Pinnacle Peak Trail ranks high in everyone’s books. Locals and vacationers from nearby resorts flock to this place in droves—with good reason. It is an impeccable trail with fantastic views of the valley and surrounding McDowell Mountains. 

The day Dave and I chose to hike called for clouds and rain. Clouds are pretty special around here. Plus, a desert shower makes everything glimmer. We were not disappointed.

This well-maintained trail is a 4-mile out and back with moderate elevation. It is perfect for all ages and abilities—and boasts two major rest stops within the first mile. The Grandview Rest Area and The Owl’s Nest are great places to soak in desert views. It is important to note that this is not a summit trail (bagging the peak is for climbers only).

The desert glowed in filtered sunlight as the rain had effectively washed the smoggy skies clean.

Layers of cloud and sun created highlights on the horizon.

As we passed The Owl’s Nest, we saw a young boy turn to his mom and say, “So, we’re as high as we can go, but now the trail starts to go down—that way. Long silence.” Umm—that means if we go down that way, we have to come back up again.” Again—silence. Hmmm, children sure have a knack for telling it like it is.

Don’t let that stop you from continuing. Our only deterrent was a bout of cold rain—albeit brief, but long enough to eventually make us turn back. 

Phoenix is home to more than 41,000 acres of desert parks and mountain preserves and 200-plus miles of trails. There’s a lot out there to explore—even after 20 years, I often feel that our adventure has just begun.