toddneville
One thing you learn very quickly about Phoenix: these people really get what it means to live outdoors.
On the first morning of a recent trip to the Valley of the Sun, I came across several hundred people hustling up the trail to the summit of the city's Camelback Mountain. Before sunrise. On a workday. The scene was playing out simultaneously in six other locations around town, part of the Phoenix Summit Challenge, where locals attempt to reach each of the seven summit peaks that surround the city in only two days. Far from being a once-a-year phenomenon, I soon got the feeling that this was just an excuse to do what people here enjoy doing most days anyways.
It's hard to blame them. Phoenix, despite being the fifth largest in the United States, is blessed with an incredible variety of ways to enjoy its 310 days of annual sunshine.
Photo Caption: Rock climbing on Camelback Mountain, Phoenix. Photo by toddneville/Flickr.com
South Mountain is one of the largest city parks in the world at 16,000 acres, and has more than 58 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.
The Tonto National Forest, a short drive north of town, covers almost 3 million acres, the fifth-largest forest in the U.S., and the most-visited "urban" forest in the country.
In two days, I managed to go rock climbing, hiking, whitewater kayaking and mountain biking, and still have time to visit a museum.
Photo Caption: A river view from Tonto National Forest. Photo by kwest/Frommers.com Community
Hiking, of course, is one of Arizona's most popular activities, and Phoenix has no shortage of trails, with several urban parks and nature preserves that cater to all types of terrain and difficulty levels.
Highlights include the Fat Man's Pass hike at South Mountain Park and Preserve, with its thousand-year-old petroglyphs and hidden slot canyons; the 1.2-mile Summit Trail to the top of Camelback Mountain, which climbs 1,200 feet from trailhead to summit; or, just outside of town, the trail to Fremont Saddle, with views of the jagged Superstition Mountains.
Photo Caption: Fat Man's Pass at South Mountain Park, Phoenix. Photo by Take A Hike Arizona/Flickr.com
With all the nearby mountains, climbing is a popular sport here and several outfitters will take you out for half-day or full-day tours of the granite and sandstone pitches.
There are at least 10 different major climbing areas, catering to every ability level, but Camelback Mountain, Cholla Trail, and Pinnacle Peak are a few of the most popular. There are also lots of places to try bouldering or canyoneering.
Photo Caption: A rock climber rappels down Camelback Mountain. Photo by toddneville/Flickr.com
The water that criss-crosses the city is mostly in the form of tame canals, but the Upper Salt River northeast of Phoenix boasts Class III and even Class IV rapids during the spring run-off; several outfitters run day trips for a little over $100.
During the rest of the year, the Upper Salt runs less wild, but it winds past stunningly beautiful desert canyons just south of Saguaro Lake, where you can rent kayaks and let the current pull you along while you take in the spectacular scenery.
Photo Caption: The Upper Salt River, home to Class III and IV rapids. Photo by toddneville/Flickr.com
For novice riders, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve has miles of relatively flat trails on hard-pack sand, with beautiful desert views, plus a separate area with competitive track.
Papago Park is another place, in the center of the city, with rolling topography and novice-friendly trails. For the serious rider, South Mountain's 30-mile National Trail was ranked one of America's 10 Best Trails by Bike Magazine.
Photo Caption: Mountain bike riding in Papago Park, Phoenix. Photo by roid!/Flickr.com
On the first morning of a recent trip to the Valley of the Sun, I came across several hundred people hustling up the trail to the summit of the city's Camelback Mountain. Before sunrise. On a workday. The scene was playing out simultaneously in six other locations around town, part of the Phoenix Summit Challenge, where locals attempt to reach each of the seven summit peaks that surround the city in only two days. Far from being a once-a-year phenomenon, I soon got the feeling that this was just an excuse to do what people here enjoy doing most days anyways.
It's hard to blame them. Phoenix, despite being the fifth largest in the United States, is blessed with an incredible variety of ways to enjoy its 310 days of annual sunshine.
Photo Caption: Rock climbing on Camelback Mountain, Phoenix. Photo by toddneville/Flickr.com
The Tonto National Forest, a short drive north of town, covers almost 3 million acres, the fifth-largest forest in the U.S., and the most-visited "urban" forest in the country.
In two days, I managed to go rock climbing, hiking, whitewater kayaking and mountain biking, and still have time to visit a museum.
Photo Caption: A river view from Tonto National Forest. Photo by kwest/Frommers.com Community
Highlights include the Fat Man's Pass hike at South Mountain Park and Preserve, with its thousand-year-old petroglyphs and hidden slot canyons; the 1.2-mile Summit Trail to the top of Camelback Mountain, which climbs 1,200 feet from trailhead to summit; or, just outside of town, the trail to Fremont Saddle, with views of the jagged Superstition Mountains.
Photo Caption: Fat Man's Pass at South Mountain Park, Phoenix. Photo by Take A Hike Arizona/Flickr.com
There are at least 10 different major climbing areas, catering to every ability level, but Camelback Mountain, Cholla Trail, and Pinnacle Peak are a few of the most popular. There are also lots of places to try bouldering or canyoneering.
Photo Caption: A rock climber rappels down Camelback Mountain. Photo by toddneville/Flickr.com
During the rest of the year, the Upper Salt runs less wild, but it winds past stunningly beautiful desert canyons just south of Saguaro Lake, where you can rent kayaks and let the current pull you along while you take in the spectacular scenery.
Photo Caption: The Upper Salt River, home to Class III and IV rapids. Photo by toddneville/Flickr.com
Papago Park is another place, in the center of the city, with rolling topography and novice-friendly trails. For the serious rider, South Mountain's 30-mile National Trail was ranked one of America's 10 Best Trails by Bike Magazine.
Photo Caption: Mountain bike riding in Papago Park, Phoenix. Photo by roid!/Flickr.com