Pinnacle Peak

This is a well maintained very popular trail. The trail winds around the hill, and if you do the whole thing you’ll hike up, down, then up and down before turning around and coming back. In other words it’s not just a straight hike up to the top. We saw quite a few people running the trail.

This is a great local hike but it’s busy since its local. This is a moderate hike with lots of ups and downs for this 3.6 mile hike back and forth.

The majority of the reviews are true: the views are amazing. However, they fail to mention that it can be breathtaking… in more ways than one.
We visited two different sites, but this was the money shot. Something about me loves the desert heat. The great outdoors, the feel of the sun’s warm rays on your bare skin, the cool breeze on loosely covered parts.
This is where one goes to feel grounded, while at the same time on cloud nine. The view from the top and pure sense of accomplishment were reason enough for my luxurious plane ticket. I would love to have this in my backyard but NYC isn’t built for a mountain like this (sorry Bear Mountain)
Although not a very long or challenging hike, it is definitely perfect for a good experience without training. I had an exquisite time. My host asked my one touristy request and this was it. Boy, was it worth waking up super early after a rough night!
For a gal who loves the water, this place made me add Scottsdale to my list of favorite places. Make sure to get there early (pre– noon) to snag a good parking spot and have ample space to view the sights and climb at your leisure. Life doesn’t get better than this.
(Definitely worth for viewing the sunset or sunrise. Lovely place for an active date or group outing)

This place is simple breathtakingly beautiful… You look at the world so differently when you have completed a hike like this.
The world seems so big and amazing. Life is worth every breath you take… So inhale…

Do to its proximity to the Four Season Resort & local communities this trail is visited by all skill levels, seasoned hikers, the weekend warrior, tourists, families w/​toddlers & children, local athletic teams, retirees, runners & the very unprepared. TRAIL ETIQUETTE dictates you always hike to the RIGHT of the trail, like a 2 way road, ensuring everyones safety. If you wish to pass someone ahead of you, etiquette dictates you holler something like «I’m passing you on your left. thank you!» It is a gorgeous trail, and can be a challenging if you are not aerobically fit. stop at the visitor center and check out the latest wildlife that have been sighted in the log. look for the many lizards sunbathing on the warm boulders along the trail. enjoy.

We actually saw a western diamond rattlesnake! I guess it’s snake season. Other than that its was too busy to enjoy!

Awesome for anyone who just wants a nice view and a fairly easy trail to walk along while having a conversation. If you want a good workout from it, may have to jog through the flatter walkways. It’s cute because they label the different plants as you walk through the beginning of the trail.
I brought my parents there, who are in their early 60’s and like to do outdoorsy things, however, are not used to the endurance that may be required during hikes with a higher elevation gain such as Squak Peak and Camelback. They both really enjoyed it and the walkway is wide enough to easily pass people or to allow two-​way traffic.
Would definitely go there again for a easy hike/​walk.

This trail is very nice. I recently jogged it with a buddy. The trail is very large and extremely well maintained compared to others. It’s not super difficult like some of the other mountains but I really like the fact that is smooth and wide enough to jog. It wraps around Troon north golf courseand the views are great. I’d highly recommend this trail to anyone that wants to start hiking.

This trail has something for everyone. some parts have challenging footing, others are flat, there is a lot of up and down on the trail itself so it is not entirely uphill on the way in. There are lots of views of big, beautiful houses as there are several upscale communities and golf courses bordering the mountain. It is probably one of the most picturesque trails around here but one does not really climb all that much — you are climbing a little up (about 500 feet) but then are traversing the side of the mountains, going up and down on the trail as you hike.

Great hike that’s very accessible from the city. Apparently parking can be an issue but during be day mid week I didn’t have any trouble. The trail has some more steep sections which makes for some good cardio. Doesn’t go in a loop so you have to retrace your steps. Good views of the surrounding area.

