One of the Best Hikes in Phoenix - Piestawa Peak
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- Опубліковано 14 кві 2024
- One of the Best Hikes in Phoenix - Piestawa Peak
Ah, the joys of urban hiking. No, this is not the wilderness. But it's a lot better than a treadmill. Yes, there are a lot of people. What do you expect when you're hiking one of the best trails in the middle of a city with 1.6 million people in it? You're gonna share. But you're getting outside, you're getting a work out and you're seeing some beautiful sights. Located in the middle of the city of Phoenix, Arizona is the Phoenix Mountains Preserve. And the crown jewel is the Piestawa Peak Summit Trail. It's my second favorite hike in the Phoenix metro area (behind Camelback Mountain). The Piestawa Peak Summit trail is about 2.3 miles total (up and back down) with about 1100 feet of elevation gain. It's a great place to hike if you're just starting out, or a great hike if you have a spare hour or two and you're in town.
Just expect to share the trail. But that's what hiking in town is like. Still a good time and highly recommended. Just don't tell Tina I said so.
I may have bribed her with breakfast at Mimi's Cafe afterward.
Music by Artlist:
Sleeper Valley - Ardie Son
The Colors Began to Fade - idokay
Turn the Cheek - Team Callahan
Music by Epidemic Sound:
Mozart something-or-other that's too long for me to type out
I use to hike it often in the 90’s when I lived not terribly far away. Gives me anxiety now, too many people. And if you’re from here you will call it by it’s real name SQUAW PEAK.
Nice hike. Nice to see you back.
thats the rockiest trail ive ever seen.
And far worse than it looks.
Keep getting better one day at a time, and good call on buying breakfast.
Haha, I think I feel the same way about Camelback. Still, a hike's a hike and the popular ones just mean you gotta wake up earlier or do it on a weekday!
That one is on my list soon again too....Love Camelback.
@@JerryArizonaCrazy how they are very close to each other and roughly the same elevation gain and distance but VERY different trails.
I’m with Tina, in town hikes on the weekend can be more trouble than they’re worth. Glad to see you’re getting back out there though!
I hit fossil Creek and Verde Hot springs yesterday...... awesome day! Timmy C Arizona
Con and I spent the last 20 years in Arizonian resort we road quads and side by sides for 16 years with a bit of jeeping we did a lot of hiking in our first years but never experienced anything like what you and Tina have experienced. Father Time now is keeping us in southern Alberta Canada and we thank you for the ability to watch you guys on these magnificent adventures 👍👍👍👏👏👏🤗
Hi Jerry, it's good to see you two out on a hike. Looks like the recovery is coming along nicely. That look on Tina's face in the opening of the video made have just one thought, RUN JERRY, RUN! 😂 Thanks for sharing, and making me smile. Cheers...
It was way too early to run...
@@JerryArizona 😊
First again! Sheer luck. Yeah, in-town hikes are just like that. Not the same, but they’re far better than a day with no hiking, imo. Best of luck with the continued recovery. Hang in there Tina! 😅
Good fun ! … understand both your perspectives Jerry … nice views despite the crowds !!
Beats a treadmill, but you definitely need to change from a wilderness experience mindset.
When I lived in Phx, 16th St & Indian School for 18 years. I hiked this 3-4 X's a week at 5 a.m. ❤ that cardio workout! People in the office did not like my perky outlook at 8 a.m. after an awesome hike. Too bad😅
One of my brothers lives in Phoenix. He and his wife are very outdoorsy like you and Tina. I'm sure they know this trail. You may have even passed them on it. Who knows?
🏜️✌️🖖
Grew up in Scottsdale in the 70's and 80's knowing this as Squaw Peak. The trail was much less "manicured" and the city was further away, but looks like it's still a nice urban hike today. Thanks for this and thanks to Tina for the early morning start.
I hate filming with people around. I don't want to be obnoxious. But I HAD to do that in the elevator.
Looks like a nice clear day. When I was there it was a brown smoggy mess.
Wow, what a great view!
I always add on looping CCW the trail around the peak, then go to the top and down to the parking lot. More miles, more smiles.
I definitely have to leave town to go on hikes like that! Very nice!
Another Phoenix-based UA-camr here. Big fan of the channel. This is definitely one of our favorite in-town hikes, but it's definitely a different experience at night. The city lights combined with the rocky landscape make for some awesome views! Glad to hear you're getting back out there...best of luck on your recovery!
I never vibed with that trail, even 30 years ago before it turned into the constant stram of people it is today. It has pebble ballbearing parts that were not fun. But it looks like they improved some parts of it, but still too many people, great views of the valley though. Thanks Jerry.
It's like all the in town hikes. Beats a treadmill.
Looks like a nice short hike, even with all the people. If the locals recognized you, I hope you didn't find it annoying. Thanks for getting up early Tina.
I never find it annoying. I AM always surprised though because I'm just some dude hiking with a GoPro in my mind.
It's great that you have hikes like that in town. Nice video, thanks for sharing
Martin
Bribes work,,,👍👍
It is never "too early for Mexican food". But... 'Makers Mark' French toast with banana sauteed in pure maple syrup with a splash of Makers Mark is a good substitute.
Thanks for the morning hike, The Peak hikes of the Phoenix area are on my list for the next time I'm in the area, plus a lot of Mexican restaurants and Taco trucks.
Looks like that would be a good Tuesday hike.
