The hiking here is genuinely good and genuinely unforgiving in summer. The single most useful piece of advice we give guests: start at first light between May and September, carry more water than you think you need, and turn around earlier than you planned.
Thunderbird Conservation Park — about 9 miles
The closest real hiking to the house, in the Hedgpeth Hills. A network of loops from easy to moderately steep, well signed, with parking at several trailheads. This is the one to do on a morning when you do not want to commit to a drive.
Deem Hills Recreation Area
Quieter than the better-known summits, with a ridge loop that gives you the whole valley without the crowds. A good second outing.
North Mountain and Shaw Butte
A shared preserve with a paved service road up North Mountain — steep but straightforward — and longer, rockier options on Shaw Butte. Sunset from the top is the draw, though take a torch for the way down.
Piestewa Peak
Short, very steep, and busy. It is a genuine climb rather than a walk, and the car park fills early. Go at dawn or not at all.
Before y'all set off
- Summer trailheads can close during extreme heat warnings — check before driving out
- A litre per person per hour is the local rule of thumb, and it is not conservative
- Trail shoes matter here; the surface is loose rock, not dirt path
- The pool at the house is heated and open year round, which is a better plan than a midday hike in July