Best Dog-Friendly Hikes in Phoenix Your Pup Will Love

I’ve been hiking in the Phoenix area for 7 years ago, and still don’t get sick of it! For years, I dreamed about adopting an adventure pup to join me on my adventures, and finally, in October of 2020, we adopted a little cattle dog mix who LOVES the outdoors. She is my dream dog. After I adopted her, I did have to alter which trails I can and can’t take her on. Honestly, I don’t hike trails anymore that AREN’T dog-friendly. This post aims to simplify your search as to what trails you can take your furry friend with! Let’s get started with the best dog-friendly hikes in Phoenix.

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DOG-FRIENDLY HIKES IN PHOENIX

Let’s get started with the best dog-friendly hikes in Phoenix. I am based in the East/Central Valley, so I will be posting more in this area than in the West Valley. I will be going through each hike in detail below with hike stats. If you find one you like, use my google map below and look for the name of your hike! Here we go.

HIKING GEAR FOR YOUR PUP

Before you start hiking with your pup, make sure they are set up with all the right gear- this will make your hikes more enjoyable. I was surprised when I first got my dog how many extra things I needed on my hike.

GEAR LIST

• RUFFWEAR DOG HARNESS I don’t go anywhere without it. Best for short hikes.
• RUFFWEAR DOG DAY PACK This one has pockets on the sides- I use this for hikes >2 miles.
• RUFFWEAR DOG LEASH This one is great because it has bungee and you can wrap it around your waist OR wrist!
• DOG WATER BOTTLE Yes, your pup needs hydration too. I either hold this or keep it in my Ruffwear Day Pack.
• POOP PAG DISPENSER Please Leave No Trace- ALWAYS pick up after your dog.
• PEPPER SPRAY– protect yourself, and your dog (you never know how other dogs will behave)
• TWEEZERS! If you’re hiking in Phoenix, you need to bring tweezers in case your pup steps on a cactus. I never go without one anymore.

1- Papago Park

Papago Park is an absolute must for dog owners and is one of my all-time favorite dog-friendly hikes in Phoenix. I live right behind it (literally), so it has been my short-hike hub for years. The great thing about it is that you don’t have to have a set hike length. There’s so many little branches of trails that you could walk from 1/4 mile to 3+ miles. There’s also two sides to the park.

Papago Park is split into East and West by N Galvin Parkway that runs up the center. The east side, near the Phoenix Zoo, is more well-known by the name “Hole in the Rock.” This short 0.3-mile trail leads you to a hole that overlooks the Tempe and Phoenix Skyline. It is very popular & busy at Sunset at all times of the year. It’s perfect if you’re looking for a very quick trip into nature with some good views. My pup loves it too!

On the west side of the park, you’ll see multiple large buttes. This part of the park has paved trails and dirt trails. I like to do the Double Butte Loop Trail on AllTrails which is 2.2 miles and I usually finish it in about an hour.

This is my favorite side of the park and it is one of the best dog-friendly trails in Phoenix. It is less busy than the Hole in the Rock, but it is still a popular photography location at sunset, so the parking lot will fill up. I will note that the hours are Sunrise-Sunset and there is a ranger there to give tickets if you’re parked past dark.

2- “A” MOUNTAIN

“A” mountain is located on Arizona State University’s campus near the football stadium in Tempe, Arizona. There is a large “A” on the front of the mountain that is frequently painted by students a few times per year. It is a short, quick, easy to access hike, which is why I mention it.

I take my dog up “A” Mountain at least a few times a month. It’s different than your usual isolated hike, but I enjoy the urban views. From the top of “A” mountain, you can see the South Mountain TV Towers, Camelback Mountain, the Phoenix Skyline, the airport, and all of ASU. I love this hike any time of day, but I think at night is my favorite!

I do suggest taking your dog on some flatter hikes before you go up “A” Mountain. It is steep and rocky, but my dog loves it! We always see other pups on our way up. You do need to find parking to go up A mountain. I often park at my gym for free across the street, but I have used the meters closeby too. It’s not too long of a hike, so parking is cheap.

