December is a wonderful time to be outdoors in Phoenix. With the city getting increasingly busy, and the holidays speedily slinging the days past, escaping into the cool desert is a great way step back and enjoy this time of year — and our surroundings. Plus, it’s a chance to…
The leaves are changing, the winds are blowing a little cooler, and the smell of pumpkin and cinnamon is in the air. With that in mind, here are five great outdoor activities to celebrate the return of fall. Questival Scavenger Hunt Looking to experience a taste of adventure, Amazing Race…
On Tuesday, October 27, Phoenix Spokes People announced the news on Facebook. “HUGE NEWS! We are thrilled to report that the City of Phoenix has been awarded a $10.3 million federal grant to improve the Grand Canal,” read the post. “Our canals are such an asset to our bicycling community,…
Every once in a while, local government spits out something amazing – like a map of all the bike routes in the Valley of the Sun. The Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) has all kinds of resources for prospective riders, most of them detailed on their Facebook page. You can…
The Bureau of Land Management has a big job: It has to oversee 245 million acres of public land, track herds of wild horses, deal with forest fires, and patrol the wilderness for smugglers. Last week, they added another checkbox to their task list: Map the sweetest mountain bike trails…
Nothing goes together quite like bikes and beer. For many a scruffy cyclist, a day of hard-core riding is only complete after guzzling a pint of frothy IPA. Gear-heads and craft brewers have a lot in common, after all: They like their toys, they savor their experiences, and they like…
Labor Day has come and gone, Halloween is just around the corner, and we’re told that one of these days the temperature just might fall down into the double digits. Here’s a list of great outdoor events that’ll get you up and moving this October — but won’t break the…
On the Third Friday of each September, metered car spaces across the globe are transformed into tiny personal parks inhabited by activists and spectators who, quite literally, just want somewhere green to sit. The Park(ing) Day project began in San Francisco in 2005 at Rebar, an art and design studio…
Whether chasing sunsets or simply trying to escape the sun, night hiking is a great way to hit the Arizona trails year round. With that being said, there are some important safety precautions to take when exploring nature after dark, as the desert does change and come alive in different…
If you’re tired of fluorescent lighting and the omnipresent hum of your air conditioning unit, and you want to get back out and feel the sunshine on your shoulders, you should look no further than this list of fun outdoor opportunities coming to Metro Phoenix in September. Fitness Friday Hikes…
For cyclists, Tempe is a mythical place. With its 175 miles of bikeways and thousands of bike commuters, the sunbaked college town has won global attention for its pedaling population. The website TravelPulse even named Tempe one of the seven most bike-friendly cities in the world. And unlike cyclists in…
When I moved to Phoenix two months ago, I looked forward to a lot of things: dry heat, Mexican cuisine, and bicycling around town – but mostly the bicycling. Coming from the northeast, I had never lived in a flat city, much less a flat city with year-round sun and a…
We Arizonans are pretty damn fortunate to live in the midst of one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. This August, take advantage of all the great things the outdoors have to offer. Here are five ways to get out (and maybe get a little sweaty) in metro…
With so many gorgeous desert trail options in or near Phoenix, we can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to go take a hike.
It’s roughly 90 degrees outside, so it’s probably a good time to start jogging, right? Right!? Alternatively, you could follow our lead and just talk about how you should totally run a 5K for the next 10 years. If you’re ready to actually take the plunge into the world’s most…
Arizona has a wealth of things to enjoy for outdoorsy types, and for those who enjoy skateboarding are no exception. There are more than 20 various skateparks and other great spots to hit around the Valley such as The Wedge and Desert West. But during summer, it’s just not as…
The time of year when we really appreciate Arizona weather is upon us, as is Yoga Rocks the Park. The event returns Sunday, February 23, with its third annual five-week celebration of yoga, music, giving, and getting outdoors (before we all collectively hibernate)…
Echo Canyon Recreation Area at Camelback Mountain re-opened Wednesday morning after a yearlong closure, and excited hikers jammed the renovated parking lot. One of the main features of the redeveloped trailhead and staging area was the expansion of the lot from 66 to 135 spaces. But rangers were turning away…
It was a fine morning on the day after Christmas, crumpled gift wrap still lying in the sleepy Paradise Valley homes below as a 17-year-old climber clung desperately to a sheer rock face at Camelback Mountain. Getting to the top of this freestanding 100-foot finger of pink rock on the…
The Desert Botanical Garden is celebrating 75 years this weekend with — what else — a garden party. Since opening in the late 1930s, the 140-plus acre garden has been home to more than 50,000 plant displays and is no stranger to hosting a myriad of cultural events — from…
The new entranceway to Camelback Mountain’s Echo Canyon Trail won’t be finished in time for a planned November 30 opening, a Phoenix official said on Tuesday. The city had previously announced a “firm” date for the re-opening of the trailhead, which has been closed since January 28 for the $5…
Camelback Mountain’s reformed Echo Canyon Trail, trailhead, and parking area will re-open to the public on November 30, officials say. When the short, popular summit trail closed on January 28th for a $3 million renovation, hikers were told only that they could come back sometime in the fall. Now, says…
