Best Nature Activities in Scottsdale
Enjoying Nature Activities In Scottsdale’s Desert Landscape
When people think about vacationing in Scottsdale, golfing and hiking probably come to mind. However, there are many things to do to enjoy nature activities in Scottsdale, even if your idea of fun does not include hours at the links or on a strenuous hike. The city offers many opportunities to enjoy the fabulous weather and beauty of the Sonoran Desert.
Easy To Moderate Hikes In Scottsdale
Scottsdale sits in the Sonoran Desert, a landscape with rolling hills and various cacti, hardy trees, and shrubs with flowers frequently blooming. Visitors don’t need to embark on a strenuous hike to experience the beauty and tranquility of the desert.
McDowell Sonoran Preserve Gateway Trailhead
My favorite place to hike, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Gateway Trailhead, offers a diversity of paths of various lengths and difficulty levels. The wide and flat Bajada Nature Trail has a quarter-of-a-mile long loop and an additional loop that would double that distance. The trail provides excellent views of the mountains and has interpretive signs along the way that educate about desert flora and fauna. This path is perfect for a first-time experience of the desert and for anyone with mobility challenges.
The Horseshoe Loop runs 1.7 miles, and while not as smooth or flat, it is still a relatively easy hike through a scenic landscape. The most popular trail, the Gateway Loop, is 4.5 miles long and contains uphill and downhill sections through rocky terrain. If you are up for a moderate hike, this route provides stunning views across the Phoenix Valley. It also brings you behind the hills to experience a feeling of immersion in the Sonoran Desert.
Parking at the Gateway Trailhead is typically ample, even at busy times. There are clean restrooms, a water station, and park stewards to provide information and guidance. Rattlesnakes live in the preserve, although I have only encountered them far from the entrance. If you hear a rattle, move away from the sound and alert other hikers. The danger is minimal as long as you do not approach a rattlesnake.
Pinnacle Peak
The trail at Pinnacle Peak is relatively steep at the beginning to reach the lookout spot. You can take your time and enjoy the sights along the way. After the summit, the path continues along moderate inclines and declines for a four-mile route to the end and back. Since it is not a loop, you can go as far as you want before turning around.
The parking lot is small, but there is some street parking just beyond the lot. It is best to arrive early in the day because this is a popular park. Restrooms and water are available, as well as picnic areas.
Papago Park
Papago Park offers a few short, easy trails with a brief scramble up to the Hole-In-The-Rock, a great space to watch the sunset over downtown Phoenix. The park is next to the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden. It offers a quick hike if visiting those attractions.
Natural Desert Gardens Around Scottsdale
Desert Botanical Garden
The unique plants of the desert make the Desert Botanical Garden a must-see when visiting the Phoenix area. Five major trails wind through the park. The Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert Trail demonstrates how native people lived in this arid environment, using the plants for food and housing.
The Desert Wildflower Trail attracts many birds, butterflies, and bees with its blooms and includes a butterfly pavilion. The Garden offers many special events throughout the winter and spring.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum
The Boyce Thompson Arboretum is worth the approximately one-hour drive to Superior, Arizona. The arboretum contains 135 acres featuring desert plants from around the world.
Gardens include cacti, from squat barrels to the many-armed saguaros and other shapes. Wander through palm trees and succulents, desert trails, and a canyon with Queen Creek burbling below a suspension bridge. Many special events and classes offer unique ways to experience the arboretum, such as yoga and forest bathing.
Japanese Friendship Garden
The Japanese Friendship Garden provides a serene oasis in downtown Phoenix. Stroll the path around the koi-filled pond past a waterfall, near a rocky stream, and across a zigzag bridge.
The park is small, but the Japanese designers packed it with intentional features to enhance your visit. Special events bring the culture of Japan alive with music, art, food, and drinks.
Phoenix Zoo
If you want to wander along paved paths past a pond filled with waterbirds while listening to the lemurs quarrel or watching giraffes lumber across a savanna, the Phoenix Zoo calls. Recently renovated tiger and big cat exhibits as well as a spacious orangutan enclosure and walk-through squirrel monkey village are a few of the highlights. The predominantly outdoor enclosures take full advantage of the good weather. Visit early in the morning in the warmer months.
Enjoy Nature Activities In The Parks And Walking Paths In Scottsdale
Scottsdale Greenbelt
The paved path of the Greenbelt extends for 11 miles along the spine of Scottsdale, through parks and alongside golf courses. The multi-use trail often fills with walkers, runners, bikers, and dog walkers. Access points abound at major streets and within several parks throughout the Greenbelt. Underpasses provide an uninterrupted course that connects Tempe Town Lake to north Scottsdale.
