scheurman Mountain Loop
The loop around Scheurman Mountain makes for a day trip the whole family can enjoy.

See Canyon Trail
See Canyon Trail is one of the more animated hikes on the Mogollon Rim.

Sabino Canyon/Bear Canyon trails

Sheep Crossing Trail
This is an unparalled summer hike to the summit of Mount Baldy in the White Mountains.

Shoshone Point
Not far off Desert View Drive is an easy trek to a wonderful overlook where, if you're lucky, you just may find the isolation that so greatly enhances the sublimity of the Grand Canyon.

Slate Mountain Trail
Despite its misleading name, Slate Mountain offers hikers a fine trek through pinyon, juniper and fir, capped by tremendous vistas of much of northern Arizona.

South Fork Trail
The South Fork of Deer Creek creates small cascades where hikers can rest in the shade and listen to the flow of water over stone.

Squaw Peak Summit Trail
It's not easy hiking the 1.2-mile Summit Trail to the top of the Phoenix mountain. But it's a great exercise program not only because of the aerobic activity and muscle building the climb provides but also because other climbers can be so entertaining.

Sterling Pass Trail
Full disclosure: Most hikes around Sedona offer spectacular, expansive views of the area's signature red rock cliffs. The Sterling Pass Trail doesn't.

Superstition Mountains ridge line
Hiking experts consider the trek along the ridge of the Superstition Mountains the hardest hike in the Valley, comparable in difficulty to a rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon.

Sycamore Rim Trail
Although the Grand Canyon tends to overshadow them all, there are dozens of magnificent canyons scattered throughout Arizona.

Table Top Trail
The hike to the summit of Table Top Mountain is tough - you gain more than 2,000 feet of elevation - and the drive to the trailhead can be an adventure, but the view from the top makes all your efforts worthwhile.

Telegraph Pass Trail
The trail starts into the park with a quarter-mile of paved path. Where the pavement ends, a dirt trail begins a winding ascent of the mountain. It's one more mile up to Telegraph Pass Saddle, where the trail hooks up with

Thumbs Butte Trail
Don't thumb your nose at Thumb Butte in Prescott. The trail, though tame in places, gains nearly 600 feet in elevation.

Tin Trough Trail
The cobbled landscape of the Granite Mountain Wilderness gives the Tin Trough Trail an aesthetic appeal. That, coupled with its nearly level grade, makes the trail perfect for hikers of any experience level.

Treasure Canyon
A true oasis in the desert, Treasure Canyon makes a great retreat from reality.

Vineyard Trail
New to the Tonto National Forest trail system, and a link in the 750-mile-long Arizona Trail, the Vineyard Trail showcases an unusual side of Arizona: 25-mile-long Roosevelt Lake to the north and adjoining Apache Lake to the south.

Waterfall Canyon Trail
The trail, much of which is wheelchair-accessible, winds through the desert foothills and past Indian petroglyphs, chiseled in the boulders centuries ago.

West Fork Trail
This popular trail in narrow West Fork Canyon follows a twisting and turning tributary of Oak Creek. While it's possible to hike the entire 14 miles of the canyon, the trail is maintained only for the first three.

White Canyon Wilderness
Arizona has more than two-dozen designated wilderness areas, each with its own rewards for outdoor enthusiasts willing to take the time to find and explore them.

White House Ruin Trail
The trail to White House Ruin in Canyon de Chelly National Monument, on the Navajo Reservation in northeastern Arizona, starts on a shelf of mottled slick rock the color of terra cotta.

Wild Bunch Trail
Whether named for outlaws who once hid out there, or for renegade cattle running from branding, the Wild Bunch Trail is an ideal trek for those wanting to escape to extreme remoteness.

A shore bet
Nestled among the pine forests up on the Mogollon Rim, about 30 miles east of Payson, are a couple of high-country jewels.

Wind Cave Trail
Looking for a hike the whole family can enjoy? The Wind Cave Trail in the Usery Mountain Recreation Area just might fit the bill.

Wiregrass Canyon
Inside the twisted chambers of Wiregrass Canyon, hikers slide down a smooth pour-off that ends at the edge of a pond.

Woodchute Trail
Woodchute Wilderness, west of the picturesque town of Jerome, offers a fairly short, not-too-strenuous stroll through cool mountain meadows and open forests of pine and juniper.

Woods Canyon Lake Trail
Don't come to Woods Canyon Lake for a workout. The trail that goes 5.5 miles around the lake is almost entirely flat, but it's still a great hike to indulge the jones for peace.

Wupatki Ruins Trail
This path to the magnificent Wupatki Ruin, built by the Sinagua Indians nearly 800 years ago, is a self-guiding tour of the largest pueblo in the Flagstaff area.

Yaeger Canyon Trail
Although the Yaeger Canyon Trail on the southwestern flank of Mingus Mountain begins just a few feet off Arizona 89A, it offers visitors a real sense of remoteness as it traverses up and around a beautiful section of Yaeger Canyon.

