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Best Panoramic Hikes in Arizona

The directory currently contains 40 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Arizona. Their average mapped distance is 6.9 km and average recorded ascent is 349 m (1,145 ft); the longest route in the set is 32.6 km.

This subset represents 7% of the 593 quality-checked routes in Arizona. Its average distance is 6.9 km, compared with 16.8 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 349 m (1,145 ft), versus 403 m (1,322 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the viewpoint tag. Visibility, orientation and the precise viewpoint location are not guaranteed by the tag. Within this set, 5 routes (13%) are rated easy, 8 (20%) are rated hard or expert, and 7 (18%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

0.7 km

Coronado Peak Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

79 m

Humphreys Summit Trail #151

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Hard

Arizona · United States

Distance
16.8 km
/ 10.5 mi
Elevation gain
677 m
Typical duration
4 hr 35 min
  • Mountain
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Doyle Peak and Fremont Peak in the San Francisco Peak of Arizona. I hiked from Lockett Meadow on the Inner Basin Trail to the Weatherford Trail to Humphrey's Summit in the San Francisco Peaks Wilderness north of Flagstaff Arizona. Looking s
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
7.8 km
/ 4.8 mi
Elevation gain
79 m
Typical duration
1 hr 44 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
497 m
Typical duration
1 hr 49 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.5 km
/ 3.4 mi
Elevation gain
620 m
Typical duration
2 hr 5 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Coronado National Memorial
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
89 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Huachuca Mountains, Arizona.
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.1 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
81 m
Typical duration
1 hr 11 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Parker Canyon Lake is located southwest of Sierra Vista, Arizona.
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
7.7 km
/ 4.8 mi
Elevation gain
137 m
Typical duration
1 hr 49 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Hard

Arizona · United States

Distance
18.1 km
/ 11.2 mi
Elevation gain
138 m
Typical duration
4 hr 4 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
418 m
Typical duration
1 hr
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.5 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
52 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Looking west over Flagstaff from Mt. Elden Lookout. Taken 7-17-13 by Brady Smith. Credit: U.S. Forest Service, Coconino National Forest.
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
764 m
Typical duration
2 hr 1 min
  • Mountain
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
198 m
Typical duration
38 min
  • Mountain
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.0 km
/ 3.1 mi
Elevation gain
862 m
Typical duration
2 hr 20 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Huachuca Mountains, Coronado National Forest.
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
695 m
Typical duration
2 hr 13 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.3 km
/ 2.7 mi
Elevation gain
708 m
Typical duration
1 hr 58 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Huachuca Mountains, Arizona.
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
547 m
Typical duration
1 hr 28 min
  • Mountain
  • Panoramic viewpoint
This springs restoration project is the first tribal-Forest Service collaborative project to be implemented since the February 2014 publication of the new Land and Resource Management Plan (forest plan) for the Kaibab National Forest, and t
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
284 m
Typical duration
53 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
6 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
7.3 km
/ 4.5 mi
Elevation gain
885 m
Typical duration
2 hr 51 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Hard

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.0 km
/ 3.1 mi
Elevation gain
908 m
Typical duration
2 hr 24 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.5 mi
Elevation gain
118 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.3 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
511 m
Typical duration
1 hr 27 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
9.5 km
/ 5.9 mi
Elevation gain
89 m
Typical duration
2 hr 6 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.3 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
313 m
Typical duration
57 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
80 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
122 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Hard

Arizona · United States

Distance
6.7 km
/ 4.1 mi
Elevation gain
911 m
Typical duration
2 hr 45 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
129 m
Typical duration
38 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
7.0 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
165 m
Typical duration
1 hr 42 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Hard

Arizona · United States

Distance
16.7 km
/ 10.4 mi
Elevation gain
320 m
Typical duration
4 hr
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Easy

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Easy

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
75 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
6.6 km
/ 4.1 mi
Elevation gain
97 m
Typical duration
1 hr 31 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
14.3 km
/ 8.9 mi
Elevation gain
211 m
Typical duration
3 hr 17 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Easy

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
56 m
Typical duration
1 hr 4 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Arizona Trail #1 Huachuca MountainsArizona32.6 km1,290 m9 hr 16 minExpertJuly to September
Crest Trail #103Arizona16.8 km677 m4 hr 35 minHardJuly to September
Humphreys Summit Trail #151Arizona7.8 km79 m1 hr 44 minModerateJuly to September
Joe's Canyon TrailArizona5.2 km497 m1 hr 49 minModerateJune to October
Carr Peak Trail #107Arizona5.5 km620 m2 hr 5 minModerateJuly to September
Coronado Peak TrailArizona0.7 km89 m17 minModerateJune to October
Hamburg Trail #122Arizona5.1 km81 m1 hr 11 minModerateJuly to September
Parker Canyon Lakeshore TrailArizona7.7 km137 m1 hr 49 minModerateJune to October
Arizona Trail #3 Canelo Hills WastArizona26.1 km251 m6 hr 10 minHardJune to October
Upper Lookout Canyon Trail #120Arizona18.1 km138 m4 hr 4 minHardJuly to September

Arizona Trail #1 Huachuca Mountains, Crest Trail #103, Humphreys Summit Trail #151 currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

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