The easiest hikes in Arizona, by the numbers
Of the 238 trails in Arizona in our dataset, 59 (25 percent) rate easiest on the gain-and-distance scale we use, run 1 to 6 miles and climb 500 ft or less; these are the 25 with the lowest rating.
East End Trail has the lowest rating: 3 ft of gain over 1.4 miles, 2 ft per mile.
Across the 25, gain runs from 3 to 155 ft and distance from 1 mile to 5.2 miles; the median gain is 73 ft and the median distance 1.5 miles.
24 of the 25 are point-to-point routes; the rest are loop (1).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East End TrailPhoenix Metro | 1.4 | 3 | 2 | 30% | 2,577 to 3,607 | 2.9 | |
| 2 | Lower HermitGrand Canyon NP | 1.5 | 3 | 2 | 22% | 2,350 to 2,886 | 3 | |
| 3 | Lava FallsGrand Canyon NP | 1.3 | 16 | 12 | 75% | 1,676 to 4,178 | 6.4 | |
| 4 | Cottonwood CreekGrand Canyon NP | 1.7 | 13 | 8 | 65% | 3,682 to 4,893 | 6.6 | |
| 5 | Brow Monument TrailFlagstaff and Northern AZ | 1 | 45 | 45 | 15% | 7,289 to 7,391 | 9.5 | |
| 6 | Mica View TrailSaguaro NP | 1 | 61 | 61 | 3% | 2,766 to 2,826 | 11 | |
| 7 | Shoshone PointGrand Canyon NP | 1 | 99 | 99 | 28% | 7,200 to 7,297 | 14.1 | |
| 8 | Komo PointGrand Canyon NP | 5.2 | 20 | 4 | 5% | 8,058 to 8,499 | 14.4 | |
| 9 | Ariel PointGrand Canyon NP | 3.2 | 33 | 10 | 9% | 7,941 to 8,244 | 14.5 | |
| 10 | Passey Loop TrailSaguaro NP | 1.5 | 73 | 49 | 4% | 2,200 to 2,272 | 14.8 | |
| 11 | 360 Vista TrailSouthern Arizona and Tucson | 1.1 | 100 | 91 | 17% | 2,622 to 2,831 | 14.8 | |
| 12 | Saddle Horse LoopGrand Canyon NP | 1.1 | 100 | 91 | 8% | 4,473 to 4,581 | 14.8 | |
| 13 | Saguaro Vista TrailSouthern Arizona and Tucson | 1.1 | 111 | 101 | 7% | 2,468 to 2,564 | 15.6 | |
| 14 | Elves ChasmGrand Canyon NP | 1.2 | 109 | 91 | 8% | 2,160 to 2,237 | 16.2 | |
| 15 | Cam-Boh TrailSaguaro NP | 2.5 | 57 | 23 | 4% | 2,388 to 2,540 | 16.9 | |
| 16 | Bear Canyon Lake TrailCentral AZ | 1.6 | 91 | 57 | 6% | 7,558 to 7,614 | 17.1 | |
| 17 | Plateau PointGrand Canyon NP | 1.5 | 102 | 68 | 11% | 3,696 to 3,787 | 17.5 | |
| 18 | Tanque Verde Falls TrailSouthern Arizona and Tucson | 1 | 155 | 155 | 29% | 2,831 to 3,105 | 17.6 | |
| 19 | River TrailGrand Canyon NP | 1.2 | 147 | 123 | 24% | 2,462 to 2,565 | 18.8 | |
| 20 | Francois MatthesGrand Canyon NP | 4.8 | 39 | 8 | 7% | 8,013 to 8,430 | 19.3 | |
| 21 | Garwood TrailSaguaro NP | 1.5 | 131 | 87 | 5% | 2,777 to 2,865 | 19.8 | |
| 22 | Camaro Loop TrailSouthern Arizona and Tucson | 2.2 | 102 | 46 | 8% | 2,553 to 2,635 | 21.2 | |
| 23 | TranseptGrand Canyon NP | 2.1 | 110 | 52 | 12% | 8,138 to 8,338 | 21.5 | |
| 24 | WaldronGrand Canyon NP | 4 | 59 | 15 | 36% | 5,359 to 6,720 | 21.7 | |
| 25 | Grandview TrailGrand Canyon NP | 4.4 | 54 | 12 | 72% | 3,933 to 7,406 | 21.8 |
How this list is ranked
Rating = the square root of 2 x elevation gain (ft) x distance (miles), the gain-and-distance formula Shenandoah National Park publishes for its own trails. Bands: under 50 easiest, 50 to 100 moderate, 100 to 150 moderately strenuous, 150 to 200 strenuous, 200 and over very strenuous.
This list: band easiest (under 50), 1 to 6 miles, no more than 500 ft of gain, ordered by rating asc, miles asc, capped at 25. The rating column is computed from the miles and gain printed in the same row, the numbers each trail page uses, so every row can be checked from the row itself. The rating says nothing about exposure, scrambling, altitude or conditions.
Only trails with a full page count, so "Arizona" here means the 238 trails in Arizona in our dataset, not every trail in Arizona.
Each trail page shows the full elevation profile behind these numbers and the same data drawn as a topographic print, made to order. Start with East End Trail.
Easiest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other states in our dataset.