First off, thank you for being here. The internet is full of all kinds of weird stuff, I’ll do my best to keep this only slightly weird. 😎

What is HikePhoenix and why should I care?

You can read the full origin story below, and maybe you won’t care, but if you like hiking I think the newsletter will be an interesting read for you.

I’m just a regular hiker like you have seen & passed by hundreds of times on the trails. I’m certainly not the fastest, most frequent or end all be all resource for hiking in Phoenix or an expert on all of the amazing trails we have access to. But, I am someone who is passionate about hiking in our community, and I do my best to stay informed, as well as spending as much time on the trail as I can. Which, this time of year, is not much. Once it cools off though, you’ll see me out on the trail several times each week.

The HikePhoenix newsletter is a place where I can share what I’m experiencing on the trails and seeing in the news, that other hikers may be curious about or should know.

I’ve hiked off and on while living in the northern parts of the Valley, not sure I could call myself a ‘hiker’ though.

I’ve lived in Arrowhead Ranch since 2009 but prior to 2022, I had only done a few hikes in Thunderbird Conservation Park despite it being just minutes away. We moved into a neighborhood near 59th Ave & Deer Valley and it was close enough to walk to the park from home.

Still, most of my hikes were about exercise and were the same route most times. I enjoyed the time in the park and knew there were many more trails to explore.

One day in late November 2024, I had to be in the Norterra area and decided I would try a new trail after my appointment and enjoy a a beautiful fall day out in the desert.

While hiking the Dixie Summit Trail, I was thinking through some things on my business newsletter (Everything Arrowhead, which focuses on the community of Arrowhead Ranch) and it occurred to me that it could be fun to publish a hiking newsletter & blog where I shared the trails I was hiking and news & info on the hiking scene in the Valley.

I figured I can’t be the only novice hiker looking to spend more time on trails and in the desert.

So, HikePhoenix was born and I spent a lot of time hiking this past winter & spring.

I’m sure you’re thinking, why is it July and you’re just posting this now? Yeah, me too, lol. Life gets busy and HikePhoenix remained a someday project for several months.

I think the heat of summer and not being able to hike as much has peaked my interest again, so we’re off and running…

Am I the only one who gets frustrated by these stories?

It seems that almost every week there is a story of someone who exercised poor judgement, having to be rescued off the mountains by the local fire departments. (link)

This is the trail I was on when I had the idea for this newsletter, so it only mades sense to make it the first trail I shared.

This section of the newsletter will outline hikes I have done in and around Phoenix, and maybe some stuff in other parts of Arizona as well. I will do my best to share my experience on the trail as well as the details of where to park, length, elevation gain & info from AllTrails. (link)

Hiking in Phoenix is a year-round activity, but when summer temperatures rise into the triple digits, the risk level increases dramatically. Even experienced hikers can run into serious trouble on exposed desert trails.

For this reason, the City of Phoenix enforces temporary trail closures on specific routes during periods of extreme heat. These closures are not meant to inconvenience anyone. They exist to protect the public and emergency personnel from the very real dangers of hiking in extreme conditions.

Read the full article here.

I’m convinced that half the battle of going hiking is how easily you can access the trails. We lived in a neighborhood in Arrowhead Ranch for three years that was close enough that I could walk into Thunderbird Conservation Park. It was super convenient for accessing trails, and I was much more willing to go.

We have since moved to a smaller home, which is not close to the trails, but I’m always looking for homes that have great access to trails.

See more about this house here.

Can I ask a small favor? Would you mind taking a quick survey to let me know how I’m doing with the newsletter? It will help me tailor what I cover in the newsletter & on the website, to the real needs of readers just like you. It is just a few questions and takes 2 minutes. 🙏