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Moderate Hiking Trails near Phoenix

The directory currently contains 39 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Phoenix. Their average mapped distance is 3.9 km and average recorded ascent is 173 m (568 ft); the longest route in the set is 14.0 km.

This subset represents 41% of the 96 quality-checked routes near Phoenix. Its average distance is 3.9 km, compared with 8.2 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 173 m (568 ft), versus 124 m (407 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set is rated moderate by the directory’s distance-and-elevation model. Technical terrain and live conditions are not part of that rating. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 8 (21%) 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

1.8 km

Summit Trail 300

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

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

152 m

Desert Classic Trail

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

Return logistics

1 recorded loop

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

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
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
789 m
Typical duration
1 hr 35 min
  • Mountain
Pass Mountain, Usery Mountain Regional Park, March 2015
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
11.7 km
/ 7.3 mi
Elevation gain
325 m
Typical duration
2 hr 56 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Arizona · United States

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

Arizona · United States

Distance
14.0 km
/ 8.7 mi
Elevation gain
152 m
Typical duration
3 hr 8 min
  • Desert
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.3 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
313 m
Typical duration
57 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Saw this male lizard on a real quick walk down a path at the Santa Catalina Mountains off of the Pima Canyon Road trailhead.
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
55 m
Typical duration
39 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
12.4 km
/ 7.7 mi
Elevation gain
163 m
Typical duration
2 hr 49 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
87 m
Typical duration
41 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
10.6 km
/ 6.6 mi
Elevation gain
528 m
Typical duration
3 hr
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
233 m
Typical duration
48 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
24 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
175 m
Typical duration
1 hr 3 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
10.2 km
/ 6.3 mi
Elevation gain
183 m
Typical duration
2 hr 24 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
58 m
Typical duration
26 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
108 m
Typical duration
39 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
77 m
Typical duration
32 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
13 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
57 m
Typical duration
22 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
21 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
63 m
Typical duration
19 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
94 m
Typical duration
19 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.9 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
117 m
Typical duration
59 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.7 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
226 m
Typical duration
1 hr 32 min
Saw this male lizard on a real quick walk down a path at the Santa Catalina Mountains off of the Pima Canyon Road trailhead.
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
143 m
Typical duration
50 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
67 m
Typical duration
37 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
6.0 km
/ 3.7 mi
Elevation gain
484 m
Typical duration
1 hr 59 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
119 m
Typical duration
38 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
18 m
Typical duration
31 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
86 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
41 m
Typical duration
28 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
193 m
Typical duration
47 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
8.2 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
129 m
Typical duration
1 hr 54 min
  • Forest
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
75 m
Typical duration
27 min
Lake Pleasant from Pipeline Canyon Trail, in Arizona
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
114 m
Typical duration
50 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
267 m
Typical duration
1 hr 34 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.7 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
232 m
Typical duration
1 hr 32 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
148 m
Typical duration
39 min

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
Summit Trail 300Arizona1.8 km418 m1 hrModerateApril to October
Siphon Draw Trail #53Arizona1.9 km789 m1 hr 35 minModerateApril to October
Pass Mountain TrailArizona11.7 km325 m2 hr 56 minModerateApril to October
Quartz Ridge Trail 8AArizona2.8 km199 m53 minModerateApril to October
Desert Classic TrailArizona14.0 km152 m3 hr 8 minModerateApril to October
Dixie Peak TrailArizona2.3 km313 m57 minModerateApril to October
Beverly Canyon TrailArizona2.8 km55 m39 minModerateApril to October
Quartz TrailArizona12.4 km163 m2 hr 49 minModerateApril to October
Corona de Loma TrailArizona2.6 km87 m41 minModerateApril to October
Perl Charles Trail 1AArizona10.6 km528 m3 hrModerateApril to October

Summit Trail 300, Siphon Draw Trail #53, Pass Mountain 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

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