I remember doing this in the 80s when it was called Squaw Peak and I lived in the area. It was not busy at all. Camelback was always my favorite though, and it was never crowded either. Many great sunrises were seen from these peaks and I always marveled that they were actually in "town", but you could still get that sense of solitude. Coming back to visit a couple years ago, I was so excited to re-visit Camelback and was stunned by the hordes of people doing it.... even trail angels offering water! Still a very special place.
Camelback is my favorite in town hike. Piestawa second. They're definitely all crowded though.
Growing up in the 60's there were ramadas to picknick and no parking lot or trail cement, miss those days
Agreed. In town hike is better than no hike. In town hiking video still appreciated; AND the food porn. Thanks Tina and Jerry.
Jerry is tough as nails. No shoulder surgery can keep him down!
Wow, a very popular hike. Easy to see why though.👍
Very nicely done video. Thank you
Nothing worse than a hike which has devolved into a highway for pedestrians. However still a interesting spot in Phoenix
Not my normal cup of tea, but I can't complain about living in a city that has tons of mountains you can climb in the city limits.
Hoooo-boy, I’m with Tina on this one! Way too early and wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too many people. I hate people. Lol
It looks like you didn't get up early enough. I guess it's a good thing to keep the crowds constrained to a few more well known hikes.
Phoenix is one of the best cities for hiking in the country. There are too many people and the air quality is poor, but the terrain and landscape are amazing. I've always felt it is underrated. Still glad I live in the high country though.
If you're looking to build stamina I recommend the Dixie Mine trail to Thompson Pk in Fountain Hills, or Gateway Trailhead to Tom's Thumb.Thompson Pk is probably the toughest hike in the Phoenix area and also very light in traffic--you'll barely see anyone and the views are unparalelled.
Thompson Peak - is it true you’re only supposed to stay up at the peak no more than five minutes due to the radiation from the telecommunications towers?
@@libertyvilleguy2903 Never heard that before, but I don't think so
❤ Gateway.
Just don't stand in front of the lower antenna dishes, unless you need to cook a hotdog. :) I'm sure techs don't have microwave protected suits when they're up there for half hours or more.
Also, there is true rouged trail to Thompson Peak, starting on Prospector just above the canyon with petroglyphs by the mine. A little scree scramble at the very top. It and the road to the top were my training for GC R-river-R last year, coming out of Dixie Mine TH.
I believe you could make a video of climbing a flight of stairs and it would be great. Keep healing.
love the saguaro at the summit
I feel you Tina! I will very rarely do in town hikes for the same reason. Pie is pretty though ❤
We hike this twice a winter (we’re snowbirds). A good “lungs and legs” hike to get you in shape. But quite crowded, even during the week. Jerry, for a change of pace, hike to Sunrise Peak from the 136th street trailhead. A dry wash up over some dry waterfalls. Different than anything else in the McDowell’s. The parking lot at the trail head is a small nondescript municipal/ utility building on 136th just north of Via Linda. Five parking spots, and you will have this spur all to yourself.
I've had that one on the list. Hopefully soon.
@@JerryArizona Come out of Lost Dog Wash TH for Sunrise. Add on the 136th St spur down 1 mile to the three small rock climb downs and back up to Sunrise trail. It's a pretty itty pitty canyon trail. My favorite over there.
(Pointing) there’s an open parking place! Ha, made you look!
Right? That's harder than climbing the thing.
Hope your school set is healing well! Great to see y’all still out and about :) even if the hike is a bit more relaxed than normal. A beautiful trail nonetheless!
You gotta get over to White Tanks! Technically not “in town” for Tina and I think you’d like it 😂 And there’s a good Mexican restaurant in Litchfield Park for afterwards.
I have been meaning to get to the White Tanks forever. Maybe when the weather cools down again.
4:28 nice GX
It was.
Hey Tina! Do you have a pair of Daisy 🌼 DUKES to wear next hike? It would give your husband Barry a nice view!!!
Very similar to Camelback, yet so different, if that makes any sense. One thing that always bothered me (in the back of my mind) on these trails when I spent a great deal of time in Scottsdale is the fear of seeing a rattler!
They're around. But then again, we have to check for them even if you're taking out the trash, so you can't worry too much.
Something unsettling about seeing that many humans perched up on those cliffs. Big, no thank you hike for me!
Awe dont be a sissy.
YUP !!
Jerry, you guys should’ve came before sunrise to see the Japanese guy on the top playing
That’s WAY too many people, but you have to do what you have to do.
With the way she's always holding her pack straps, Tina appears to have much better balance than I do.
Have you ever done any hikes in the White Tanks? Spring flowers can be gorgeous there.
STILL haven't made it out to the White Tanks. One of these days.....
There weren’t many flowers this spring. Not enough rain.
Beautiful views but very crowded. Would it be less crowded on a weekday?
Probably a little less, but it's popular. For a lot of the people in the neighborhood, I think this is something they do daily for exercise. But yeah, we went on a weekend morning, so it was especially crowded.
I’m with Tina on this one.
Doing this hike only when it hits 100f in the middle of the day.
I don't know any Piestawa Peak in Phoenix, but Squaw Peak is amazing!!!
Freeway traffic....
Definitely crowded.
I was born and raised in phoenix arizona, and i never hiked that trail. 😢
It's a classic.
I couldn't handle that either - seeing all that ugliness of human urban sprawl boxes and grids from every viewpoint. Could never live in Phoenix.
Nope... Too much people pollution for my liking!