Best Hikes in Phoenix’ West Valley: 3 Levels of Family Friendly Hiking

We travel to Phoenix’ West Valley regularly to visit family, and love to incorporate desert hikes into our days.  Over the years, we’ve hiked many trails as a family, and based on our recent November visit, we have 3 HIKES at 3 LEVELS (Easy, Moderate, and Moderate/Hard) to recommend. 

Before I get to the trail recommendations, you might be wondering? What’s the West Valley? The West Valley area near Phoenix is west of I-17, and includes cities like Glendale, Peoria, El Mirage, Surprise, and Sun City.  Have you traveled to this area before? 

For ten years in a row, we traveled to the Peoria area to watch our Seattle Mariners in Spring Training.  We finally broke tradition, and switched things up though, and visited during Thanksgiving! While we were still blessed with gorgeous sunny weather, we did notice a significant difference in the heat factor between a spring and late fall visit.  There are more daylight hours in the spring, and it’s just generally hotter in our experience.

Now…on to the West Valley Hiking Recommendations!

EASY | Waterfall Trail: White Tank Mountain Regional Park — At just 0.9 miles to the “waterfall” (it’s not always flowing) on a path that’s paved most of the way, this makes an excellent multi-generational hike.  Don’t miss the petroglyphs along the way. 

We’ve hiked the Waterfall Trail several times, and love the simplicity of the experience.  The trail is straight forward, paved most of the way, but has a lot of interest for kids and adults.  I also love that it’s great for the WHOLE family from babies to grandparents.

We hiked this trail when Bergen was a young toddler, and most recently with our 4-year old nephew, and it’s always a fun time.  Be aware that (at the time of this writing) there is a $7 fee to enter White Tank Regional Park, but you can make a day of it, and visit the nature center, plus there are miles of other trails, picnic areas, and a playground.

MODERATE | Sunrise Mountain Trail: West Wing Mountain Preserve — 4.0 mile loop that’s just challenging enough for kids, but offers plenty to keep them moving and engaged.  Don’t miss the elephant cactus at the beginning, allow for time to take in the views, and keep your eye out for desert critters.

When we hiked the trail in March 2021, we spotted a large reddish brown and black lizard that I believe was a Chuckwalla.  You can see for yourself in our You Tube video below! 

MODERATE/HARD | Waddell & Ford Canyon Trail: Whitetank Mountain Regional Park — 6.0 mile out and back hike.  Easy for the first few miles (and last few since it’s out and back), but be ready for more challenging terrain with some scrambling as you hike closer to the dam.  If you have mixed abilities in your group, some members might want to stop when the scrambling begins at about 2 miles into the hike.  Slaed and Georgia (7 years old) did some of the scrambling, and then turned back.  Bergen (11 years old) and I continued on, and boy was it worth the extra effort! Beautiful scenery & views. 

There are so many more amazing desert hikes in this area of Arizona.  Add yours to our list by leaving a comment if you have suggestions! Also check out our Arizona Page for travel and adventure ideas. 

West Valley (Phoneix) Hiking Info to Know:

• The White Tank Mountain Regional Park is located about 30 miles Northwest of Phoenix in Waddell, AZ.
  • 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road
    Waddell, AZ 85355
  • As of 2022: $7 entry fee
  • Bathrooms at both trailheads
• West Wing Mountain Preserve is located in Peoria, AZ (about 30 miles from downtown Phoenix). More information about Peoria’s trails can be found on their trail system page.
  • No entry fee
  • Bathrooms, playground, and parking located at West Wing neighborhood park.
  • Great coffee & treats available at near by Well Coffee Company!

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