Usery Mountain Regional Park

Many trail choices!
We did the Merkle Trail (easy) during late afternoon one day and the Wind Cave Trail (difficult) during early afternoon another day.
The Merkle Trail was so pretty it almost seemed landscaped!
The Wind Cave Trail was also really pretty, but with an incline and rocks to step over or on. We saw all ages though, so don’t let the «difficult» label scare you.
If you don’t make it all the way to the cave take comfort in the fact that the view isn’t drastically different from anywhere on the hill side.
The 1 ½ — 2 hours round trip is pretty accurate. We did it in 1:20 and called it «extreme hiking.» ;) We like to jog on the downhill as it is almost easier on the knees…

Such a great place. Archery, hiking, friendly people. Everything you could want in a mountain park. Wind cave is definitely our favorite! A must hike with the dogs!

Great park, beautiful scenery, $ 6 to get in, went on a full moon guided hike that was pretty cool. I have hiked up to wind cave in the past which is a pretty good hike too. They also allow camping and horse riding.
Five Stars.

I had my first visit with a friend today whom I agreed to go hiking with. The volunteer folks at the gate were fantastic and friendly; a married elderly couple. We went early enough that the parking area was open. The area was very clean.
Let me first stress that I am a rookie hiker. And by rookie, I mean that I don’t hike. I don’t ladder. I definitely dont walk ledges over mountain cliffs! To my surprise, my friend took me on the Pass Trail. The trail was clean, with the exception of rude hikers not picking up their dogs’ feces!
My friend was less than candid at the length of, and skill level required for the trail. I made it to the Saddle and then she broke the news… we were going all the way around! This trail has lots of ups, downs, boulder hops and slippery terrain. I thought that I couldn’t do it anymore! Luckily we has enough water, but I am in desperate need of new feet and calves. I sadly realized that for every downhill comes an uphill. Holy shiitake man!
My personal triumph finishing this monster trail aside, the park system is well maintained and has lots of programs to offer. Another plus: the bathrooms welcoming me after a 6-​hour, 8+ mile surprise hike were clean and fully stocked with tp!
Keep up the good work volunteers!

I stumbled upon this park looking for a trail to hike near my home. Being new to the area I was looking for new activities and hobbies. To my delight while purchasing a parking pass in the nature center, I found out about their monthly programs.
They have a large archery field and offer free archery lessons! I am so excited to come back and learn. We have attended their scorpion hunt night hike which I found to be really exciting! I’ve never seen a scorpion and didn’t know that they illuminate under black light! We also got to see a live snake feeding… very cool! They are also very kid friendly and have many educational programs about edible plants in the desert, bats, desert animals, snakes, and so much more!
I had the best time on their last lunar eclipse blood moon hike! Really fantastic! :)

Really nice park. Good, easy trails, educational opportunities, wildlife and more. Very close to civilization. Great parking.

My visit to the area didn’t necessarily include the park, itself, but the forest surrounding it to the Northeast. My travel buddy, the lovely Miss Cheryl, and I ventured out toward Bulldog Butte in the Wayngler, and surprisingly, encountered very few others on this beautiful Spring morning.
There is absolutely no water out on the trails to speak of, however, it is quite evident that when it rains, the little creeks flow pretty good, but only for a short time, as Mother Earth swallows it up quickly. The typical variety of cacti abound, and because of the healthy amounts of Spring rain we received this year, many are still blooming. Be sure and take your time to soak in this wonderful part of the world.
If you’re a geocacher, there are a few very challenging finds, as well as some easy ones. Beware of the local residents, tho!
The USFS has seemed to manage this area well, and I commend them for installing security gates. Yes, this is our public land, but for some, who ruin it for many, THEY need to be kept out.
To access the gate code, visit:
Tonto National Forest
Mesa Ranger District Office
5140 E. Ingram, Mesa

Great place to hike!
On our first visit we hiked the Blevins trail and had a good time. The trail is easy to moderate and easy to follow.
There are about 15 or so trails and combinations with a good diversity of views and difficulty. Some of the trails are mixed use for hiking, biking and horseback riding. The park has staging areas and plenty of parking near trailheads.
Next time we will do Wind Cave.

