Hiking Bucket List

Central Phoenix
Camelback Mountain
Papago Park 
Piestewa Peak
Quartz Ridge Trail

Flagstaff
The Grand Canyon
Humphrey’s Peak

Havasu Falls
Havasupai Falls

Kingman
Hualapai Mountain

North Phoenix
Deem Hills 
Lookout Mountain Preserve
North Mountain
Phoenix Mountain Preserve
Phoenix Sonoran Desert Preserve
Shaw Butte

Mesa
Usery Mountain

Page
Antelope Canyon

Peoria
Thunderbird Mountain

Prescott
The Dells at Willow Lake

Thumb Butte

Sedona
Broken Arrow Trail
Cathedral Rock
Devil’s Bridge
Lover’s Knoll
Slide Rock
West Fork of Oak Creek Trail #108

Scottsdale
Pinnacle Peak 

South Phoenix
South Mountain

Strawberry
Fossil Creek

West Phoenix
Estrella Mountain 
Skyline Regional Park
White Tank Mountain

Tucson
Finger Rock Canyon

Loews Canyon Ventan Resort

Picacho Peak
Seven Falls
Romero Pools
Tanque Verde Falls
Tumamoc Hill

Hikes Outside of Arizona:
California — Colorado — Ireland — Montana —  New Mexico – Saint Lucia — Utah — Vancouver


CENTRAL PHOENIX

CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN

Camelback Mountain is for sure the BUSIEST and most popular mountain in Phoenix. Why is it so popular? It’s popular because it is home to two of the most difficult trails in the valley: Echo Trail (1.2 miles out and back) and Cholla Trail (1.5 miles out and back). Cholla Trail is the ‘easier’ hike but only because it’s a little longer and so you don’t feel as much elevation gain as Echo but it’s still really difficult!

Check out more photos of Camelback Mountain here!

BIG BUTTE LOOP

Big Butte Loop is a 2.2-mile loop trail in Papago Park. It’s a moderate challenging route with some great views!

PAPAGO PARK

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The next hike after my injury was back at Hole in the Rock at Papago Park! This is basically a short stroll with a cool view and great photo opportunities. Check out 3 of my favorite photos to inspire you to hike this epic mountain!

PIESTEWA PEAK 

Piestewa Peak has one of my favorite hikes: Summit Trail. Check out more photos to inspire you to hike here!

QUARTZ RIDGE TRAIL

Quartz Ridge Trail is one of my favorite, underrated hikes! Check out more photos to inspire you to hike here!

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FLAGSTAFF

THE GRAND CANYON

I love road tripping to the Grand Canyon in the winter just for this view alone! Check out my mom’s experience at the Grand Canyon here!

HUMPHREY’S PEAK

Humphrey’s Peak in Flagstaff (2 hours North of Phoenix) is the highest natural point in Arizona with an elevation of 12,633 feet. This hike is DIFFICULT. Not only is it super long (took us about 8 hours round trip) but it’s also very steep. It is so worth it though because you literally feel like you are up in the clouds. It’s such a great workout and the views are beyond beautiful. Hiking Humphrey’s Peak is definitely one of my hiking accomplishments, I totally recommend it!

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HAVASU FALLS

HAVASUPAI FALLS

Havasupai Falls is an absolute dream. You do need to do some planning ahead to visit. Check out 12 photos to inspire you to visit here which includes more information on how to get here and make sure to also check out my packing list here!

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KINGMAN

HUALAPAI MOUNTAIN 

Conquered Hualapai Mountain on an early July morning! The Aspen Peak trail was beautiful and not the easiest hike! I had to really work for it lol. Check out my full review here.

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NORTH PHOENIX

DEEM HILLS

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Deem Hills is a great park for dog lovers and for beginners because the trails are not very difficult, but they are a bit long so bring plenty of water! Check out more photos of Deem Hills here!