Chaparral Park and the Scottsdale Xeriscape Garden
Chaparral Park, about halfway along the Scottsdale Greenbelt, offers many features and activities. The Scottsdale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden starts alongside the dog park at the north end. It contains a meditative spiral set filled with trees, flowering bushes, and grasses. Informative signs explain how to garden in arid climates.
The park also offers a 10-acre lake with a walking path encircling it with exercise equipment along the way. Visitors can picnic in the shade of a ramada, play sand volleyball or basketball, enjoy the playground, or play games in the many green spaces. Parking is plentiful and three public restrooms and water fountains available.
Scottsdale Civic Center
The Scottsdale Civic Center, in the heart of Old Town, comprises the city’s main park. City Hall, the main branch of the public library, the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Scottsdale Historical Museum reside in the park.
Visitors can catch a concert at one of the two open-air stages, hang out at a bistro table or bench alongside a fountain, play in the playground or splash pad, or stroll around gazing at the public art and desert plantings. A few restaurants border the area, including one of my favorites to bring guests, AZ88.
Arizona Canal Path
Tourists in Scottsdale may be surprised to learn that the Phoenix area contains 130 miles of canals crisscrossing the city to distribute water. The Salt River Project maintains these waterways that partly overlay the original canals built by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa and Gila River Indian communities over one thousand years ago.
The main conduit, the Arizona Canal Path, runs through Scottsdale and extends almost 30 miles. A path for walking and biking partners the canal and is easily reached from many points in the city.
A small section called the Waterfront stretches from Camelback Road to Goldwater Boulevard. The Soleri Bridge and South Bridge add beautiful architectural elements. Fountains like Pinball Wizard and Bronze Horse Fountain just off the canal add a refreshing element on a warm, sunny day.
Many festivals and events occur along the Waterfront, culminating in the spectacular Canal Convergence in November. Dozens of restaurants and shops line the surrounding streets to enjoy the area any time of year.
Bike Rentals In Scottsdale
As a League of American Bicyclists designated gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community, Scottsdale is a fantastic place to vacation if you enjoy exploring on two wheels. The Greenbelt and Arizona Canal Path provide safe and scenic routes for cyclists of all skills.
Check out the City of Scottsdale Bike & Trail Map to choose a route for your ride. You can rent a bike at Rides N Motion, Bike Emporium, Scottsdale Old School Bicycle Rentals, or Scottsdale Bike Co.
Book a tour at Arizona E-bike Tours, Bike Tours Scottsdale, or E-bike Tours and Rentals.
Best Places To Stay To Enjoy Nature Activities In Scottsdale
Many fantastic resorts and hotels provide a convenient location to enjoy all the outdoor activities in and near Scottsdale. To indulge in natural grounds right outside your door, however, the following are my favorites.
Boulders Resort and Spa in North Scottsdale offers trails throughout their land to explore striking rock formations and desert foliage. Their restaurant patios are the perfect spot for watching the gorgeous Arizona sunsets.
Civana Wellness Resort and Spa also immerses guests in the desert north of the city. Beyond its incredible spa, the resort holds over a hundred wellness classes and experiences every week. Check out the schedule and book your choices in advance.
For a tranquil retreat closer to the heart of the city, stay at the Phoenician. The gorgeous grounds provide an oasis of beautiful plants and flowers in a luxury hotel.
Tips For Enjoying Nature Activities In Scottsdale
While the warm, sunny weather attracts visitors to Scottsdale, the temperatures can rise surprisingly fast once that sun peaks. All jokes aside, it is a dry heat, and dehydration can sneak up on you. Drink far more water than you think you need and minimize your time being directly in the sun, especially in warmer months. Sunscreen, hats, and protective clothing can help avoid sunburn and overheating.
Many plants in the desert protect themselves with pointy features, such as needles and thorns. Others feature firm leaves that can be sharp to conserve water and discourage creatures from chewing on them. Enjoy the sights, sounds, and touch of the desert by moving slowly and intentionally.
Conclusion: Nature Activities Abound In Scottsdale
Whether out in the desert or the human-made landscape, visitors can find many incredible nature activities in Scottsdale. The comfortable weather and beauty of the Sonoran Desert combine to provide a fantastic vacation for nature lovers.
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