Camelback Mountain trail goes high above Phoenix
Hikers who live in and around Phoenix are fortunate. They have so many great trails just a short drive away. Many of the trails go to the peaks of the smallish mountains in the area.
Yes, just about anyone with a pair of hiking books can climb a mountain there!
Camelback Mountain has one of those trails to the top. Until recently, Camelback was the highest point within the Phoenix city limits, at 2,704 feet. But then Phoenix added land, and the 2,866-foot Whiskey Spring Head is now the ranking mountain in Arizona’s capital.
(Watch the video.)
Though no longer the highest point, Camelback Mountain remains a hiker magnet. (Jump to hike stats.)
After I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s five years ago, the Unshakable Husband and I decided to focus on hikes offering outstanding scenery, but not necessarily tons of elevation.
Still, during a recent trip to Phoenix, we had to see what all the fuss was about, despite the steep gain. What makes Camelback Mountain so popular?
For one, the route is easy to follow. It also includes trail variety that many hikers love: steps, switchbacks, rock-hopping, and a scramble up boulders just below the peak. Locals use the trails regularly to get a workout. Out-of-towners go for the views.
Parkinson’s hiking tip
A word of great caution. With Parkinson’s, I would not climb this mountain in the late spring or summer, when highs regularly reach over 100 degrees. Parkinson’s can damage the autonomic nervous system, boosting the likelihood of heat stroke for some people. And dehydration can lead to low blood pressure and dizziness. Even without Parkinson’s it would be dangerous. We went in February when it was cooler.
There are two trails to the top: Echo Canyon from the west and Cholla from the east. We chose Cholla because it was less steep. Of course, that made it a little longer, about 3 miles round trip. And we still were facing 1,200 feet of elevation gain.
Getting to the trailhead is, well, very urban. The mountain is surrounded by neighborhoods, and there is no parking lot where the trail starts.
We parked along Invergordon Road east of the mountain, then walked up the sidewalk until a fence opened up to the start of the hike.
Early on, the trail had steps, dozens of them. Soon the noise from the road was gone, but civilization was nearby in the form of home sites carved low into the mountain.
This isn’t a get-away-from-it-all kind of outdoor experience.
But it’s good enough for the estimated half-million people who climb Camelback Mountain each year!
After the steps came a few switchbacks, and then the trail got steeper. Which meant I slowed right down. Big, tripping-hazard rocks littered the trail. I slowed down even more.
We took a water break and sit-down rest after about 30 minutes of defying gravity. Nothing beats cool water on a desert mountain.
There were people at the top within our view. It was time to prepare ourselves for THE SCRAMBLE, the big obstacle between them and us.
We would have to go over big boulders and rocks to get to the top.
Scrambling is a mix of hiking and climbing.
We used both our hands and feet and stayed low for balance, always looking forward. It’s actually kind of exhilarating – but I tried not to look behind or below me!
Some people get spooked by this portion, and it’s perfectly OK to turn around and go back.
Finally, we made it to the top and enjoyed the views of the city along with a dozen others up there.
Some had arrived from the steeper Echo Canyon Trail, including a mom with a toddler in a back carrier. Melancholy ensued: I remembered the days I used to be able to do that. Start the violins.
Before going down, it was time for my meds. Parkinson’s waits for no hike – it demands medication when it wants, not when it’s convenient.
Parkinson’s hiking tip
It’s wise to bring medication even if you’re pretty sure you’ll be in the car or back home in time for your next dose. Outdoor adventures can and often do take longer than thought, for any of 500 reasons.
A brown sign that says “Cholla Trail” pointed the way down, which looked intimidating.
Going down a mountain is where many people get injured. It was a bit treacherous scrambling down.
Again I went slowly, staying low, keeping my hands free to hang onto boulders, checking that each footstep was stable before making the next move, and sometimes sliding on my butt down a big boulder. It took concentration.
Parkinson’s hiking tip
I usually recommend the use of trekking poles for descending a mountain or hill, for extra balance and stability. In the case of reverse scrambling, it might be better to put away the poles until you’re off the boulders.
The rest was all downhill, as they say. We still took our time, but without the huffing and puffing, we could really enjoy the scenery down to the bottom.
Total time including breaks was about two hours.
Hike info
PD difficulty level (see chart): difficult
Distance: 2.8 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 1,200 feet
Trailhead location: Invergordon Road a half mile north of Camelback Road
Cell phone service: yes
Bathrooms: yes
Emergency medical support: within 10 minutes from trailhead
Costs: none
Road access to trailhead: Depending on where you park, you’ll need to walk along city streets or through neighborhoods to get there.
Insider tip: Arizonans who like to hike start early in the day. When in Rome…
