Outdoors · Phoenix

Camelback Mountain

Camelback Mountain is the Valley's signature summit — a 2,704-foot landmark named for its resemblance to a kneeling camel, and one of the most recognizable silhouettes in Phoenix. Two trails reach the top: Echo Canyon on the northwest side and Cholla on the east. Both are short but genuinely strenuous, climbing roughly 1,200 to 1,400 feet with rock scrambles and handrail sections near the summit.

The payoff is a 360-degree view over the entire basin — this is the hike locals bring visitors to first. Go at sunrise, especially spring through fall: there's no shade, the rock radiates heat by mid-morning, and the trailhead lots fill within minutes of opening. Carry far more water than feels necessary, wear real shoes, and remember that turning back partway is no failure on a hot day.

From many Phoenix rentals you're only a short drive away, which makes Camelback an easy early-morning outing before the day warms up. Pair it with breakfast afterward and you've had a perfect Sonoran morning.