3- SOUTH MOUNTAIN

The next dog-friendly trail in Phoenix is South Mountain. South Mountain is located in Phoenix, Arizona just south Sky Harbor Airport. There is over 58 miles of trails networked within South Mountain, and dogs are welcome at all of them! My favorite dog-friendly trails are Marcos de Niza, the Mormon Trail, and Kiwanis Trail.

I love the Kiwanis Trail because of the location in the park and the views. This trail goes up a canyon and comes out on the South Mountain Road up to Dobbins Lookout (beautiful, curvy road). Make sure you leash your pup, especially around the road. 

4- PHOENIX MTN PRESERVE

One of the most popular hikes in Phoenix is Piestewa Peak. Though this hike is great, it is NOT dog-friendly. This hike is steep and busy, so I think it’s best. Even though Piestewa Peak isn’t dog-friendly, there are plenty of dog-friendly trails around it in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. My favorite dog-friendly hike near Piestewa Peak is the 200A Loop.

200A Loop is only 15 minutes north of Downtown. There is a small parking lot (<15 spots) at the end of 32nd St right before a fancy neighborhood. Even though this trail is less-popular, I often have to wait a few minutes for a parking spot, especially in the afternoon. This trail has beautiful views of Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak, which is why I love it. There are usually only a few people on this trail, which makes it good for young pups.

5- USERY MOUNTAIN

Next up on our dog-friendly hikes in Phoenix is Usery Mountain Regional Park, located 30 minutes to the East. Personally, this is my favorite part of the valley- the mountains out here are STUNNING! My in-laws actually live directly outside this park’s boundaries, so we’ve explored here numerous times. The best dog-friendly hike (and really the best hike in general) in the park is the Wind Cave Trail.

Make sure to block off a few hours of your day to hike Usery Mountain- it’s more difficult than it seems. You’ll go up switchbacks and curves before you reach the Wind Cave. In of itself, the cave is NOT impressive, haha. The impressive part is the peak. Not everyone goes past the cave due to there being no defined trail. Only bring experienced pups up here.

If you decide to go up, follow the blue arrows and use the Alltrails app to trace your way back down. Our little cattle dog mix had no problem scaling cliffs and making it to the top. My favorite times to do this hike are sunrise and sunset!

6- EJ PEAK, “Lone” Peak

EJ Peak is another wonderful dog-friendly hike in Phoenix. My favorite part about it is how quiet and isolated it is. Not many people know about this hike, which makes it the perfect trail to train a new pup, work on behavior issues, or train off-leash. I think we saw 1 other group the whole time!

EJ Peak is located near Mesa, Arizona just down the road from Usery Mountain Regional Park. The trailhead is a small dirt lot off the right side of the road. You may find some campers at the base and hear or see off-road vehicles in the area. This trail was so peaceful, and the views from the top were amazing!

7- Wave Cave Trail

Last but not least on my list of top dog-friendly hikes near Phoenix is Wave Cave Trail in the Superstition Mountains. It is a little far from the central valley, taking about 50 minutes to get to the trailhead. You won’t regret the drive- it’s beautiful!

There are signs telling you that you need a $20 Annual Arizona State Land Permit to hike (or do anything), but I’ve never seen anyone with a permit at the trailhead.

I would rank this trail Easy to Moderate. Your average dog won’t have issues and will love this trail. Once you make it to the cave (it’s a leg-burner at the end), grab a snack and take some photos on top of the “wave.”

SUMMARY

• Papago Park, “A” Mountain, Loop 200A, South Mountain, EJ Peak, Usery Mountain, and the Wave Cave are my favorite dog-friendly hikes near Phoenix
• ALWAYS LEAVE NO TRACE- pick up after your dog.
• Bring proper gear, water, and tweezers for your dog (see my list above)