South Mountain Park

10919 S Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85042, USA

Related:	cortez park
Address:	10919 S Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85042, USA
Phone:	+1 602-262-6862
Site:	phoenix.gov
Rating:	4.7
Working:	5AM–7PM 5AM–7PM 5AM–7PM 5AM–7PM 5AM–7PM 5AM–7PM 5AM–7PM

Location

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Leaflet

Photos 100

Reviews 8

L D

South Mountain Park is stunning! We were in town for work from the East Coast and had a few hours to kill. We saw this park on the map and decided to go sightseeing and get some fresh air. I highly suggest going all the way to the summit (about 5 or so miles up) where you will see a beautiful view of Phoenix. Drive carefully as the road narrows in places with no guardrails. Be on the lookout for cyclists as well. We decided to do an easy hike on Bajada Trail. It is a 3.5 mile loop. We actually had some trouble finding the trailhead based on the directions we were using, as the entrance gate was closed, and we didnt realize that was the trailhead. Note: The entrance gate for Bajada trailhead is open to motor vehicles only on the first weekend of the month from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is closed indefinitely to motorized vehicles at all other times. When the road is closed, motorized vehicles may park only on the paved triangle area outside the gate and enter on foot or bicycle. Off-Road parking is not permitted. If you are going to hike, take some water and hiking shoes. Bajada trail is a nice trail for pets and kids as well. When we were there, there was no fee for the park. Also, I suggest checking for road or trail closures before you go. I took one star off the review for the poor directions and marking for the Bajada trailhead.

Mark Pettit

The 2nd largest municipal park after Central Park, this place is huge and most of it is hard to access. There are many hidden treasures, though if youre willing to make the hike and/or drive. Hidden Valley is beautiful, especially within a couple days of a rare rainfall in Phoenox, since water tends to trickle down the crick and the sides of the smooth shale rock faces there. Its a decent hike to get back in there off of the. Mormon or National Trails so bring lots of water and dont plan for this during the hotter times of year. Dobbins Lookout is a neat place that can be accessed by car. There is a marker there that points out popular landmarks in the valley far below. I recommend going to Dobbins just before sunset so you can check out the city by day and the spectacular lights of same after dark, of course hoping for a great sunset to divide the two. The park entrance does close at sunset so you have to time your visit to be there for that.

Ben Gilmore

After recently moving to the Phoenix area, this was my second trip to South Mountain. Looking at South Mountain Park on Google Maps, youll find a massive network of hiking and biking trails. One of the most accessible and scenic routes is Mormon Trail to Hidden Valley. Starting out at the trail head, Mormon Trail begins an immediate climb which allows for some spectacular views of the city. While hiking by myself, i was quiet enough to see some wild life that I would have missed otherwise. A red tailed lizard, hummingbirds, chipmunks, rabbit, and tiny lizards that scurried away in the blink of an eye. Mormon trail is pretty and I clicked off photos but entering Hidden Valley was amazing. This is the place to take your time and soak it all in. The caves and rock here are quite the surprise and once out of the cave area, youll see why its called Hidden Valley. Its hard to reconcile the natural untouched beauty so close to the city.

Andrew Harris

Absolutely one of Phoenixs most beautiful parks! Take a drive up South Mountain, one of the most gorgeous mountain ranges in the city. At the top there are plenty of lookouts to suit your desires. South Mountain is home to many activities. There is a neat area for pictures at the bottom by the horse stables. When the weather is cooler you can horseback ride throughout the park! There are good mountain biking and hiking trials all over the park for different levels of skill. Please respect the park and take care of your surrounding nature. I would also caution you to be careful driving up or down as the road is a favorite to many bikers and downhill skateboarders. It is important that we share the road in order to keep this place a safe and fun destination for all..

Gypsy Lizzard

The South Mountain National Park has plenty of means of recreational uses from hiking to mountain trails for horses and bicyclers on and off road kind. You can gaze out across Phoenix " The Valley of the Sun" from end to end. Theres two major lookout points up at the crest of the mountain, you can drive up to or hike up from either way. Also two on the south side of the mountain. As it looks over the Gila River Tribal Nations Indian Reservation and also towards the southern most part of the Phoenix Valley. Also you get a closeer look at the enormous south western moutain peaks called The Estrella Mountains. A good place to watch the sunrise, or sunset and the see the city lights awaken at night for as the moonlight nights only just enhance you viewing pleasure.

Devin Crighton

One of the best places to view the City, fun hiking trails, and cool rock gardens. I recommend Hidden Halley and Fat Mans Pass, or Alta for any hikers wanting to check out some cool rock gardens. Ridgeline and Mormon trail give you the best views of Downtown. If you are into mountain biking I wouldnt ride this mountain unless you are decently skilled. It is a lot of fun to mountain bike but it is pretty high risk, The mountain is all rock with pretty large drops in sections and very technical trails. If you want an easier bike trail check out Desert Classic on the south side. The biggest downside to South Mountain is that it is usually 5-10 degrees hotter than anywhere else so bring lots of water. It can be a great place to hike and bike if you come prepared.

Ming Hwang

One of the largest City Parks in the world. There is no shortage of various degree of difficulty trails for walking, hiking, mountain biking- including xtreme downhill biking. There is a shuttle service for DHing from the Central Ave entrance on Sundays during non-scorching months. See South Mountain Shuttle service on Facebook. The Cliffside paved trails up 1000 ft offers roadies great climbing workouts. But if you just want to get a great view of the Valley, you can also drive to the top. On weekends, Native Americans sell their crafts on the top parking lot. Care to look for rattlesnakes in early morning. I have also seen javelinas, coyote, roadrunners and chuckwalla here.

Aravind Swami

I lived in Phoenix for several years, looking at South Mountain every single day on my commute to work, without knowing that there was an easy, quick road to the top! But once I got to know about it, I have made several trips to the top and always enjoyed them. Its one of the best spots in Phoenix from where to watch the sunset. Beautiful views of the Phoenix city, as the lights come on. Great place from which to watch flights land and take off from the Sky Harbor Airport. Especially around sunset times, you can see a long line of flights land and take off every 3 minutes or so. Great place to visit for the whole family, catch the sunset and then go out for dinner.