Largest municipal park in the United States, and one of the largest urban parks in North America and in the world
General Information
Trails: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Visitor Center: Thursday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed early on major holidays (e.g., 1 p.m. on July 4)
Ramada reservations may require a fee and advance booking
Owners must clean up after pets
Tempe, AZ (10 mi)
Summer temperatures can exceed 100°F
How to Get There
From Phoenix (8.4 mi) Head west on W Washington St toward 1st Ave. Turn left onto S 7th Ave. Turn left onto W Baseline Rd. Turn right onto S Central Ave.
Overview
South Mountain Park and Preserve in Phoenix is the largest municipal park in the United States and one of the largest urban parks in the world, protecting more than 16,000 acres of Sonoran Desert mountains just south of downtown. It is a favorite for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, with 58 miles of trails and sweeping views of the Valley from a lookout more than 1,000 feet above the desert floor.
The park was created in 1924 when President Calvin Coolidge sold its first 13,000 acres to the city, and the Civilian Conservation Corps built much of its original infrastructure in the early 1930s. The landmark Mystery Castle sits in its foothills, and the elephant tree, with its contorted trunks, is among its notable plants.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Picacho Peak State Park", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0
Downtown View at Sunset
Inside view of Dobbins Lookout
Setting Sun
Sunset
Beautiful Sunset
