The Arrowhead Hiking Club temporarily left its familiar neighborhood trails this morning and ventured south into the rugged folds of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve near Piestewa Peak.

After a patient and slightly competitive game of Parking Spot Roulette, Bruce, Nick, and JD finally secured a space and set off on Trail #304, the Nature Trail. The climb immediately made its intentions clear. Rocky, moderately steep, and very well traveled, the path carried a steady parade of hikers, joggers, and mountain bikers.

Off in the distance, the main summit trail looked less like a hike and more like a metropolitan fitness convention. A continuous line of climbers marched upward as if the mountain were issuing morning attendance.

“Boot camp in the city,” someone observed. Everyone silently agreed they were very glad they weren’t on that trail.

At the saddle the trio escaped the traffic and turned onto Trail #8, the Quartz Ridge Trail. The mood changed instantly. The crowds dissolved. Footsteps became audible again. Instead of sneakers on rock, there was wind in brittlebush and the occasional complaint from a cactus about personal space.

The trail meandered gently downhill through classic Sonoran Desert terrain before delivering the hikers to the dry bed of Tatum Wash. After a short break and some water, they retraced their route, navigating a small maze of intersecting paths that eventually returned them to the waiting vehicle.

Temperatures were already climbing into the 80s, a reminder that Phoenix hiking season comes with an expiration date stamped by the sun.

Another successful outing: no injuries, no wrong turns of consequence, and no need to climb a human traffic jam to the summit.

Just three hikers, desert air, and a morning well spent.

We headed out on Phoenix Mountain Nature Trail 304, which begins at the north end of the road in the Phoenix Mountains Park. This was our designated meet up spot, and we ended up taking the trail to where the car was parked.

Hike stats:

Not the most strenuous hike, but it gets your blood flowing right away!!

One of the best parts about this part of the park is there is a wide variety of trail options. If you have never been, this is a great place to explore.