Piestewa Peak

Scaling up the Piestewa Peak summit trail felt like an epic adventure, deserving every single one of its five stars!

From the get-go, the trail called out to me with promises of excitement and jaw-dropping views. With each step, I conquered the rocky but well-kept path, fueled by the excitement of what I'd find at the top. And boy, did it deliver! The sprawling vista of Phoenix below blew me away, reminding me why I love nature so much and how awesome it feels to conquer challenges. This hike wasn't just a stroll, especially as I wore my 20lb weighted vest to add to the challenge; it was a personal victory, a memory that'll stick with me forever.

Tons of people hiked, and we're able to pull up to a parking spot fairly quickly.

Piestewa Peak summit trail isn't just any old trail - it's a five-star thrill ride waiting for anyone up for the challenge!

It was a nice trail with nice city views mostly. There are no shades so beware, wear sunscreen, have a hat.

It is strenious in the sense that the trail mostly consists of uneven steps of rocks. So especially if you have knee or back problems, it might be very painful.

It was definitely a fun day for me but I'm not sure if the views were any better at the top. I enjoyed the halfway views much more.

Also there are lots of people even around the noon and if you enjoy being alone or hiking super fast without waiting for anyone this one might not be for you.

What a neat city park! We hiked the summit trail on an early morning. Nice challenging hike with elevation gain to get your heart ticking. Some flat spots but most of the time you are climbing on this trail. Incredible views from the top. Especially nice view of downtown. Well maintained trail and easy to follow. Lots of people here. Very clean trail considering all the folks hiking. See my summit and park map pics.

Large free parking area. Easy to find. Several other trails here, but we did not do them. FYI: Trail is closed on excessive hot days. No dogs permitted here. Bathrooms and drinking fountain are available.

All in all hard to find nicer park with such great trails. Enjoy!

I absolutely love this hike. Provides a beautiful view no matter what time of day it is. If you're looking for a hike in the Scottsdale area I would definitely recommend Piestewa Peak. Also kid friendly for the most part. Enjoy the stunning scenery and be safe!

Second highest peak followed by Camelback. Lots of trails and great parking. I enjoyed the summit but so do lots of people so get up early.

I would love to say that I conquered Piestewa Peak, but Piestewa Peak conquered me. Located in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, Piestewa Peak, aka Sumit Trail, is a difficult hike. The trail takes hikers up a rocky path. Rocky steps throughout the hike. Many of the steps are deep and double tall. A 2.1 mile hike. In 2.1 miles, there is an elevation change of over 1,100 ft. Piestewa Peak is regarded as a challenging/hard trail.

The view is supposed to be one of the best views in Phoenix. I say "supposed" because I am unable to confirm. While my hiking companion was happy to proceed onwards and upwards, I was unable to continue. I was done a little more than halfway up. Even on a Wednesday morning, the trail was busy. If the trail was less busy, it may have been easier to take my time. I knew we were not going to make it to the top and back in the time we had alloted. For me, hiking down was harder than going up. The high carved out steps and sharp rocks made finding my footing on the way down more difficult. Next time, I will be better prepared. Next time, I will bring a walking stick.

Signs are posted about the trail being closed during excessive heat. Bring plenty of water, anytime of the year. We hiked on a cooler morning. All the movement had me quickly shedding my sweatshirt. If you need a break, take it. There are benches peppered about. It is so frequent that people have to be rescued off the peak, that a rescue helicopter was monitoring the area for about half of our hike.

Signs are also posted that dogs are not permitted on this trail. Trash is pack in and pack out. Several parking lots in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. The parking lot that is closest to the trailhead is along Piestewa Peak Dr. Restrooms are located at the edge of the parking lot.

First time EVER going mountain hiking. Easy to get in and out of the parking lot. No tourist BS. You park and start climbing up. I'm 42 and hate tall bridges and my son is 8...I'm in very good shape so cardio was no issue...but saw people sweating and huffing puffing up and down...my son who usually Complains about walking to his buddies houses but had zero complaints as it's a constant adventure. It is tiered for a challenge...wide easy path to start and each "rest stop" with a bench it picks up after...close to the top I felt my scared of heights nerves kick in...but we made it all the way up! Lots of people up and down but I was fine with that as it comforted my nerves...I saw 4 year olds and 84 yea r olds...but it is a challenge for sure. I have no idea what some people were thinking bringing babies...must not go up halfway...the people who jog it are crazy hahaha...one wrong step and bye bye...but this was my sons FAVORITE part of a 4 day stay in Arizona...

This is my favorite mountain to hike in Phoenix.

I lived in AZ in the 90's and would hike here almost every weekend. Back then it was called Squaw Peak but they renamed it to Piestewa Peak in the early 2000's after a female soldier that went overseas for war. Bit of history for you.

It's a really cool place to hike because they have a lot of parking at the bottom of the mountain, and several trails for different levels of hikers.

There are bathrooms at the base as well as drinking fountains and hand washing stations. It seems to be a safe place especially because it is pretty crowded and lots of people.

When you start walking up it's basically like walking up stairs and not too difficult. There are plenty of places to stop and take breaks and even sit down on benches made from the mountain stone.

As you get halfway or closer to the top it definitely gets more difficult climbing and in some cases you are actually rock climbing not just hiking. So if you make it that far be safe.

Bring plenty of water and take breaks if you ever feel out of breath. I bring 1 water bottle and it sometimes only lasts me to the top and then I have no water on my way down.

Piestewa Peak is listed as a MUST for hikers in the Phoenix area. After living here almost 17 years I finally can check it off my list as being done. We did the summit trail and the circumference trail. Total of 5 miles with 1700 foot of elevation gain.

If you like hiking and are a little advanced you should surely try this one. The views are totally worth it.

My only reason for not giving 5 stars is the people. Yes I know it is a popular trail and there are a lot of people on the summit trail, but my issue is with common courtesy. Be respectful of other hikers and hiking etiquette when you are out on the trails! Don't just plow through people or keep your head down and keep pushing through expecting everyone to move for you. Be respectful!

This was our first hike in Arizona and we really enjoyed it. Very well maintained trail with ample parking, restrooms, and drinking fountains.

Great level of difficulty and amazing views at the top. Starts as a stair climber and then gradually gets more difficult to some climbing spots but all manageable in my opinion. It's the perfect nature escape from the city and close by!

Make sure to bring plenty of water, sunscreen!