07 PAPAGO PARK

KEY AT-A-GLANCE INFORMATION

LENGTH: 2.2 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 140 feet

CONFIGURATION: Loop

DIFFICULTY: Easy

SCENERY: Papago Buttes, unique rock formations, desert, city panoramas

EXPOSURE: Completely exposed

TRAFFIC: Moderate

TRAIL SURFACE: Gravel

HIKING TIME: 1 hour

WATER REQUIREMENT: 1 quart

SEASON: Year-round; hot in summer

ACCESS: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.; free parking

MAPS: USGS Tempe, trailhead plaque

FACILITIES: Water, ramada, picnic areas

DOGS: Leashed at all times

COMMENTS: This route follows part of the West Park Loop Trail. For more information, visit phoenix.gov/recreation/rec/parks/preserves/index.html.

GPS Trailhead Coordinates

UTM Zone 12S

Easting 0411380

Northing 3701969

Latitude N33°27.316'

Longitude W111°57.256'

Directions

From Loop 202, exit onto Priest Drive. Drive north 1.25 miles on Priest Drive, which becomes Galvin Parkway. At the traffic signal for the Phoenix Zoo, turn left into the trailhead parking lot.

IN BRIEF

A large oasis amid the sprawling city, Papago Park is to Phoenix what Central Park is to New York. Its distinctive red sandstone buttes and reflective lakes around the zoo are all trademark features of Papago Park. This scenic backdrop provides the setting for a relaxing and view-studded hike.

DESCRIPTION

Few parks in Phoenix offer as many activities as Papago Park. Home of the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden, a golf course, a fire museum, and a sports complex, and studded with many biking, walking, and hiking paths, Papago Park literally has something for everyone.

Papago Park’s colorful history dates back to 1879 when it became a reservation for Pima and Maricopa Indians. The park’s name was taken from the Papago, a Native American people who inhabited southern Arizona. In the early 1900s the park was designated Papago Saguaro National Monument under Woodrow Wilson’s administration, but Congress later rescinded that designation. During World War II a prisoner-of-war camp erected at the base of Papago Buttes housed more than 400 German prisoners. Today, the Army Reserve Motor Park still occupies the area. The City of Phoenix purchased the park in 1959 and has been operating it ever since.

Oddly eroded by wind and rain, several red sandstone buttes lie scattered throughout the 1,200-acre park, providing a scenic backdrop for many of the park’s features. These distinctive holey rocks can be seen from nearly anywhere in Phoenix. The largest buttes lie in the northern part of the park, straddling McDowell Road, while Galvin Parkway bisects the park lengthwise. The busy eastern half contains the much-visited zoo and botanical garden, while the quieter western half appeals more to hikers and mountain bikers.

The route suggested here encircles two prominent buttes in the park’s western half and comprises part of the West Park Loop Trail. Start from a parking lot west of Galvin Parkway, opposite the main entrance of Phoenix Zoo. The trailhead is located next to a ramada where drinking water is available. Begin by hiking north on a gravel path toward the largest butte. Many confusing use trails crisscross the landscape, but don’t worry about getting lost. Just aim straight for the large mound of rock and the elevated ramada at its base.

Approximately 0.6 miles from the trailhead, arrive at Eliot Ramada, where the Phoenix skyline comes into view on the western horizon. Continue across the paved road and pick up a trail that skirts the left side of the butte. Hike toward busy McDowell Road and notice the typical desert flora. Triangle-leaf bursage, brittlebushes, creosotes, palo verdes, and even some fragrant desert lavender line the trail. North of the butte and adjacent to McDowell Road, an old amphitheater lies unused, undoubtedly because of the incessant road noise.

Continue past the amphitheater to a small mound with an excellent northeastern view. All major mountains on the periphery of the East Valley can be seen here. Camelback Mountain dominates the north, while McDowell Mountains, Four Peaks, Red Mountain, and the Superstitions frame the eastern skyline. On a clear day, even needle-like Pinnacle Peak becomes visible. Complete your loop around the largest butte, staying close to the red rock at all forks. As you round the hill’s eastern flank, catch a glimpse of the Desert Botanical Garden across Galvin Parkway, Hayden Butte, and Hole-in-the-Rock, an eroded red sandstone butte next to the Phoenix Zoo.

Approximately 1.3 miles from the trailhead, break away from the circumference of the large butte and head downhill toward Eliot Ramada again. From there, aim for the right side of a smaller butte where many wooden signs mark the start of an orienteering course and a pace course. As the trail skirts the small butte, enjoy an open view toward the southwest. Papago Golf Course lies below the trail, while South Mountain, Sierra Estrella, and the White Tank Mountains complete a sweep of the western horizon.

At the southwestern corner of the small butte, head south downhill parallel to the golf course fence. Marvel at the striking contrast between the arid landscape and the greens and fairways inside the golf course, proof positive that the grass is indeed greener on the other side of the fence. The trail passes several junctions and eventually meets the parking lot from which you began, completing a 2.2-mile hike. If you have extra time, consider following the trail all the way around the golf course for an additional 2 miles.

Before leaving Papago Park, be sure to visit Hole-in-the-Rock and Hunt’s Tomb, two of the park’s most popular features. Both of them are located in the eastern half of the park, so you’ll need to drive across Galvin Parkway. Make a left after the park gate and follow the signs to Ramada 8. A short but steep trail climbs up to a natural rock window for a splendid sunset vista overlooking the city and the lakes near the zoo. The ancient Hohokam people used the projection of sunlight through Hole-in-the-Rock as a natural sundial.

Farther south in the park and beyond Ramada 16, a white pyramid entombs Arizona’s first governor, George W. P. Hunt, and his family. Though the pyramid itself is worth a visit, the view from its western platform is one of the finest in the park. A bench provides the perfect setting for admiring a part of the Phoenix Zoo as well as the desert sky reflected in several lakes around the zoo. With so many attractions, Papago Park is a must-see.

NEARBY ACTIVITIES

The Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden are both located within the confines of Papago Park. The park also provides a golf course, a sports complex, picnic areas, and even a fish hatchery. Camelback Mountain, Hayden Butte, and the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt are all within a short distance of Papago Park.