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN

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Lookout Mountain Preserve is also a very underrated (and semi-unknown) park. When my friend Jose and I went, we literally saw no other hikers but that doesn’t mean that this hike is boring. It was a great, pretty steep hike with a ton of beautiful scenery. The day we went was also super windy but it helped us deal with the Arizona heat. I recommend this hike if you are looking for a solitary hike that will give you a great workout. When we hiked this mountain, we did the Summit and Circumference trails…we strayed a little off the trail because Jose is a wonderful leader and managed to get us lost lol.

NORTH MOUNTAIN

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I love North Mountain for the variety of trails for all fitness levels. Check out more photos of North Mountain here!  

Phoenix Mountain Preserve

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Absolutely no filter needed for this morning’s hike at the Phoenix Mountains Preserve! My hiking buddy aka my drinking/traveling/cooking/everything buddy and I hiked trail #100 which kind of intersected with the trail that leads to Shaw Butte and all of the satellites at the top of the mountain! Great hike with perfect weather, not too cold not too hot. This is a great trail if you want nice views of the valley and a moderate workout!

PHOENIX SONORAN DESERT PRESERVE

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The Phoenix Sonoran Desert Preserve is one of my favorite mountains in North Phoenix. There’s a variety of trails for all fitness levels. Check out more photos here!

SHAW BUTTE 

Shaw Butte was the very first hike on the list of ‘moderate’ hikes. All of the hikes listed above are categorized as ‘easy’ hikes. This was such a great hike with beautiful views and I could definitely feel the step up in skill level. I had to stop and rest a few times just because the hike is SO STEEP. Probably one of the steepest hikes I’ve done (I think it may even be steeper than Tumamoc Hill in Tucson which I hiked in my Graduation Bucket List).

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MESA

USERY MOUNTAIN

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Great hike this morning at Usery Mountain Regional Park in Mesa! This mountain is great for beginners, because the trail isn’t bad at all and the views are really pretty!

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PAGE

ANTELOPE CANYON

Antelope Canyon is definitely bucket list worthy. It is a slot canyon located in Page, Arizona that has two separate sections: Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. The Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon means “the place where water runs through rocks” and the Navajo name for Lower Antelope Canyon means “spiral rock arches.” I first heard of Antelope Canyon via my Instagram feed and when I first saw pictures, I thought to myself ‘that is totally photo shopped’. Check out more photos here.

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PEORIA

THUNDERBIRD MOUNTAIN

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Thunderbird is a fantastic beginner hike because you get a cool view and it’s not hard or boring. Plus the American flag at the end just looks so majestic. Check out more photos of here!

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PRESCOTT

Check out The Ultimate Prescott Hiking Bucket List here!

THE DELLS AT WILLOW LAKE

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The Dells in Prescott is one of my favorite hikes in Arizona just because it is such a beautiful hike. It’s such a peaceful hike because not a lot of people hike here. I highly recommend it. Beautiful views of the marshland, the rocks, and Prescott. Check out my full review here.

Thumb Butte

Thumb Butte Trail #33 is one of the most popular trails in Prescott. Once you reach the summit, it truly feels like you’re on top of the world! It takes most people about an hour to do the entire hike.

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SEDONA

Broken Arrow Trail

Broken Arrow trail in Sedona is a beautiful hike with amazing views and it’s a great workout at the same time. It’s a 2.8 mile out and back trail that is considered moderately challenging. It’s a very popular hike and you are likely to encounter some Jeep tours while you’re hiking! Check out 4 of my favorite photos to inspire you to hike! Check out more photos to inspire you to hike here!

Cathedral Rock 

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Started off President’s Day with an early morning hike in Sedona! My mom made her debut as a hiker at Cathedral Rock but she got tired and I left her behind because I’m a horrible person (lol). But don’t worry friends, karma caught up with me because I got lost and spent 30 minutes finding my way back. I had to slide down on tiny rocks and climb up walls and I’m honestly surprised I didn’t rip my pants. I’m definitely going to invest in a GoPro because the footage would have been so great. Check out more photos to inspire you to hike here!