Is this the best place to hike — not sure, but I think it is a very enjoyable place to hike and if you need a more intense hike — try jogging it!
The trail itself is very well maintained and has some amazing views all along the way. They even try to educate you as you hike by posting of various plants.
It does close at specified times and they do have people who will help you get back in time — so no worried — hike away.
The last time I hiked this trail I didn’t make it very far — coming from WNY in January and having it be this nice was hard enough to get use to — add to that the higher elevation and it just impacts me differently. However, I went much further this time and perhaps next time — with more day light after work — I will make it to the end and back!

I love Pinnacle Peak. It has a moderate-​level, one-​way, 3.5-mile hiking trail located by the Troon neighborhood at the north-​end of the City of Scottsdale. It’s a beautiful park with some great views of it’s own as well as the north-​end of the McDowell Mountain Preserve. The difference in elevation from the lowest point on the trail to the highest isn’t huge (just a few hundred feet; about 300 to 500 feet), but it’ll easily get you’re heart pumping pretty good with all the going up and down you have to do.
The trailhead consists of a parking lot with a generous number of parking spaces, but parking is also allowed along the sides of the street coming upon the park. You’ll need them on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the AM. This place can get pretty packed to the point that I’ve seen a long line of people along the side of the mountain as you start up. Before you make you’re way up on the trail, you are greeted with restrooms, an info area staffed with stewards, a veranda, and about 6 tables with benches on either side.
There are two areas on the trail with places to sit & rest or just enjoy the views. You come upon one of them pretty quickly on the trail; maybe around ¾ of a mile from the trailhead. Pinnacle Peak is really great for families or for casual hikers just looking to be outside for a little while to enjoy the views, the sunset, and the sunrise. The second rest/​viewing area is located down the end of the first peak right before the little valley that transitions into the second mountain on the trail.
I highly recommend Pinnacle Peak for trail runners or hikers looking for a quick workout. It’s not a long trail so it doesn’t take long to travel the entire trail and back. Trail runners should avoid avoid the peak times of Fri, Sat, & Sun in the AM. I might mention that dogs are not allowed on the trail. Furthermore, the hours of operation varies according to the season; for the most part that’s from sunrise to sunset. The hours are posted at the trailhead and I’m sure it’s also available on the park’s website. You’ll find stewards along the trail to let you know it’s time to turn back when it’s near closing.

Love this hike. It is a one way (not a loop) so you can manage your time and exertion as much or as little as you like. When you reach the peak you can go further for quite a while without steep slopes but when you get on the other hill things will become more challenging again.
Bring water no matter what time of year it is and if it is in the warmer months you will need to bring lots of it. Outside of the landscape views there is a lot going on right near you as well. A good number of plants are described with signs and insect life and animal life are fun to catch if you concentrate to notice them.
I have been on the trail several times during different points in the year and have only been to the end once to date. One time during the warmer months I wanted to get there at park open to see the sun rise — which I did — however, while I waited for the gate to open there were a few jumpers that started before the ranger got there. They made note of which vehicles did not have people in them and did their best to find the trespassers — I have no idea what the penalty might be but I suggest not trying to find out!
Another point (which I have not taken advantage of) is the people who manage the park (be they rangers or volunteers) seem to be very helpful and knowledgable. Maybe one day I will focus on this fact and learn a lot more about the place I have been exploring at random.

This is my favorite hike in town! I’m not into hikes that require rock climbing and tear up your hands like echo… This hike is challenging enough to provide a good workout without leaving me feeling like I went to war.
The scenery is absolutely beautiful, granted I love looking at beautiful desert landscape, sprawling mansions, and the premier golf courses all at once. The trail and restrooms are immaculately maintained, and parking is never really a problem, although I do try to avoid the weekend crowds.

It’s Saturday morning and I was headed to meet up with some friends for a hike & brew UYE, for the hiking part, Pinnacle Peak was the trail that was picked.
GPS can get you lost when looking for this area, but I had a great friend who gave me some excellent directions and got me there, the parking lot is small, so we had to park on the street.
This trail is very well taken care of and they have volunteers walking along the trail making sure everyone is doing good, never getting in the way, and even offering to stop and take pictures of you with the amazing views behind you.
Now the trail, if you have never hiked before I don’t think this a starter trail for you, you make a steady incline for the 1^st ¼ mile. It wasn’t my 1^st time on trial, but that 1^st ¼ mile kicked my ass! But then it eases out a bit and before you know it you have reached the ½ mile mark, then the next ½ mile will kick your ass again as you make your way up to summit, and I was headed to the summit! Like everyone says, this is not a loop around trail; you hike to one end, turn around and hike back out.
There plenty of resting/​stopping points, even a nice little rest area to take in the beautiful views, and lets be honest if I can make it to the summit so you can! I enjoyed my hike and look forward to going back. Which I will and soon be kicking that trails ass and not it kicking mine haha

