Hiking Lookout Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona

The place

Lookout Mountain Preserve is a municipal park in north Phoenix, in Maricopa County, part of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve system (per Wikipedia). The summit is at 623 m according to the USGS GNIS; the City's map gives 2,054 ft (626 m). According to Wikipedia, the mountain is made of Tertiary basalt flows, Tertiary sediments and basalt breccia.

The trails

The City of Phoenix lists four trails for Lookout Mountain. It rates all of them "moderate/difficult", a rating it defines by obstacles of 12 in. (30 cm) or less, with loose rocks, ruts and possible drops. Temperature, time of day and weather also change the difficulty.

• Circumference Trail (no. 308): 2.6 mi (4.2 km), 150 ft (46 m) of elevation change. It starts at the Lookout Mountain Trailhead. The City describes it as a natural desert-material trail with views of the surrounding mountains, north Phoenix and, to the east, Scottsdale.
• Summit Trail (no. 150): 0.6 mi (1.0 km), 474 ft (144 m) of elevation change. Reach it by going west on the Circumference Trail, then turning left.
• Lookout Mountain Connector Trail no. 25: 2.7 mi (4.3 km), 100 ft (30 m) of elevation change.
• Lookout Mountain Connector Trail no. 25A: 2.2 mi (3.5 km), 100 ft (30 m) of elevation change.

The City lists the two connector trails under Lookout Mountain Park (1898 E. Evans Dr.). Its table does not give the length of the Circumference Trail stretch to walk before the Summit Trail junction, so the total distance from the parking lot to the summit does not appear there.

Dogs, bikes and rules

Dogs are allowed on a leash of 6 ft (1.8 m) or shorter. They are not allowed on trails when the temperature is above 100°F (38°C), and their waste must be picked up and carried out. The City also asks visitors to stay on designated trails.

On the preserve network map, the Circumference Trail is marked for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and leashed dogs. The Summit Trail is marked for hiking and leashed dogs only.

Heat and preparation

The City recommends hiking when it is cool, in the early morning or evening, bringing more water than you think you need and turning back before it runs out. It also advises sturdy shoes, a hat and sunscreen, carrying a phone, and hiking with others; if you go alone, tell someone your start time, end time and location.