Camelback Mountain

Camelback Mountain is located in the middle of metropolitan Phoenix, next to Scottsdale, and serves as prime real estate for many magnificent hillside estates. It's also a favorite recreational hiking spot for many locals and visitors.

Echo Canyon trail, starts on the North side of the mountain. The trail is about 1.2 miles from the trailhead to the summit, and has a fairly steep ascent strewn with boulders.

Cholla trail starts on the East side, and has a longer, more gradual ascent, also terminating at the summit.

For those in decent physical shape, the hike to the top and back down can be done in less than two hours for either trail. My personal best round-trip time is less than 50 minutes. Over the years I've hiked both trails countless times- it's a great way to get out and exercise.

At the top of Camelback Mountain I have a favorite place (where Joanne is sitting in the picture below). You can sit there and look at the city without seeing the mountain in your peripheral vision, below you or to the sides. The effect is very cool, like you are suspended in mid-air. If you sit there with your eyes closed for about 30 seconds, your mind “resets” your expectation of where the horizon should be (since 99% of the time you have objects, such as the ground, in your peripheral vision to place your location in context). Then when you open your eyes, and don't see anything nearby, the suspended-in-air feeling is magnified.

Of course, if you really want to get that “suspended in air feeling”, consider skydiving!

Those that make it to the top are rewarded with a panoramic view of the valley for many miles in every direction.

The following 360-dgree panoramas have been reduced to 1/20th of the original size to take up less space on the web page.
The original photos are almost 16 thousand pixels wide (scroll right for more panorama)

If you are looking for a hike that will “take your breath away” consider the Grand Canyon.