Devil’s Bridge in Sedona

After watching a few Harry Potter movies last night and being reminded that devil’s snare is a thing (devils snare is deadly fun but will sulk in the sun)…we ended up making a trip this morning to Devil’s Bridge in Sedona! Awesome hike with beyond beautiful views. 

Check out more photos of Devil’s Bridge here!

Lover’s Knoll

Lover’s Knoll is a spectacular scenic viewpoint in Sedona that is just a short 30 second walk from where you park your car. I think next time we’ll pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the views!

Slide Rock in Sedona

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In college I went to Slide Rock in Sedona and found my inner peace.It was a beautiful place and I even got to witness snow!

West Fork of Oak Creek Trail #108

West Fork trail is a beautiful hike with the best destination: an incredible waterfall. This trail is 6.5 miles out and back and is rated as moderately challenging. It’s a great way to spend a morning as it is a pretty lengthy hike.

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SCOTTSDALE

PINNACLE PEAK

This next hike was done with the official Honeywell hiking club and Javier, Jenny and Kevin joined me! The hiking coordinator (who is in really great shape) described this hike as a ‘pleasant stroll’ and ‘not too difficult’. Well…SHE LIED. Or maybe it is a pleasant stroll for her but it was definitely not easy for us. Pinnacle Peak trail was a fantastic trail. We got really great views and nice switch backs but I would not recommend this trail to someone just starting out. It is a great moderate hike! Check out 3 of my favorite photos to inspire you to hike this epic mountain!

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SOUTH PHOENIX

SOUTH MOUNTAIN

One of my favorite mountains in my state is South Mountain, because of how close it is to my house and because of the diversity of the trails that this mountain offers! Check out 10 of my favorite photos to inspire you to hike this epic mountain!

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STRAWBERRY

Fossil Creek

One of my favorite roadtrip destinations in my state is Fossil Creek! Check out my full review of Fossil Creek here!

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WEST PHOENIX

ESTRELLA MOUNTAIN 

The Baseline Trail at Estrella Park is a great hike that starts off easy, then goes to moderate and then there’s a section that is pretty steep and this is where I usually start sweating a ton. Check out more photos to inspire you to hike Estrella Mountain here!

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Skyline Regional Park

The Turnbuckle Trail at Skyline Regional Park is rated moderate but I would personally rate it as difficult. It’s a great workout and the views are beautiful! Check out more photos of Skyline Regional Park here!

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WHITE TANK MOUNTAIN 

Ford Canyon Trail is a super long and kinda difficult hike but the views were spectacular. Took us almost five hours (including lunch) and we all hit our step goal with the 8 miles that we hiked. Check out a fun video and more photos here!

Waterfall Trail is an easy and pleasant hike that is perfect for the oldest and youngest in your group. If you go here right after it rains, there is an actual waterfall (small) but still cool.

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TUCSON

PICACHO PEAK

Continuing with Tucson week, if you’re driving from Phoenix to Tucson and feel like doing a really difficult hike then I highly recommend Picacho Peak! Picacho Peak is a workout, has amazing views and is a mountain you should definitely cross off your hiking bucket list!

Check out more photos of Picacho Peak here!

SEVEN FALLS AT SABINO CANYON

Seven Falls at Sabino Canyon (in Tucson) is one of my favorite hikes in Arizona. I mean look at how beautiful it is, do you blame me? I love hiking Seven Falls after it rains because there is so much water. Definitely recommend this hike to anyone who likes to hike and enjoy nature at its finest. Check out more photos here!

ROMERO POOLS

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I’ve done the hike to Romero Pools a few times as a student while studying at U of A (you can see pictures in my Graduation Bucket List, but I had not done it as a ‘graduate’ and man what a difference. I  think my body was not used to running across campus because this time the hike was really hard hahaha. Normally I would rate this hike moderate/difficult but the most recent time I did this hike it was very difficult like I had to stop a few times on the way up. Tucson is definitely a hiker’s heaven with so many beautiful hikes including Romero Pools. I highly recommend if you are a hiker and you are in Tucson, to go and do this hike and cliff dive! Check out more photos here!

