Pinnacle Peak Park, Scottsdale

Wonderful trail, well marked and maintained. I would rate this hike moderate due to elevation gain. It is hot here! Make sure to bring plenty of water and protect yourself from the sun. The people in the information booth are nice to talk to and offer popsicles to people coming down off the mountain.

Overall a nice trail to hike. The parking lot does get full pretty quick so if you want to snag a spot, I'd say go there early morning. Also, the trails can get very busy too. A bit too busy for my liking if I had to be honest- especially if you go during the peak hour time of late morning on a weekend when everyone is awake and ready to workout. Some people go a bit fast too and some are a bit slow, causing occasional "clogs" on the trail. Crowds aside, the views are very nice. Within 5 minutes of starting on the trail, you immediately start getting a nice bird's eye view of the Scottsdale area. The trail is one way in and the same way back, so you don't have to worry about getting lost either. It's like a camel hump pattern- you go up, then down, then up , then down again and then if you choose- you can continue the sandy path that will lead you to a metal gate that you can cross and then walk for about 2-3 minutes and then you hit the street. A word of caution: there is a sign at the very last downhill that says strenuous past this point. Take heed, because although downhill might not be too bad, once you turn around and climb up, that's where you will feel that exertion. :D