World > U.S. > Arizona > Phoenix/Scottsdale

Piestewa Peak

The City of Phoenix estimates that this summit's trail is one of the most heavily used in the country; it draws an estimated 4,000 to 10,000 hikers per week. True, the upper reaches of the peak sometimes get crowded, but a large parking lot makes for easy access to the trail. This climb is like one big StairMaster, and many locals use it as such. Like Camelback Mountain, it offers a 1.2-mile trail ascending about 1,200 vertical feet. Lazier trails branch off into the surrounding Phoenix Mountain Preserve—a magnificent 7,000-acre desert wonderland in the heart of the metro area.