TANQUE VERDE FALLS

My friends, I have a new favorite hike in Tucson! Tanque Verde Falls in Tucson is my new favorite hike in Southern Arizona. It’s full of beautiful views, waterfalls, and incredible rock formations. I jumped, rock climbed, and slid down all over Tanque Verde Falls this weekend. Check out my full review here.

FINGER ROCK CANYON 

Finger Rock Trail is a fantastic trail in beautiful Tucson, from what I’ve heard. Unfortunately we didn’t finish this hike because my beautiful friend Tam thought she knew the trail well enough to lead us and…surprise SHE DIDN’T. We kind of just walked around and explored. It was a nice short hike but I’ve heard that if you actually complete it, it’s pretty difficult. Check out more photos here.

LOEWS CANYON VENTANA RESORT

Matt and I spent this last weekend in a new part of Tucson that I had never experienced before and it was such a beautiful area! Loews Ventana Canyon Resort is my new favorite hotel in Tucson as it has some amazing walking and hiking trails right behind it. Check out more photos here.

TUMAMOC HILL

I love Tumamoc Hill because there are so many different kinds of plants as you walk up the paved road. It’s very steep so be prepared! The hike is a 1.5 mile walk from the bae to the top of the hill which makes it a 3 mile round trip walk. Check out more photos here.

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OUTSIDE OF ARIZONA

CALIFORNIA

GRIFFITH PARK OBSERVATORY

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I went to Los Angeles to visit my friend Valarie to celebrate her birthday. We explored all of LA, went clubbing, to bars, to bookstores, to restaurants, and of course we hiked! Hiking to Griffith Observatory was a fantastic hike (not too hard but definitely not a stroll) and the view at the top was just unbelievable. We could see the entire city and then we got to check out the Griffith Observatory which was awesome. Check out more photos of here!

TAHQUITZ TRAIL

Escondido Falls

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Took advantage of this beautiful California weather to get some hikes in! Especially since it’s way too hot in Arizona to hike. Loved Escondido Falls trail in Malibu! Check out my full review here.

Colorado

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

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Went hiking with my best friend and her super adventurous and enthusiastic son at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge! Beautiful place and we saw some prairie dogs and deer! And the weather is PERFECT, I never want to leave haha.

Montana

AVALANCHE LAKE TRAIL AT GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

Glacier National Park in Montana is hands down, one of the most beautiful places I have ever traveled to. The views are incredible and never get old, the weather is perfect (a bit chilly for someone from Arizona but otherwise great), the nature around us is breathtaking (I’m talking about trees, rocks, mountains, lakes, everything) and everyone is SO NICE. Definitely encourage y’all to add ‘Hike Glacier National Park’ to your bucket list. During part of the hike, I felt like I was in Harry Potter’s forbidden forest lol. The end of Avalanche Trail brought us to the beautiful Avalanche Lake in west glacier. Fantastic hike with an even better destination. Check out my full review here.

New Mexico

Ute Lake State Park

New Mexico, you are absolutely beautiful. ? I found my new favorite camping area y’all. It’s in Logan, NM (3 hours away from Albuquerque) and the only downfall is that the cell service here isn’t great (which could be an upside).

Petroglyph National Monument

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When I went to go visit my cousins in Albuquerque, they told me that if I was a hiking fan I needed to make it out to the Petroglyph National Monument and do some trails there. It was so cool! It was an easy/moderate hike with great views of different lava rocks (which we are standing on!) and from the top of the mountain we could actually see some of the hot air balloons from the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta that was happening that same weekend. Definitely recommend especially since they have PERFECT hiking weather in New Mexico.

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