When a lot of us think of natural wonders in Arizona, images of places like Grand Canyon, Sedona and Antelope Canyon often come to mind. Those are all great sights to see, but the reality is you can also see plenty of amazing places right in the city of Phoenix.
Spectacular natural wonders to experience in Phoenix:
- Red rock humps of Camelback Mountain
- Sunrise or sunset at Dreamy Draw Park
- Hidden Valley Loop in South Mountain Park
- Bird’s eye view of the Valley from Piestewa Peak
- Hole in the Rock at Papago Park
- Pristine desert landscape of Phoenix Sonoran Preserve
Thankfully the City of Phoenix Parks & Recreation Department put together this wonderful interactive guide to help you find awesome sights and adventures right in town. Just click and go:
Check out these AZ Wonders blog posts for more tips and insights on Phoenix area adventures.
Once you have narrowed your sites to the specific area you want to visit, you can plan in greater detail with the interactive trail maps for these locations:
- Camelback Mountain
- Deems Hills Recreation Area
- Lookout & Shadow Mountain
- North Mountain & Shaw Butte
- Papago Park
- Piestewa Peak & Dreamy Draw
- Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area
- Sonoran Preserve
- South Mountain Park/Preserve
Sure, there are plenty of amazing natural wonders to explore all around the state of Arizona, but no worries if you’re not able to venture out beyond the Phoenix area. There are plenty of spectacular sights to see right here in the Valley.
Excellent info – Since we spend our winters on the north side of the valley, I’m usually out hiking at the Phx Sonoran Preserve, but my favorite place to hike is Spur Cross. So many great trails throughout the valley!
Love Spur Cross! I’m continually amazed at how much open desert space there is in Phoenix. I am a regular at Phoenix Mountains Preserve . Can’t believe how pristine it is right in the middle of the city. City planners really did right by future generations.