Thunderbird Park

Thunderbird park is alright. I wasn’t interested in learning what each trail was named so I just headed towards the highest peak for a quick hike. I saw that there is a pretty cool picnic area with bbq’s. There was dog shit on the trails and somebody had stepped in a big pile. The place is OK and serves its purpose.

One of the west valley’s great hiking place. And the good thing is, there is no entry fee! Some of the trails are flat and goes into a nice incline. It depends on your condition on which route you want to go to. There are variation of hiking trails and it’s well kept. In a nice clear day, you can see downtown Phoenix as a view reward. Visit early, because the parking lots can get full.

This is our favorite place to bring our 80lbs siberian husky for a hike. The trail is very clear and distinct. There is a trail we walk which makes a full circle around the mountain and goes back to the parking lot, so we don’t need to retrace our steps again. There aren’t any steep cliffs off to the sides of the trail and the difficulty of the hike is easy. We went hiking in the evening on a week day and it wasn’t crowded at all.

Beautiful spot. I like the south portion of Thunderbird Mountain. It’s not too long to get to the top and the views are spectacular. For my family including 3 yr old in backpack, and 90lb dog. we got up and down in an hour.
If you are ever thinking if you should try it, you definitely should. Its worth every step.

I first started out hiking in the Valley here recently as an adult on February 1^st. I wasn’t in the best of shape… actually, I was about 30 pounds over my ideal weight lol! Anyhow, my father suggested that my brother, 4 kids, he and I go hiking at Thunderbird park. Long story short, I thought my lungs were going to explode and my legs were not very strong. The next week, we went back and the hike too easy and we did the hike to the top where the flag is. The view at the top is beautiful in the mornings. This hike and the trails around the area are very easy to easy for beginners. It tends to be crowed early in the morning on the weekends because the temps are getting warmer. It’s free to hike here too.

I love Thunderbird park. So many trails to choose from. With nice friendly people. great for a beginner walker or an experienced hiker. I visit every week. If are you looking for a great place to take the family out for a nice walk with dog this is the park.

One of my absolute favorite hikes to take in the state! Scenic, quiet, minimal crowds… great for beginners! LOVE IT. =)

Hiking these trails for years do one trail for a short work out or add as many as needed to meet your daily goals.

I came to Thunderbird Conservation Park about two to three times a week for a workout when I lived in the area. The trails are clean and offer a variety of hikes, there is plenty of parking, and wonderful views of the valley.
It does not get very crowded, even on the weekends, which makes it a better choice than Camelback or Piestewa for me. Even though it is not as difficult as the other mountains, it definitely gets your heart pumping if you push yourself!
Bring plenty of water and a good pair of hiking shoes. You may find this a regular spot if you live close by!

Awesome mountain to climb! There are two sides for different hikes. One is a little easier and the other has more of a rock face to it but both are amazing during Arizona’s Beautiful winter weather.
I came at 11:40 am on a Friday and it was packed!!! The parking lots at the bottom of the hill were full and hikers were everywhere. It is a pet friendly hill and dogs were with about 30% of the owners. So bring your best friend for some healthy fun
Also even during the winter please remember to bring water :) haha you see alot of these people on the news forgetting to bring water or not enough when there hiking miles ! Expecially in the 100 degree heat waves we have.

A moderate hike for those seeking an easier way to see the views of the city. Multiple paths allow for hours of exploration.

Parking was a little crowded, but spots opened up frequently. Bathroom was out of soap, but had TP and running water! View was amazing, super windy today which made it dusty, but still a very enjoyable easy hike!

A WARNING to all:
After hiking this trail last week my car as well as another car in the nearby vicinity had the windows busted out and shattered and all valuables inside were taken (purses, wallet, keys, etc). Both myself and the other person had our purses hidden underneath the back seat and there was dark tinting on both of our windows. The police officer that came to take the report and dust for possible fingerprints said this is a pretty common occurrence there and that with the weather cooling off they knew it would only be a matter of time until it started happening again. He said they’ve bought a drone to monitor the area but it’s still in testing phases.
It’s really a shame that this happened because this trail was one of my favorites but I’m extremely hesitant to return since the incident. I’m trying to go to places like Pinnacle Peak now instead because they at least have a trailhead office near the parking lot that’s staffed and that alone would help to detour vandalism, thefts, or break-in’s. Like I said, it’s an awesome trail but knowing this kind of thing was a pretty common occurrence would have definitely made me either go somewhere different (that’s staffed) or bring absolutely nothing in my vehicle.

