Phoenix is a giant dog-friendly playground just waiting to be explored. To the east of the city, national forest lands, a wilderness area, and various state and state parks offer excellent dog-friendly hiking opportunities near Phoenix!
Today I’m sharing five of our favorite hikes with dogs near Phoenix. Most of them are within an hour of the city center, and each hike has a map at the trailhead or is marked with signs along the way.
Hiking with dogs near Phoenix
Treasure Loop Trail – Lost Dutchman State Park
Lost Dutchman State Park is on the western edge of the Superstition Mountains, an area filled with good hikes and mysterious local legends. The park takes its name from the “Lost Dutchman’s Mine”, a lost gold mine from the legend of Jacob Waltz, “The Dutchman”.
Waltz reportedly located the mine in the 1840s, but had never shared the location when he died in 1891. Due to the mysterious nature of these mountains, the mine has still not been located.
Treasure Loop Trail is an easy hike that offers fantastic views of the mountains and valley stretching out behind you. With several trails winding along the way, you can adjust the length of your hike as you explore. Lost Dutchman also offers camping with fantastic views and easy trail access.
- Trailhead coordinates: 33.461140, -111.477450
- Round trip: 2.4 miles
- Difficulty: Easy
- Elevation gain: 547 feet
- Hiking traffic: moderate
- Fees/passes required: $10.00 per vehicle for a day pass
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Massacre Grounds Trail – Superstition Wilderness
Just down the road from Lost Dutchman State Park you will find the Massacre Grounds Trail. This trail gets its name from another gold mining legend. It is said that in 1848, a group of miners were ambushed and killed here as they prepared to transport their cache of gold to Mexico.
Despite its dramatic history, Massacre Grounds Trail is a magnificent showcase of desert landscapes with a backdrop of mountains. This trail is especially rewarding after seasonal rains when a waterfall forms on the cliffs at the end of the trail.
The trail is well maintained and easy to follow as it passes through cholla, prickly pear, and other desert plants. Once you pass through a fence indicating that you are entering the Superstition Wilderness, the landscape becomes increasingly brushy as you head toward the foothills. This was Herc’s favorite part of the trail: so many opportunities to sniff out lizards under the bushes!
After climbing a section of smooth off-white granite, you will come to a fork near the end of the trail. The left will take you over the cliff for a wonderful view, and the right will take you to the base of the seasonal waterfall. Explore both if you have time!
- Trailhead coordinates: 33.471510, -111.469190
- Round trip: 5.3 km
- Difficulty: moderate
- Elevation gain: 1,090 feet
- Hiking traffic: moderate
- Fees/pass required: None
- NOTE: The parking lot for this trail is located next to a bumpy dirt road; it is easily manageable by car provided you drive carefully and avoid areas covered in water.
Second Water Trail – Superstition Mountains
Continuing on the dirt road past the Massacre Grounds parking lot, you will reach the First Water Trailhead parking lot. It is the starting point for several dog-friendly hiking trails near Phoenix, including one we like …the second water trail.
Superstitions offers many surprises, including petroglyphs, old farming equipment and various remnants of the gold mining era. But my favorite “discovery” is the spectacular sunrise you get from Second Water Trail. It’s definitely worth getting up early in the morning!
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Starting your hike early also means you’ll be back before temperatures start to rise. When hiking in the desert, always keep temperature and access to water in mind, especially with dogs. Just because there was water in the creek last time doesn’t mean you’ll hike next time. So make sure you bring enough water for yourself And your dog.
- Trailhead coordinates: 33.480100, -111.443160
- Round trip: 6.4 km
- Difficulty: Easy
- Elevation gain: 485 feet
- Hiking traffic: moderate
- Fees/pass required: None
- NOTE: The parking lot for this trail is located next to a bumpy dirt road; it is easily manageable by car provided you drive carefully and avoid areas covered in water.
Butcher Jones Trail – Saguaro Lake
According to local legend, “Butcher” Jones was a doctor who earned his nickname after performing surgeries at his kitchen table. But don’t let this horrific story keep you away!
The Butcher Jones Recreation Area has a beautiful beach and picnic area frequented not only by humans, but also by wild horses. Remember to keep your dog on a leash and stay at least 50 feet away from horses.
Butcher Jones Trail wanders along the edge of Saguaro Lake, a reservoir on the Salt River. Each end of this out and back trail connects to the lake, as do several other locations along the way.
If your dog loves the water, this hike should be at the top of your list. Our hiking pace slows down considerably on this trail because Hercules insists on playing in the water whenever he sees it!
- Trailhead coordinates: 33.575730, -111.514430
- Round trip: 5 miles
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate
- Elevation gain: 541 feet
- Hiking traffic: moderate to heavy
- Fees/passes required: Tonto Daily Pass ($8.00, one per vehicle), visit Tonto National Forest Pass purchase information page; America The Beautiful passes are also accepted.
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Salt River Shoreline – Lower Salt River
If you purchased a Tonto Pass to explore the Butcher Jones Trail, here is a prime! The Lower Salt River starts just a few miles away and is one of our favorite stops on hot days or when we don’t have enough time for a long hike.
There are several parking lots where you will find trails leading to the river. From there you can follow the shore and splash around in the water.
It’s also perfectly acceptable to admire the view from a dry location if your dog is like Cool Whip, who doesn’t like to get her delicate princess toes wet. This is also another great place to spot wild horses.
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Horton Creek Trail – Tonto National Forest
Arizona is known for its stunning desert landscapes, but that’s not all it has to offer! Horton Creek Trail will take you into the woods for a hike to the top of a spring-fed creek. Bring a snack or lunch to enjoy at the summit, because you’re going to want to relax for a while!
The scenery makes this hike worthwhile, even though it’s about a 2-hour drive northeast of Phoenix.
Horton Creek Trail is a relatively gradual climb as you wind your way through the trees. The water from the spring literally gushes out of the rocks at the top, forming the stream that flows along the route. Even Cool Whip enjoyed jumping in the creek on this hike!
- Trailhead coordinates: 34.339609, -111.096239
- Round trip: 7 miles
- Difficulty: moderate
- Elevation gain: 1,145 feet
- Hiking traffic: moderate
- Fees/pass required: None
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These dog-friendly hiking spots near Phoenix are just a small sample of the fantastic dog-friendly trails now available in the area. And I encourage you to venture beyond this list!
Some other pet-friendly areas that dog owners can explore include Mount McDowell Regional Park, Mount Usery Regional Park, Boyce Thompson Arboretum State ParkAnd San Tan Mountains Regional Park.
Be sure to check the pet rules at each location for leash requirements and other guidelines. I hope your dogs enjoy these adventures as much as Cool Whip and Hercules do. Happy hiking!
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