Absolutely a beautiful place to hike!
Whether you’re
A. A beginner B. Out of practice C. Out of shape or D. All of the above (like me) Pinnacle Peak can still be conquered! I love that there are multiple sitting areas at the bottom, and along the hike for resting and taking pictures. The paths are clearly marked and easy to follow and are wide enough to move over for the faster more experienced hikers, again while you rest and enjoy the view! ;-) There are also signs dedicated to letting you know what types of plants are there, a great distraction for the younger hikers aka good excuse to stop, read, photo ops and catch your breath! A wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors and get a decent work out too. I survived, my 8 year old princess did too! If we can do it so can you!

Great trail to ease your way into hiking.
New Year’s Resolution #1: Get my a$$ off the couch
This proves difficult when faced with bone-​chilling, negative-​degree, gray midwestern winters. Gyms? Pfftt… I’d rather not have an audience to my pathetic attempts at «fitness».
Pinnacle Peak was easy peasy, perfect for everyone of all fitness levels. I may not have the gumption to run up and down the trail but everyone seemed cognizant of each other’s pace.
Nice views, well-​structured (stop and read about the different flora!), and good access to parking.

This is a very good trail for hikers of all levels, which is why we almost always take our out-​of-​town guests here rather than some other trails around town. Parking is easy (except perhaps for some very busy windows), no special equipment or even fancy shoes are really required, and the scene is a very good showcase of Arizona beauty. You can run it, walk it, or take it in at a leisurely pace.
While there are just a couple of steep sections mostly at the start, the climb isn’t rough at all and the trail is very well established. It’s fairly wide throughout, so it accommodates a couple of people in each direction. It is a «there and back» rather than a loop, which is actually nice for people who may not want to make the whole trek or for less active hikers that may tire more easily. While you may encounter some runnners, most people know proper trail etiquette (we all know there are some party poopers out there but they are few and far between).
The only feature I wish were different is the dog policy. With the popularity of the trail, I understand the restriction and it is easier to keep clean this way, but I do miss my four-​legged friends. For being a quick drive from town, this is a terrific go-​to hike.

Easy to find, plenty of parking (don’t get scared and park 700 miles way like my dear hubs did– even when its crowded there’s plenty of movement right at the entrance of the park)
Beautiful desert, easy-​ish hike, here are some points to consider:
NO DOGS: they are extremely strict with this.
VERY popular spot on a Saturday– you will be in a loooong line of people of all abilities/​ages climbing up and down the trail. Its probably infinitely more enjoyable during the weekdays.
Be wary of the «runners». When I went, some were polite, some were rude, and some were just ridiculous: leaping and jumping in front of people walking slower. My son was actually pushed out of the way, they can be aggressive. In my honest opinion, that trail is just too thin to accommodate these people, unless there are no crowds.
The view is really beautiful at the top. But then you must climb down exactly the way you came– it does not loop.
So, I would give it a solid 3 stars, its a perfect level for a beginner.
Bring water.
Also I second the motion about those «Teddy Bear» cacti: do NOT go near them (or any cactus for that matter) they will «jump» on your clothing or skin and embed their spines in you. My poor nephew had this happen !

This is a very simple hike. For those who are beginners to the hike and trail running world I would say this is for you. Not to say I didn’t have fun. The trail itself is well defined and the view from the top is just as good as any other hikes around.
I finished my run in 35 mins or less, but it was an easy day for me. I needed a new view aside from my usual Camelback or Squaw Peak so this was perfect.
Overall, nice hike and easy. Getting to the top is very simple and the view is just as spectacular! — Enjoy!