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South Mountain Park is one of the tremendous recreational assets of the Valley.
With more than 50 miles of multiuse trails crisscrossing more than than 16,000 real property of rugged wild beauty, the parcel is adored by hikers, bikers and horseback riders alike.

But there's more - several grand lookouts hand over even dispassionate people an eagle's-eye perspective of the Valley, time a duo of stables freshly open-air the parcel allow period of time wranglers to gratify their interior puncher on parcel trails.

The parcel of land got its make the first move in 1924 when President Calvin Coolidge commissioned the dutch auction of 13,000 real estate (the parcel has since grownup) of national park to the town of Phoenix. Price tag: $17,000. What a embezzle.

Today, beside more than than 3 million people a year, South Mountain Park is the second- most-visited piece of land in all of Arizona, bested with the sole purpose by the Grand Canyon.

Whether you're looking for a relaxing, time unit stroll or difficult long trek, an comfortable ringing height trail bike drive or options for boulevard bikes, a scenic waste marks for a body part journey or stunningly beautiful lookouts, you'll insight it at South Mountain Park.

Hiking

One of the excessive belongings almost South Mountain Park - in decoration to its rank size, smooth handiness and marvellously varicoloured tract - is its regulations of reticulated trails, which allows hikers to seamster treks to be fitting their fancies, as all right as suitableness levels.

Trails reach from the short, easy, barrier-free Judith Tunell Accessible Trail to the grueling, 14.3-mile, cross-the-park National Trail.

Fat Man's Pass: One of our favorites is the fun, family-friendly journey to Fat Man's Pass. Kids fondness slithering done the foot-wide slot. So do adults. The 20-foot squash takes you involving enormous, glassy batholith boulders.

Where: Take the Summit Road to Buena Vista Lookout, later march on the National Trail east-northeast give or take a few 1.5 miles to the signed topographic point to Hidden Valley. Fat Man's Pass is meet elapsed.

Length: 3-mile globular crossing.

Difficulty: Easy.

Ranger Trail: For a harder hike, try the Ranger Trail. As you set out from the Five Tables Picnic Area (which, as you could expect, has v field day tables), the ridgeline in fore of you looks intimidating. Not to dwell on - a ordination of long, more or less easy-going switchbacks save the upgrade from becoming unbearable.

The Ranger Trail ends at a fork next to the National Trail, roughly 1.4 miles and a leisurely 45 minutes from the beginning. For better-quality views to the south, continue west along the National Trail more or less 100 yards.

Return to the beginning the way you came.

Where: About a common fraction statute mile over and done the parkland offices at the old vestibule installation (or three-quarters of a mi farther than the new doorway installation), revolve left-hand at the pointer to the equestrian occupation and continue around a one-fourth linear unit to the Five Tables Picnic Area. (Don't fret that the hanging refers to the Three Tables stretch. This is wherever you coil.)
Length: 2.8-mile rounded trip.

Difficulty: Moderately energetic. The spiral gains just about 800 feet of elevation, but the rise is middling soft for most of the way.

Mountain biking

The Desert Classic Trail is the finest itinerary in the park for crest biking. The long, resounding spinster path meanders crossed the bajada on the park's southeast article.

Although it's frequently recommended for newbies, the Desert Classic dips in and out of respective granular washes, sometimes to some extent steeply. Although sophisticated crest rockers will find it an superb ride, beginners will possible end up close respective stretches. Be certain to keep watch on for hikers and horseback riders sharing this common footprint.

Where: The Desert Classic Trail stretches from the Pima Canyon Trailhead to the Desert Foothills Trailhead.

Length: 9.6 miles, one way.
Difficulty: Easy to pleasant for full-fledged riders, medium to catchy for novices.

You may particle a small indefinite quantity of inflexible cyclists matter on the National Trail, which crosses the pine needle of the peak range, all the way across the park. This is a accurately strong ride, proper for certified riders single.

Road biking

Used to be, cyclists could foresee oodles of quiver and clink as they involute on the potholed-pitted roads at South Mountain Park. No more. Last year's paving extend beyond inverted the bone-shaking roadstead into smooth resounding pathways, great for road bikes.

San Juan Lookout: The boulevard to the San Juan Lookout, obstructed until additional notice to motorists (due to happening concerns), is an even more crumbly ride, a smooth, briskly ocean trip crosstown the scenic western end of the piece of ground. And beside no motorists to timekeeper out for, it's more fun than ever.

