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Hiking Trails Under 5 km in Arizona

The directory currently contains 322 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Arizona. Their average mapped distance is 2.3 km and average recorded ascent is 122 m (400 ft); the longest route in the set is 5.0 km.

This subset represents 54% of the 593 quality-checked routes in Arizona. Its average distance is 2.3 km, compared with 16.8 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 122 m (400 ft), versus 403 m (1,322 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set has a mapped distance of 5 km or less. Time and suitability still depend on ascent, surface and conditions. Within this set, 119 routes (37%) are rated easy, 1 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 59 (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

6 m

Middle Lookout Canyon Trail #121

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

Coronado National Memorial
Moderate

Coronado Peak Trail

Arizona · United States

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

See Canyon Trail #184

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.8 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
585 m
Typical duration
1 hr 53 min
  • Lake
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Moderate

Lava Falls Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.3 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
52 m
Typical duration
33 min
  • Waterfall
  • Mountain
Moderate

Summit Trail 300

Arizona · United States

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

Middle Lookout Canyon Trail #121

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

Elden Lookout Trail

Arizona · United States

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

Yaqui Ridge Trail

Arizona · United States

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

Carr Lake Trail 412

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
16 m
Typical duration
48 min
  • Lake
Moderate

Miller Canyon Trail #106

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
Bear Mountain, Sedona, Arizona
Moderate

Bear Mountain #54

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
695 m
Typical duration
1 hr 48 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

Oversite Canyon Trail #112

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

Pat Scott Trail #123

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
547 m
Typical duration
1 hr 28 min
  • Mountain
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Junction of Brookbank and Sunset Trails. Follow Sunset Trail downhill into a bowl between the Dry Lake Hills and Little Elden. Ascending from Schultz Pass through a peaceful ponderosa pine and fir forest, Sunset Trail drops into a cozy bowl
Moderate

Brookbank Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.8 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
98 m
Typical duration
1 hr 8 min
  • River
  • Mountain
View of Kendrick Mountain on the return trek to the trailhead. This 2.4 mile moderately easy hiking trail rises from 7,362 feet to 8,215 feet in elevation to the top of Slate Mountain. The trail takes you through pinyon pine, ponderosa pine
Moderate

Slate Mountain Trail #128

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.5 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
316 m
Typical duration
1 hr 13 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
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

Big Spring Lookout Trail #51

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
284 m
Typical duration
53 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Boynton Canyon Trail, Sedona, Arizona
Moderate

Boynton Canyon #47

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.9 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
302 m
Typical duration
1 hr 28 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Fay Canyon is a favorite hike for many who prefer a shorter hike with minimal elevation gain or who enjoy the grandeur of red sandstone walls towering overhead. Some people visit Fay Canyon to see the natural arch located just under a half
Moderate

Fay Canyon #53

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
95 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Red Mountain with snow accentuating the imploded volcano. Information about the easy, but very rewarding, hike into the center of Red Mountain can be found at www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/peaks/red-mtn-tr.shtml . Photo taken on 12-2
Easy

Red Mountain Trail #159

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
89 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

Siphon Draw Trail #53

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
789 m
Typical duration
1 hr 35 min
  • Mountain
Long Canyon Trail, Sedona, Arizona
Moderate

Canyon of Fools #174F

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
25 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Moderate

Yavapai Vista #172

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
6 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Woodland Reservoir Pine Trees
Easy

Woodland Lake Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Typical duration
22 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
Easy

DFLT Seitts

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
35 m
Typical duration
33 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Desert
The Munds Mountain Trail is a challenging, remote trail in the Munds Mountain Wilderness. The trail begins near Committee Tank in a remote area at 6,400' elevation where Schnebly Hill, Jacks Canyon and Hot Loop trails meet above Bear Wallow
Moderate

Munds Mountain #77

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
239 m
Typical duration
59 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Quartz Ridge Trail 8A

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
199 m
Typical duration
53 min
  • Mountain
Easy

Aspen Nature Loop

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
90 m
Typical duration
35 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Cliff Spring Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
8 min
  • Coastal
Moderate

Ridge #208

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
130 m
Typical duration
51 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Ridge Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
51 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Mountain
Red Rock Canyon road
Moderate

Wilson Canyon #49

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
41 m
Typical duration
26 min
  • Canyon and gorge
(1 in a multiple picture set) Most of the pictures in this set were scanned from slides. This scene is typical of the scenery around Sedona. All day the sights are amazing, but at sunrise and sunset, they will take your breath away.
Moderate

Carroll Canyon #207

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
57 m
Typical duration
40 min
  • Canyon and gorge
The A.B.Young Trail leaves from the southernmost end of the Bootlegger Picnic Area in Oak Creek Canyon north of Sedona, Arizona. Take steps down to Oak Creek, find a suitable place to "boulder hop" or wade the stream, cross the creek, follo
Moderate

A.B. Young No. 100

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.9 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
756 m
Typical duration
1 hr 57 min
  • Forest
Moderate

Cave Trail #233

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
331 m
Typical duration
1 hr 6 min
  • Cave
Desert View Trail @ Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
Moderate

Desert View Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
46 m
Typical duration
26 min
  • Desert
Hard

Lutz Canyon Trail #104

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

Webb Peak Trail #345

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

Noon Creek Ridge Trail #318

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
735 m
Typical duration
1 hr 58 min
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Sterling Pass Trail To Vultee Arch Trail, Sedona, Arizona, Coconino County
Moderate

Sterling Pass #46

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
358 m
Typical duration
1 hr 9 min
  • Forest
Cathedral Rock at sunset
Moderate

Cathedral Rock #170

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
225 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Forest
Moderate

Derrick Trail #33

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
287 m
Typical duration
1 hr 12 min
  • Forest

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
Coronado Peak TrailArizona0.7 km89 m17 minModerateJune to October
See Canyon Trail #184Arizona4.8 km585 m1 hr 53 minModerateJuly to September
Lava Falls TrailArizona2.3 km52 m33 minModerateApril to October
Summit Trail 300Arizona1.8 km418 m1 hrModerateApril to October
Middle Lookout Canyon Trail #121Arizona4.1 km6 m52 minModerateJuly to September
Elden Lookout TrailArizona4.2 km764 m2 hr 1 minModerateJuly to September
Picketpost Mountain Summit TrailArizona3.3 km52 m46 minModerateApril to October
Yaqui Ridge TrailArizona1.6 km198 m38 minModerateJune to October
Carr Lake Trail 412Arizona3.7 km16 m48 minEasyJuly to September
Miller Canyon Trail #106Arizona5.0 km862 m2 hr 20 minModerateJuly to September

Coronado Peak Trail, See Canyon Trail #184, Lava Falls Trail 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.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

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