Phoenix Mountain Preserve

A hiking trail exists in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve that’s just as challenging and as fun as the climb up Squaw Peak.

Squaw Peak has a name, though.

For a week I tried to find the name of the trail my family and I hiked. It wasn’t on a map. The City of Phoenix Parks Department was no help.

We couldn’t pinpoint it on the information kiosk at the trailhead, either.

Maybe the unnamed trail should remain that way, though. It’s a great trail for those looking for a somewhat strenuous hike, but who want to avoid the crowds on similar paths at Squaw Peak and Camelback Mountain.

(And let’s face it. Many of the hikers on those two mountains are more interested in being seen than they are in getting in a solid hike.)

I finally got my answer through the Phoenix Mountains Preserve ranger station. The trail isn’t named because it’s not a trail, technically.

Seems that over the years, trailblazers have taken it upon themselves to veer off the beaten path and meander up the nearest hill.

And those who enjoy a good hike should appreciate those earlier efforts. What those trailblazers did was create a good, fun and challenging climb on a trail that’s easy to follow.

There’s even a panoramic payoff atop the mountain – a unique view of Mummy Mountain not too far off, Paradise Valley homes on the desert floor and some pristine cacti dotting the hillside.

In many ways the hike is similar to Squaw Peak.  For starters, it’s just as strenuous.

Squaw Peak measures a little more than a mile one-way. My guess is that this trail is about that distance. It took us a little more than an hour to reach the summit (with kids on our backs).

From the parking lot, take the trail heading south. This section of the trail is mapped in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve as Trail No. 8.

A placard close to the beginning dedicates it as the L.V. Yates Trail.

At this point, the trail is an old jeep road. It’s wide and relatively smooth. Keep straight on the path and at about 15 minutes in, the path narrows and leads up the mountain.

Like Squaw Peak, this trail features plenty of switchbacks and turns. Unlike Squaw Peak, though, this trail is not maintained. There are a few rocky spots and two or three hefty steps up.

A nice perk to this trail is a pair of towering saguaros standing like sentries on either side. About two-thirds of the way up, the trail forks with one branch to the left.

Take the left and it leads only a few minutes to a lookout spot. It’d be a great place for a picnic.

That detour is the only deviation from the main trail. It keeps climbing at a steady pace. Total elevation change is roughly 800 feet.

Another bonus is the existence of restroom facilities at the parking lot – especially useful when hiking with a toddler. There’s also a shade ramada, picnic tables and a drinking fountain at the parking lot.

To get there, take Shea Boulevard to 40th Street. Turn south onto 40th and follow until you reach the parking lot.

This hike was first featured November 2001 and revised February 2007.