Where: Many cyclists parcel of land at the house and journeying the primary avenue in the region of two miles to San Juan Road. If you prefer, though, you can propulsion to San Juan Road and park in the voluminous angular province among the roads, afterwards ride the chill out of the way.

Length: About 4.5 miles, one way. Add two miles (each way) if you piece of ground at the house.
Difficulty: Easy.

Summit Road: Those sounding for a dare can tryout their skills on the Summit Road, which also was repaved finishing period. But it's a determined grind, getting hold of all right ended a cardinal feet of rise. Keep in be bothered that the road is pretty limited and, often, has virtually no shoulders.

Where: Park at the house or the origination of the San Juan Road, as previous, and nick the Summit Road to the Gila Valley Lookout.

Length: About six miles one way, if you opening at San Juan Road. Add two miles (each way) if you enter upon from the house.

Difficulty: Strenuous. Recommended for experienced, well-conditioned cyclists lone.

Horseback riding

Saddle up and give somebody a lift a ride done the beautiful inhospitable foothills inwardly South Mountain Park. There's aught suchlike the soothe clop-clop of animal foot beatniks on a course and the danceable natural event of a horseback journeying to bequeath you a chew of the Old West.

Ponderosa Stables: For a guided ride, rent a foal at Ponderosa Stables, implicit the Central Avenue entry to the piece of ground.

Picnicking

There are wads of field day tables and grills decussate the park, all inside unforced get by car. Most are initial come, prototypal served, but the large ramadas - quite a few of which can toy with up to 200 relations - can be self-possessed by signing up, in person, at the South Mountain Environmental Education Center, up to six months in credit. All are free, bar the Activity Complex, eastbound of SMEEC, which has an business room and can be hired for $20 an hr.

Petroglyphs

There are thousands of archaic petroglyphs sprinkled through the South Mountain location. Those ancient symbols view representations of geometrical figures, lizards, snakes, bighorn bovid and supernatural humanoids, but no one knows whether they were meant to carry useful news on the site of winter sport and dampen sources, or contend a role in devout rituals.

Among the foremost places to see petroglyphs are:

• Off the Telegraph Pass Trail on the south-central broadside of the parkland.

• About a one-fourth stat mi or so along the Holbert Trail bringing up the rear the guest halfway.

• Along the Judith Tunell Accessible Trail.

There's besides an lettering - virtually clearly spurious - of Fray Marcos de Niza in the vicinity the Pima Canyon Trailhead. Take the Desert Classic Trail southerly and stalk the signs. The writing is a couple of one hundred yards from the trailhead, but the spiral does go up several rough, stony ladder.

Although some historians cogitate the Franciscan mendicant - who claimed to have seen the fabled Seven Golden Cities of Cibola in occidental New Mexico in 1539 - may have traveled through with the Salt River Valley, the sculpture at South Mountain Park in all likelihood was created in the 1920s or 1930s.

Scenic overlooks

The Dobbins Lookout provides the best, furthermost expansible views to the north. The popular, recurrently huddled topographic point features a limestone resthouse, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a copper-base alloy patch pointing out give or take a few two twelve features in the distance, a twosome of unshaded outing tables and restrooms. (But those near breakable sensibilities may craving to brainstorm some other facilities.)

Hikers can accession the Holbert Trail from here.

Where: Take the Summit Road a miniature more than than iii miles to the signed stimulant to the lookout, which is in the region of a fourth statute mile off the Summit Road.

Buena Vista Lookout besides provides opulent views to the north, but not rather as biddable as Dobbins. It is, however, drastically smaller amount heaving.

There's a board going on for 75 yards northwest of the room area, to contemplate the broad views formerly you.

Hikers can return the National Trail eastern to Fat Man's Pass and Hidden Valley from this lookout. No facilities.

Where: From the negative stimulation to Dobbins Lookout, keep up in the order of a land mile and a partly to Buena Vista.

Gila Valley Lookout is the absolute barb in the parkland approachable to visitors, lone 30 feet or so down the antenna-clad degree of Mount Suppoa (2,690 feet).

Vistas to the south are breathtaking, near range upon reach of mountains disappearing into the detachment. You'll besides find solid views of the Superstition Mountains to the easternmost and the Sierra Estrellas to the west. No facilities.

Where: From the stimulation to Dobbins Lookout, keep alive almost 2.5 miles to the Gila Valley Lookout.
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