Bog Springs Trail
Birders know all about Madera Canyon. But even if you've never stalked the elegant trogon, you'll still enjoy this beautiful wooded canyon, tucked up on the northern flanks of the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson.

Muggins Peak
The Muggins Mountains Wilderness Area, some 20 miles east of Yuma, contains 7,640 acres of spectacularly rugged beauty.

Lost Goldmine Trail
There's no gold. But the spectacular landscape along the Lost Goldmine Trail is worth far more than any mineral treasure. And it's never been misplaced.

Calloway Trail: Clearly beautiful
The pictures speak a thousand words: The West Clear Creek Wilderness is one of the most beautiful places in the state for cool backpacking, hiking, swimming and fishing.

West Boulder Trail
If you don't mind a lung-busting climb, a route-finding adventure and a ridiculously steep clamber down the boulder-strewn shoulders of Peralta Canyon, the loop from Carney Springs to West Boulder Saddle, down to Fremont Saddle and out the Peralta Trail may be your kind of hike.

Picketpost Mountain
Picketpost Mountain stands above the desert west of Superior like a natural fortress, its distinctive, slightly saddle-shaped peak visible for miles.

Hackberry Spring
The trip to Hackberry Spring is a good choice for your first secondary-trail trek. It's not too long or too difficult, and most of the way is well marked and easy to follow.

Horseshoe Bend Overlook
The land along the Arizona-Utah line is a geologic fantasia, a place where ancient sandstone has been swirled and twisted into bizarre and mesmerizing shapes by wind and water and time.

Parker Canyon Lake
The stroll around Parker Canyon Lake is a delightful outing. The 130-acre jewel, just seven miles north of Mexico, has a number of side canyons, inlets and coves that stretch back from the main body of the lake, creating a surprising amount of shoreline.

Chevaya Falls
The highest waterfall in the Grand Canyon isn't easy to reach. And, more often than not, it's more of a wet streak on a high canyon wall than a fully flowing cascade.

Palo Verde Trail
A couple of fine trails skirt the western edge of Bartlett Reservoir, several miles east of Carefree. The Palo Verde Trail is the longer of the two.

Jojoba Trail
As you make your way from the Rattlesnake Cove Recreation Site in the north to the Jojoba Boating Site in the south, you'll enjoy grand views of the reservoir as well as the cactus-studded landscape along the shore and the craggy Mazatzal Mountains that stand sentinel in the east.

Bull Pass Trail
You never know exactly what you'll find in the Superstition Wilderness, but you can always count on eye-popping scenery of one kind or another.

Pedersen Trail
Estrella Mountain Regional Park is one of many places boasting a fine display of wildflowers. And with two sets of interconnected trails, ranging in length from less than half a mile up to nearly nine miles, the park has a hike for everyone.

Bronco Trail
The saguaro-free Bronco Trail makes an outstanding introduction to the Cave Creek Trail System, 30-some miles of interconnected routes meandering through the high, rugged hills northeast of Carefree.

Flatiron
Imagine hiking two Camelback Mountains in a row. Believe it or not, that would be easier than hiking to the Flatiron, a prominent rock outcrop overlooking the western flanks of the Superstition Wilderness.

Calloway Trail
The pictures speak a thousand words: The West Clear Creek Wilderness is one of the most beautiful places in the state for cool backpacking, hiking, swimming and fishing.

Woodsy walk
Looking for a great autumn hike? Try the Horton Creek Trail, a scenic trek to one of the Mogollon Rim's splendid springs.

Houston Trail
Multi-use trail is challenging for mountain bikers, moderate for hikers and easy on horses.

March to the arch
Casual hike yields striking view of Vultee bridge near Sedona.

Fossil Creek Trail
A lush riparian tangle of trees, where five springs called Fossil Springs gush from a limestone ledge, greets hikers at the end of the Fossil Creek trail.

Elephant walk
The rugged Elephant Mountain Trail provides a great overview of the 2,154-acre conservation area, winding across desert foothills and down creek beds, through open grasslands and over a high mountain saddle.

Over the hump
Camelback Mountain, the best-known feature of the Phoenix skyline and the city's highest point, is an irresistible lure to hard-core hikers, fitness fanatics and tantalized tourists.

South Mountain National Trail
The National Trail is the backbone of the South Mountain Park system, stretching from the Pima Canyon Trailhead in the east to the San Juan Lookout in the west.

Piestewa Peak worth puffing for
The trek to the top of Piestewa Peak is one of the "must do" hikes in the Valley. After all, the craggy peak is a prominent feature of the Phoenix skyline and is second in height only to Camelback Mountain.

'Seven summits' of Phoenix
The Seven Summits of Phoenix are not the seven highest peaks of the Valley, any more than the fabled Seven Summits are the seven highest peaks in the world. Rather, they are the highest points in seven of the city's mountain parks.

Cool hikes in Arizona
Slogging through southern Arizona's summer - June through late September, it's tough to find a comfortable trek without doing a little driving. But that's where we're lucky. No matter what the season, we're never more than a couple of hours away from a fine hike.