Parks & Trails Phave:

Mormon Trail

Location: 24th Street & Valley View Avenue - Map Location

Review by picturetaker on 5/8/08.

I'm an occasional hiker, and this is one of my favorite hikes because it's less crowded.

I live 2 minutes away from Squaw Peak (oop, excuse me, Phoenix Mountain) and 5 minutes from Camelback, but when the weather is nice, those trails are just too busy and finding parking just is a bad experience (well, I guess if you're impatient as I am).

Anyway, the Phoenix government website (http://phoenix.gov/parks/hiksogud.html) says it's "moderate to difficult," which I don't think it is. Sure, you're climbing in elevation and it feels like you're constantly going uphill, but overall, it's a pretty and brief hike when you just want to get a hike in and spend some time looking down on the city (and get into a higher elevation than your problems).

After your hike, there's a Walgreens at 24th and Baseline if you want to pickup some water.

All in all, when I need to get outside after being confined in an office, or if I want a little pick-me-up other than a $5 coffee at Starbucks, Mormon Trail is my favorite trail to hit!

---