I’ve been an annual member of the Maricopa County park system for many years, largely because this park is near where I live and I love spending time out here. I have hiked and run all of the trails and have attended many activities at the Nature Center.
If you’re new to Arizona, look for the «Scorpion Hunts» in the summer. The programs are informative and going into the desert at night is a lot of fun, especially with a black light so you can see how the scorpions glow.
Wind Cave is an incredibly popular hike with people from out of town — or for locals who have family come into town. It gets REALLY crowded during the holidays. This is a good trail for kids with a couple of nice spots for stopping along the way and a «cave» at the top with shade and usually some chipmunks running around. I think it is about 3 miles out and back
If you want a really pretty trail, the Blevins Trail is a nice loop trail, and you can add the Cat Peaks trail if you want a little bit of a climb, but not as much as Wind Cave. You can go to the top of Cat Peaks and get a good view of the area. These trails are popular with people on horses and bikes, too. The Blevins loop is about 3 miles, but you add another mile or so if you take the Cat Peaks option.
If you are new to mountain biking, the Blevins Trail plus the Moon Rocks trail is a nice loop for that. If you want more extreme, the Pass Mountain trail is for you. Be sure to wear protective gear. I like to run the Pass Mountain Trail, but you need to be sure you’re prepared for about 7 miles of pretty rugged trail.
The signage for the trail system is excellent, and you can take the map and build your own adventure. If you like to run in the sand on the beach, run up one of the washes. I have found the experience to be very similar.

I am not a big fan of desert camping but if you are going to do it, this is the place! Usery is very clean and well maintained with a surprising amount of amenities and things to do. There is lots of hiking options, an archery range, guided scorpion hunts, night hikes, and very clean bathrooms with flushing toilets and showers.
We have taken the archery 101 class with our kids and the scorpion hunt – both of my boys loved these and they learned a lot from Ranger B. If you have the class to do anything with him, DO IT! He is incredibly knowledgeable, does a great job teaching to every age, and is so funny. Seriously, this guy is fantastic and I hope he stays working at Usery forever! :)
The nature center is a cute little shop with lots of trinkets to buy at reasonable prices. The people working in there are very nice and helpful.
As a tip: book early. If you plan on staying there for more than 1 night anywhere outside of the hot summer months, book WAY ahead. Like, even a year in advance. They book fast. Especially if you are going with a large group.
Im not sure if Usery has a noise ordnance– or quiet hours– but I wish that if they did that it was more strictly adhered to. I know people l like to get out of town and make noise and have fun. And that people camp differently– some like noise, some dont– But numerous times we have been out there and anywhere from 10:30pm-1am there can be some large parties still going on. Luckily for me, Im a heavy sleeper and I just bring ear plugs.
All-​in-​all a great park and a must visit place in the outskirts of the valley.

This is a great park to do some easy to moderate cross-​country mountain biking loops. Anyone should be able to find something they think is fun and suits their skill level. There are a number of great views and really well marked trails!!! Check it out if you get a chance.

This is a great nature preserve and park. Over 100 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails. One of the most famous trails is the Wind Cave trail. It has a moderate difficulty with a mile and a half steady climb. At the top there is a cave carved out of the limestone by the wind, hence the name. From here you can look out over the east valley. On a good day you can see all the way into Phoenix. I like the less traveled Pass Mountain trail. This is a seven mile hike around the base of Pass Mountain. It is an easy relatively even terrain with a couple short climbs. The lower trails are short loops nicely groomed for biking and horseback riding. These trails get a lot of multi use activity. Riders, mountain bikers, and hikers generally yield to one another. My only complaint comes after I’ve stepped in horse droppings.
There is a nature center as you enter the park. Inside you will find maps, hiking guides, plant and animal identification charts, plenty of souvenirs, and the nicest rangers around. They do activities geared toward kids and family. We watched them feed the snakes one night, and watched a movie about the desert on another. They offer a full moon hike once a month. The hike follows a 2 mile loop usually guided by Ranger B. He will talk about native plants and animals, about the history of the park, and answer all your questions about the park. The city lights are captivating on this hike. They say to bring a flashlight but the moon is bright enough you only need one on overcast nights.
The park admission is $ 6.00 or $ 75.00 for an annual pass. There is a campground and an archery range on part of the park, but I’m not sure what the fee is for those. This is my favorite park in Arizona.

