Camelback Mountain, Phoenix AZ

• 5-star hike
• 2.0 to 2.5 mile options
• Medium difficulty | Gain 1,150 to 1,380 feet
• Phoenix, AZ | Southwest US
• Driving directions: Echo Canyon, Cholla Trail


Camelback Mountain offers a variety of challenges.

Distinctive and dominant on the Phoenix landscape, Camelback Mountain is just begging to be conquered. The two different routes to the 2,680ft summit offer different challenges, and both are featured in this guide. No matter which way you summit the mountain, now from wherever you are in Phoenix you can look at the most dominant feature on the landscape and think "I climbed that".

Echo Canyon, Cholla Trail.

Echo Canyon Trail 5★
2.0 mi, Out & Back, Medium, Gain 1380 ft
Trailspotting Map at AllTrails

This is by far the more popular route up Camelback Mountain, and for good reason. Not only is it more accessible for the Phoenix metropolis but it also offers a memorable and varied hiking experience.

Sandstone rock on the Echo Canyon trail can be slippery at times, so despite a number of handrail opportunities a good pair of shoes would be advantageous. Also note that trailhead parking is often brutally limited and highly enforced.

Cholla Trail 5★
2.5 mi, Out & Back, Medium, Gain 1150 ft
Trailspotting Map at AllTrails

This trail heads up a well maintained trail on Camelback's east flank, but becomes a challenging and technical ascent upon reaching the ridgeline. This fun 1.3 mile route becomes increasingly rocky and precipitous, and though the conditions here are not extreme, we'd certainly urge caution and wouldn't recommend this route for young children or folk with a strong aversion to heights.

There is no parking at the trailhead, and E Cholla Lane is off-limits. Closest parking available is around 0.3 miles away on Invergordon Rd just south of the intersection with Cholla. Invergordon Rd parking operates limited hours, so be careful to read posted signs. Some neighboring streets to the east have no parking restrictions and just make for a slightly longer hike.


Echo Canyon Hike | Summit Views.


Sunset views on an evening Camelback hike.


A dusk hike up the steeper Cholla Trail.

Tangents:
• Trail Links: Official, Public Map at AllTrails
• Facebook Group: Comment on this article

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