Piestewa Peak Freedom Trail

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The Freedom Trail (#302) makes a loop entirely around Piestewa Peak, offering great views of the mountain and the Phoenix area. It's a popular route, well-marked and well-traveled. Freedom Trail shares part of its distance with the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail, so you'll have the option add a strenuous out-and-back to the top of the mountain.

It's smart to start early and to bring plenty of water. The parking lot and trailhead can get incredibly busy on the weekends and holidays. A restroom and drinking fountain are located near the trailhead.

Makes a fun, challenging run with lots of changing trail types. There are a lot of steep switchbacks where it's difficult to keep moving at a good pace, let alone run...at least for most.

Begin by taking the trail as it heads out along with the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail #300 for about half a mile of good running. When you get to the second bench, continue straight to stay on #302; the Summit Trail continues to the right. You can go up and down the summit trail for excellent add-on views. Otherwise, continue left and switchback all the way down, then head north on a decent trail that is more manageable. That is, at least until you get to the northeast section where it gets steep again, with some switchbacks leading to the high point of the north side. After wrapping around the north side, the trail switchbacks all the way down to the east side, eventually merging with #304 until the south side trail loops you back to the beginning.