This is where my favorite desert running trails are. Beautifully kept grounds, not too crowded, amazing views and surroundings to keep your eyes and ears filled with the sounds of nature while you run. (Unless your like me and listen to music while you run, in which case the views alone are enough) :)

This park is another one of the beauties in Arizona. My mom likes to hike up to the Wind Cave every week, and sometimes, we go to the very top too after the main trail ends. It’s a pretty easy hike and the trail is mostly clearly marked. I’ve gotten lost once, but that was due to my own folly for not brining a flash light and hiking near sunset. Otherwise, the trail is easy to follow. Even past the Wind Cave, there are good markers to lead the way to the summit.

Stunning views. My husband and I came here to participate in a running race. He ran the 50k which went up Pass Mountain, and I ran the 12k which ran around some of the trails. They were very well maintained and the desert was just gorgeous. The facilities were nice and maintained. It also appears as though they have guided hikes on the weekends which would be fun.

I enjoy this park! It’s very clean, and very beautiful! I’ve only done the Windcave Trail, and it’s an easy-​moderate hikes. If you’re simply hiking for the scenery, I’d recommend going slow, because the gravel is very slippery. The view is okay, but the shade is the real winner at the end.
*once the main trail ends there are signs posted that say «hike at your own risk» stress that! I chose to explore beyond the main trail, and ended up climbing onto a rock that housed a beehive below… bee’s fly faster than you run, trust me.
Please pick up your dogs’ poop!

A great place! The park is just $ 6 per car to hike the trails or participate in their programs. It is very family friendly, be sure to check their calendar. They offer kids classes daily about hiking, full moon hikes, scorpion hunts, movies, etc.
They have an ADA accessible trail, and have the Wind Cave trail (800 ft elevation change) that has scenic views from the top. We have also done their Yoga in the Desert classes on Saturday mornings, which is a lot of fun.

Trying to beat the heat’s arrival!
This is a gorgeous mountain preserve overlooking the city of Phoenix once you reach the top. There are hardly any shade trees, so it’s not the best for little ones once the temperature gets to the 90’s and up. Since we started later in the day, we decided to hit the easy trail.
We saw lots of little wildlife such as Antelope squirrels, Whip Tail lizards, Desert Spiny lizard, Chuckwalla (with new tail growing back), on our nature walk through the #6 Merkle Trail. It’s about a mile loop and a little more when you cut through the rocky hill. Bring a double walled stainless steel bottle filled with ice water by the end of springtime, you’ll thank me later. It also helps to carry snacks such as Cuties oranges or nice crisp apples to replenish a young hiker’s energy… and adults. Yeah, I carry a 10 – 15 pounder backpack so a little hike like this can still give me a good workout!
There are ramadas everywhere, the bigger ones need to be reserved. The Nature Center is new and beautiful and full of live desert creatures in terrariums. I pick up nature books whenever I could to add to my growing collections. Check the calendar for nature walks and events held here. The flashlight tours are worth the trek!

This is one of the most scenic mountain parks in the Valley, and one that is recognizable even from a great distance because of the distinctive horizontal «gash» of rock along the Wind Cave Trail in the park. There are good facilities for parking, hiking, and picnicking. Trails are varied — there’s something for everyone, regardless of fitness status. The road system within the mountain park is well maintained and not too extensive so that it is not overly intrusive of the gorgeous desert landscape of the area. This is also one of the best places for viewing the spectacular blooming of desert wildflowers in the springtime.

This place is wonderful. First went to the visitor’s center, where they couldn’t have been more friendly and helpful. Maps, tour of their snakes, helpful tips, etc. Even bought a t-​shirt and hat because the vibe was so good (plus a fuschia women-​cut v-​neck AND awesome owl hat? whoever is buying for this place is doing a good job).
Hubby and kids used the archery range while I hiked the Wind Cave trail. We were all happy-​as-​clams when we finished up and decided we need to come back here again and again.