I absolutely love these hiking trails.
If you’re like me, I have a hard time getting motivated to exercise, but I love it here. (It definitely helps that I can walk to any of the trails from my house.)
There are quite a few options and different difficulty levels. During the cooler months the mountains will be full of people (Watch out for January 1^st; everyone and their mother is there). The summer months can still be busy considering how hot it is. You just have to pick the trails that offer some shade, and when the sun isn’t blasting you it makes for an enjoyable hike.
The parking isn’t terrible, but I still prefer to walk to any of the trails. As always be careful when hiking, some of the trails will get a little slick after the rains.
I know I will continue to hike here as long as I can!

I’ve been coming here for 4 years now and what I continually love about it is that it’s rarely crowded, there’s plenty of parking, the views are wonderful, and there’s a variety of levels of difficulty and lengths to choose from when it comes to the hikes themselves. If you’re at the main entrance (going North on 59^th Ave on the left there will be a sign saying Thunderbird Park, right after you pass Deer Valley), the West mountain is the shortest, it’s a 30 minute hike, the North West mountain is a hour and 30 minute hike and the East mountain, my favorite, is a hour hike. Have fun, and bring water. I advise to go with someone during sunset or sunrise, it’s more enjoyable that way. :)

I used to hike a LOT, and had stopped for a year or so. I finally picked back up again this February, and this is my go-​to park. I’ve done the trail on the South side of Pinnacle Peak Rd so many times, it’s no Camelback, but it’s a good workout. During the cooler months you’ll want to get there pretty early, I always try and go at sunrise and by the time I’m done at 7:30 or so the parking lot is nearly full.
The views to the north when you’re on the cholla loop trail (on the north side of Pinnacle Peak) are really amazing in the early morning, it feels like you can see forever, and if you’re there at the right time you can watch the hot air balloons rise up. I think the most I’ve seen was 10. They were really pretty.
One piece of advice, if you ARE going to do the Cholla Loop trail, take the trail that would be heading towards what they’re now calling Coachwhip/​Arrowhead Point, but instead of going to the left, take a right and then go down to the pedestrian bridge and cross the road that way. People coming down 59^th ave to turn right onto Pinnacle Peak are kind of crazy, and they do have a sign that says that they don’t stop, I’ve nearly been mowed down by people as I’m crossing on a green light (I’m not sure where they’re in such a hurry to go at 6am on a Saturday, but whatever).
They are also currently doing some work around the parking lot… Maybe making it bigger?

I’ve been here probably a hundred times, but never thought of reviewing it?!? Anyways, I do enjoying coming to Thunderbird Park. It’s a very nice and well maintained park with gradual inclines. I call it a training hike, to set someone to the point where they are hiking other mountains like Camelback.
I actually come up here quite often, probably because I live within a mile, but I find myself doing the peak on the east side of 59^th ave. it’s only 450ft in night, but it can still get me out of breath. A good 2 mile up and down. If I’m feeling like it I’ll also hit the peak on the west side of 59^th ave. total with both hikes is about 5 – 6 miles. A good nice workout. Good views of the west valley and good to come up for a sunset.
Overall the park is real clean and lots of parking. Just make sure you hide your valuables or better yet leave them at home. There had been several reported break ins here in cars looking for purses and backpacks, so be careful. It don’t stop me because I don’t leave anything in my car so I will continue to hike here.

Enjoyed my hike on H-​3. It’s 3 miles long and, I believe, you gain elevation of about 630 feet. I didn’t think it would be as much of a challenge as it was since I often see families walking the trails when I drive by. I was quite surprised to see the number of children hiking this trail, and doing well! Start-​em young!
The view is all residential but you can see about 23 miles away!
I did see a couple of lizards while hiking but no other wildlife. Easy parking and free.

Whatever kind of trail you like, it’s here. While everyone else is crowding Piestewa and Echo Canyon and North Mountain, you have plenty of parking and your choice of straight up, level elevation or anything in between hikes. There are a few ramadas for hanging out, which makes the weekends busier with more than just hikers.
The trails are pretty well maintained and mostly free of litter. You’ll see lots of cacti, chaparral and some snakes, lizards and lots of dogs on leashes. Arrowhead Point or Sunrise Trail will take you up so you can see from Univ of Phoenix Stadium to downtown Phoenix. One of the few hikes south of the Rim in AZ which afford you a water view– thanks to my neighbors down in Arrowhead Lakes.
I’d like to get a better pair of hiking shoes and take on some of the steeper trails from time to time. As always– bring plenty of water (some of the round trips on the roundabout trails will cover over 3 miles) and dress in layers if it is cool out.

Apparently there are three trails at this mountain… I didn’t know this when I first went.
The easiest trail is the one google maps led me to and it was a nice, short hike with a refreshing view of not only houses and rocks but also some pools of water.
My friend and I had a splendid time making a fool of ourselves copying arm workouts on youtube at the top to make up for how long the trail WASN’T.
Cant wait to visit the other trails!