Hiking · From the front door
Hiking around The Rally House.
Six trails within a thirty-minute drive of 14241 N 54th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85254 — from a sandy wash the whole family can walk to a summit scramble that earns the pool afterward. Distances, maps, directions, and video of every trail so you know exactly what you're walking into.
| Trail | Drive | Distance | Gain | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinnacle Peak Trail | 22 min · 14 miles | 3.5 mi out-and-back | 1,300 ft | Moderate |
| Gateway Loop, McDowell Sonoran Preserve | 18 min · 11 miles | 4.4 mi loop | 700 ft | Moderate |
| Lost Dog Wash Trail | 22 min · 13 miles | 4.5 mi out-and-back | 500 ft | Easy |
| Tom's Thumb Trail | 30 min · 19 miles | 4.2 mi out-and-back | 1,250 ft | Hard |
| Camelback Mountain — Echo Canyon | 20 min · 11 miles | 2.4 mi out-and-back | 1,280 ft | Very hard |
| Piestewa Peak Summit Trail | 18 min · 9 miles | 2.2 mi out-and-back | 1,190 ft | Hard |
22 min from the house · 14 miles
Pinnacle Peak Trail
The most maintained trail in North Scottsdale: a wide graded path with granite boulder fields, saguaro stands, and views over Troon and the Boulders. No summit — the trail crests a saddle and drops the other side.
- Distance
- 3.5 mi out-and-back
- Elevation gain
- 1,300 ft
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- On trail
- 1.5–2 hrs
Video: Scottsdale's Best Hikes: Pinnacle Peak Trail — Great West Treks
Directions from the house
Pinnacle Peak Park, 26802 N 102nd Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85262
- 1.North on N 56th St to E Bell Rd, right (east).
- 2.Bell Rd to N Scottsdale Rd, left (north) for about 8 miles.
- 3.Right on E Happy Valley Rd, then left on N Alma School Pkwy.
- 4.Follow signs to N 102nd Way — free lot at the trailhead.
Best for — First morning of the trip. Sunrise start, back at the pool by 9.
18 min from the house · 11 miles
Gateway Loop, McDowell Sonoran Preserve
The best-built trail system in the valley. Wide, well-graded, and quiet, with the Bell Pass ridge above you and open desert in every direction. Extend to Windgate Pass if the group wants more.
- Distance
- 4.4 mi loop
- Elevation gain
- 700 ft
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- On trail
- 1.5–2 hrs
Video: Gateway Loop Trail: A Perfect Hiking Spot in Scottsdale — BVO Luxury Group
Directions from the house
Gateway Trailhead, 18333 N Thompson Peak Pkwy, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
- 1.East on E Bell Rd / Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd.
- 2.North on N Thompson Peak Pkwy past the DC Ranch shops.
- 3.Trailhead is on the right — large lot, ramada, restrooms, water.
Best for — Groups with mixed fitness — easy to shorten or extend mid-hike.
22 min from the house · 13 miles
Lost Dog Wash Trail
The gentlest real desert hike near the house — a broad sandy wash climbing slowly into the McDowells. Ironwood and palo verde shade, almost no exposure, and turn-around anywhere.
- Distance
- 4.5 mi out-and-back
- Elevation gain
- 500 ft
- Difficulty
- Easy
- On trail
- 1.5 hrs
Video: Trail Review: Lost Dog Wash Trailhead, Scottsdale — Vauclúse Gear
Directions from the house
Lost Dog Wash Trailhead, 12601 N 124th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85259
- 1.East on E Shea Blvd for roughly 9 miles.
- 2.Left (north) on N 124th St.
- 3.Follow to the end — trailhead lot with shade ramadas and restrooms.
Best for — Kids, grandparents, or a recovery day after golf.
30 min from the house · 19 miles
Tom's Thumb Trail
The serious one. Steady switchbacks up the north face of the McDowells to a 140-foot granite thumb, with the whole valley behind you. Rock the entire way — no shade after the first half mile.
- Distance
- 4.2 mi out-and-back
- Elevation gain
- 1,250 ft
- Difficulty
- Hard
- On trail
- 2.5–3 hrs
Video: Hiking Tom's Thumb Trail: Best Hike in Scottsdale — Inspire To Go
Directions from the house
Tom's Thumb Trailhead, 23015 N 128th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
- 1.North on N Scottsdale Rd, right on E Dynamite Blvd.
- 2.East to N 128th St, then south into the preserve.
- 3.Trailhead lot at the end of the road — arrive before 7 a.m. in season.
Best for — The fit half of the group while everyone else sleeps in.
20 min from the house · 11 miles
Camelback Mountain — Echo Canyon
The valley's signature summit and a genuine scramble: handrails, slick rock, and steep class-2 sections. The view from the top is the postcard everyone recognizes. Not a casual hike.
- Distance
- 2.4 mi out-and-back
- Elevation gain
- 1,280 ft
- Difficulty
- Very hard
- On trail
- 2–3 hrs
Video: How to Hike Camelback Mountain via Echo Canyon — Life Hiker
Directions from the house
Echo Canyon Trailhead, 4925 E McDonald Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85018
- 1.South on N Scottsdale Rd to E McDonald Dr.
- 2.West on McDonald about 3 miles.
- 3.Trailhead lot on the left at Echo Canyon Pkwy — 40 spaces, full by 6:30 a.m.
Best for — Experienced hikers only. Sunrise, one liter minimum, real shoes.
18 min from the house · 9 miles
Piestewa Peak Summit Trail
Camelback's steepness without the scramble: stone steps most of the way to a summit that looks straight down the Phoenix skyline. Closest real climb to the house.
- Distance
- 2.2 mi out-and-back
- Elevation gain
- 1,190 ft
- Difficulty
- Hard
- On trail
- 1.5–2 hrs
Video: Piestewa Peak Complete Guide — Hiking Tips — Dadventures
Directions from the house
Piestewa Peak Summit Trail, 2701 E Squaw Peak Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85016
- 1.South on N 56th St to E Lincoln Dr, west about 2 miles.
- 2.Right into Dreamy Draw / Piestewa Peak Park at E Squaw Peak Dr.
- 3.Park in the summit-trail lot — restrooms and water on site.
Best for — A hard hour before breakfast, back before the house wakes up.
Before you go
- Sunrise is the season here. From March through October, start at first light — trailhead lots fill by 6:30 a.m. and the city closes some summits during heat warnings.
- One liter of water per hour on trail. There's a cooler at the house; fill it the night before.
- Trail runners beat hiking boots on almost every Scottsdale trail — the terrain is granite and decomposed rock, not mud.
- Dogs are welcome in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve on leash; Camelback and Piestewa summits are not dog trails.