The 5 Best Arizona Hiking Trails

The Grand Canyon State’s varied landscapes, not to mention the great canyon itself, are a hiker’s paradise, crisscrossed with hundreds of well-maintained and well-used trails of various lengths and difficulties. From an easy walk in the desert to a multiday expedition deep into the canyon’s depths, the hikes listed below are among the best of the best.

Brown Mountain Trail (Tucson Mountain Park; 4.8 mi/7.7 km round-trip; 2 hours; elevation gain 688 ft/210 m; moderate): This trail winds through the saguaro forests on Tucson’s wild western edge, rising to traverse a ridgeline with spectacular views of the surprisingly verdant Sonoran Desert.

Mount Humphrey Trail (Snowbowl Ski Area, Flagstaff; 10 mi/16.1 km round-trip; 5-6 hours; elevation gain 3,333 ft/1,016 m; strenuous): This hike is challenging, but the effort is richly rewarded when you’re looking out over Arizona from its highest point, 12,633 feet (3,851 m) above sea level.

West Fork of Oak Creek Trail (north of Sedona; 6.5 mi/10.5 km round-trip; 2-3 hours; elevation gain 150 ft/46 m; easy): A rare example of a high-desert streamside forest environment, dark green evergreens mingle with red rocks and trickling water to create an exotic Southwestern Eden.

Bright Angel Trail to Phantom Ranch (Grand Canyon Village; 9.9 mi/15.9 km one-way; overnight; elevation gain 2,546 ft/776 m; moderate-strenuous): Obtain a permit and head down the ancient Bright Angel Trail to the Colorado River and Phantom Ranch, in the mystical depths of the Grand Canyon. It takes a bit of planning, but this is truly the hike of a lifetime.

White House Ruin Trail (Canyon de Chelly National Monument; 2.5 mi/4 km round-trip; 1-2 hours; elevation gain 600 ft/183 m; moderate): High sandstone walls tower above as you descend into the Navajo Nation’s Canyon de Chelly, where the otherworldly White House Ruin awaits, carved into the cliffs.

Moon Arizona & the Grand Canyon

by Tim Hull

by Moon Travel Guides

Vast open spaces, dreamy canyons, and colorful culture: experience it all with Moon Arizona & the Grand Canyon.

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$24.99

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$31.99 CAD

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Trade Paperback (Revised)

1. ebook (Revised)

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Tim Hull

About the Author

A resident of Arizona for more than 40 years, Tim Hull has hiked its trails and driven its backroads from the deserts to the mountains to the wondrous depths of the Grand Canyon. As a news reporter and freelance writer for the past 20 years, Hull has written about the history, politics, environment and culture of Arizona and the Southwest for newspapers, magazines and websites. His family's roots in the state run deep, beginning in the 1870s when his maternal great-great-grandfather opened a doctor's office in Prescott, a mountain town in the state's central pinelands. In his spare time Hull travels the world with his wife and writes fiction. He is also the author of Moon Grand Canyon, Moon Tucson, and Moon Southwest Road Trip.

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