Outdoors

Best Hikes in Scottsdale

Seven trails across the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and Pinnacle Peak Park, from short saguaro loops to a steep boulder climb. Every entry lists the trailhead address, distance and dog rules.

Updated October 26, 2026 · 7 places

At a glance

Best Hikes in Scottsdale: quick comparison
Place	Distance	Effort	Dogs	Water at trailhead
Pinnacle Peak Summit Trail	4 mi round trip	~1,300 ft total climb	Not allowed	—
Tom’s Thumb	4.6 mi round trip	Steep: 1,300+ ft in 2.5 mi	On a leash, 6 ft max	No
Cone Mountain Loop	4.1 mi loop	Easy	On a leash, 6 ft max	Yes
Balanced Rock	4.4 mi out and back	—	On a leash, 6 ft max	No
Axle Grease Trail	4.5 mi out and back	—	On a leash, 6 ft max	Yes
Latigo–Sidewinder Loop	2.7 mi loop	Easy	On a leash, 6 ft max	Yes
Gateway Trailhead: Bajada, Saguaro & Gateway Loops	—	—	On a leash, 6 ft max	Yes

The list

Pinnacle Peak Park

Pinnacle Peak Summit Trail

Classic summit hike

Distance: 4 mi round trip
Effort: ~1,300 ft total climb
Dogs: Not allowed
Trailhead: 26802 N. 102nd Way

Often called Scottsdale’s most popular trail: two miles each way with about 1,300 feet of cumulative climbing. This is a city park rather than the Preserve, so dogs and bikes are not allowed on the trail.

Heads up: Park hours are posted on the city’s Pinnacle Peak page; call (480) 312-0990 to confirm.

Source: City of Scottsdale, Experience Scottsdale

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Tom’s Thumb

Boulders & views

Distance: 4.6 mi round trip
Effort: Steep: 1,300+ ft in 2.5 mi
Dogs: On a leash, 6 ft max
Water at trailhead: No
Trailhead: 23015 N. 128th St.

A short route with a hard climb: over 1,300 feet of gain in about 2.5 miles, ending at the Tom’s Thumb rock formation and a boulder garden with wide views.

Heads up: The trailhead has restrooms and a shade ramada but no drinking water, so bring your own.

Source: City of Scottsdale, Experience Scottsdale

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Cone Mountain Loop

Easy loopSaguaros

Distance: 4.1 mi loop
Effort: Easy
Dogs: On a leash, 6 ft max
Water at trailhead: Yes
Trailhead: Brown’s Ranch, 30301 N. Alma School Pkwy

An easy 4.1-mile loop around Cone Mountain through saguaro stands, with stone slabs on the back side.

Heads up: The City’s preserve page listed Brown’s Ranch Trailhead as closed for improvements with a reopening expected in late October. Check the city page for current status before you go.

Source: City of Scottsdale, Experience Scottsdale

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Balanced Rock

Rock formation

Distance: 4.4 mi out and back
Dogs: On a leash, 6 ft max
Water at trailhead: No
Trailhead: Granite Mountain, 31402 N. 136th St.

A 4.4-mile out-and-back that follows the southern edge of Granite Mountain to the Balanced Rock formation.

Heads up: Granite Mountain Trailhead has restrooms and a shade ramada but no drinking water.

Source: City of Scottsdale, Experience Scottsdale

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Axle Grease Trail

Smooth, flowing path

Distance: 4.5 mi out and back
Dogs: On a leash, 6 ft max
Water at trailhead: Yes
Trailhead: Pima-Dynamite, 28777 N. Pima Rd.

A smooth, flowing 4.5-mile out-and-back past saguaros along a wash. Shorter loops are possible from the same trailhead.

Heads up: Pima-Dynamite has parking, restrooms, shade ramadas and drinking water. Entrances are off Pima Road and Dynamite Road.

Source: City of Scottsdale, Experience Scottsdale

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Latigo–Sidewinder Loop

Short & easy

Distance: 2.7 mi loop
Effort: Easy
Dogs: On a leash, 6 ft max
Water at trailhead: Yes
Trailhead: Pima-Dynamite, 28777 N. Pima Rd.

The shortest route on this list: an easy 2.7-mile loop with a crested saguaro and an optional detour to Sidewinder Overlook.

Source: City of Scottsdale, Experience Scottsdale

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Gateway Trailhead: Bajada, Saguaro & Gateway Loops

Accessible trailFull amenities

Dogs: On a leash, 6 ft max
Water at trailhead: Yes
Trailhead: 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy

Three marked options start here: the accessible Bajada Nature Trail, the Saguaro Loop and the Gateway Loop. The trailhead has restrooms, shade ramadas, parking and drinking water.

Heads up: The city page lists these trails but not their distances, so check the trailhead map for lengths.

Source: City of Scottsdale

Before you go

Preserve entry is free and open sunrise to sunset every day.
Bring your own water. Several trailheads, including Tom’s Thumb and Granite Mountain, have no drinking water.
Check the forecast. The city advises against hiking with dogs once temperatures pass 90°F.

Quick answers

What are the hours for Scottsdale’s preserve trails?

The McDowell Sonoran Preserve is open daily from sunrise to sunset, with gates opening roughly 30 minutes before sunrise, and entry is free. Pinnacle Peak Park posts its own hours; call (480) 312-0990.

Can I bring my dog on Scottsdale hiking trails?

Preserve trails allow dogs on a handheld leash no longer than six feet, and the city advises skipping the hike if temperatures exceed 90°F. Dogs are not allowed on the Pinnacle Peak Summit Trail.

Which Scottsdale hikes are easy?

The Cone Mountain Loop (4.1 miles) and the Latigo–Sidewinder Loop (2.7 miles) are both described as easy.

Which trailheads have drinking water?

Pima-Dynamite, Gateway, Brown’s Ranch, Lost Dog Wash and Sunrise have drinking water. Tom’s Thumb, Granite Mountain and Fraesfield do not.

How we pick

Scottsdale trailheads only (Preserve or city park), with a street address you can put in a map app.
Distance and effort come from the named sources; where a source gives no figure, the table shows a dash rather than a guess.
Trailhead amenities and dog rules come from City of Scottsdale pages.

Sources

Hours, prices and trail conditions change. Confirm with the venue or agency before you go. Spot something out of date? Tell us.