Outdoors · Phoenix

Papago Park & Hole-in-the-Rock

Papago Park straddles the line between Phoenix and Tempe, a stretch of fiery red sandstone buttes laced with gentle, mostly flat trails, fishing lagoons and picnic ramadas. It's one of the most relaxed places in the city to get a taste of the desert without committing to a hard climb.

The park's signature is Hole-in-the-Rock, a natural opening in one of the buttes reached by a short, rocky scramble of just a few minutes. Frame the view through the opening at sunset and you'll understand why it's such a local favorite. The same park is home to the Desert Botanical Garden and the Phoenix Zoo, so it's easy to build a full day around it.

We send guests here when they want an easy desert sunset with kids or grandparents in tow. Wear closed shoes for the short scramble, bring water, and arrive well before dusk to claim a spot facing west.