Quartz Ridge Trail
Phoenix, Arizona
| Address: | ~8A, Phoenix, AZ 85018, USA |
| GPS: |
33°31'56.8"N 112°0'43.5"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Arizona |
| Trail Length: | 3.40 miles |
| Trail Type: | Out & Back |
| Hike Difficulty: | Intermediate |
| Elevation Gain: | 620 feet |
| Trails/Routes: | 1.7 mi |
Pet Friendly
Hike and Mountain Bike
This is a very popular trail on weekend mornings. Casual hikers can get great views of Phoenix with moderate effort. Good place to bring out of town visitorsCourtesy of hikearizona.com
The Quartz Ridge Trail is a short, although relatively strenuous hike. The trailhead at 32nd street is really easy to find, although finding parking can be a challenge due to the popularity of the trails in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. The Quartz Ridge Trail is the main trail starting at this trailhead. The first half-mile is mostly flat, only gaining about 125 feet of elevation. There are huge Saguaro Cacti all along this part of the trail as you hike through the valley, which provide those classic southwest landscapes.Courtesy of outdoorproject.com
More Information
Add ResourceNever modify trail features. Ride trails when they're dry enough that you won't leave ruts. Speak up when you see others on the trail and always yield to hikers, horses, and others coming uphill. Always ride on the established trail.
Read MoreBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Phoenix, Arizona
- Head west on W Washington St toward 1st Ave (0.5 mi)
- Turn right onto N 7th Ave (0.2 mi)
- Continue straight to stay on N 7th Ave (0.6 mi)
- Turn right to merge onto I-10 E toward Tucson (2.3 mi)
- Take exit 147A-147B for AZ-51 N (0.6 mi)
- Continue onto AZ-51 N (4.9 mi)
- Take exit 5 toward Lincoln Dr (0.3 mi)
- Turn right onto E Glendale Ave (0.3 mi)
- Continue onto E Lincoln Dr (1.6 mi)
- Turn left onto E Sierra Vista DrPartial restricted usage road(0.1 mi)
Other Mountain Bike Trails and Hiking Trails Nearby
Mohave Trail (#200)
Phoenix, Arizona
0.7 miles NWA swift 0.6-mile one-way hike with a 300-foot elevation gain up switchbacks to a private summit view in Phoenix's Mountain Preserve — a quick escape from the crowds near Piestewa Peak.
Hike, Horseback 1.1 mi
Piestewa Peak Summit Trail #300
Phoenix, Arizona
0.8 miles NWA steep, jagged, internationally recognized 1-mile climb to a 360-degree view of the entire Phoenix metro area — carved steps, two handrail sections, and water at the trailhead.
Hike 3.9 mi
Freedom Loop Trail (#302)
Phoenix, Arizona
0.8 miles NWA 3.8-mile loop around Piestewa Peak with great views of Phoenix and a quieter feel than the crowded summit route — rocky but manageable, with saguaros all around.
Hike 0.9 mi
Ruth Hamilton Trail
Phoenix, Arizona
0.8 miles NEThe Ruth Hamilton Trail (#8B) is a short, rocky climb in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve with big skyline views from a ridgeline bench.
Hike, Mountain Bike
Arizona Canal Trail
Phoenix, Arizona
1.0 miles SWMulti-purpose paved canal trails stretching from the Pima Indian Reservation to Glendale, tucked away from city traffic with underpasses, architecture, and space to bike, jog, walk, or ride horses.
Hike, Horseback 4.6 mi
Perl Charles Memorial Trail (#1A)
Phoenix, Arizona
1.8 miles WA technical, skin-on-rocks singletrack loop in the Phoenix Mountain Preserves — a 4.8-mile advanced loop with great Sonoran Desert views from the Dreamy Draw area.
Hike, Horseback, Mountain Bike 4.8 mi
Trail 1A
Phoenix, Arizona
2.3 miles NWAn L-shaped mix of double and singletrack with technical sections and loose decomposed granite accessed from Dreamy Draw Park — a solid Phoenix desert ride with intermediate-level flow.
Mountain Bike 1.0-1.2 mi
Camelback Mountain
Phoenix, Arizona
2.3 miles ETwo summit trails at Camelback Mountain — the steep 1.23-mile Echo Canyon Trail and the slightly easier 1.4-mile Cholla Trail — both with fantastic valley views.
Hike, Rock Climb 1.3 mi
Dreamy Draw Loop Trail
Phoenix, Arizona
2.4 miles NWA short desert loop through a Sonoran Desert wash with native plants, resident coyotes and rabbits, spring wildflowers, and Piestewa Peak views — restrooms at the trailhead.
Hike, Horseback, Mountain Bike
Trail #100
Phoenix, Arizona
2.4 miles NWHeading northwest from Dreamy Draw, Trail 100 delivers 5–6 miles of singletrack with ridge views before connecting east to gentle climbs all the way to Tatum Boulevard.
Mountain Bike
L.V. Yates to "Two Bit" Peak Loop
Phoenix, Arizona
2.6 miles NAn unmarked Phoenix preserve loop where some trails require navigation skills — best in spring after rainfall, with beautiful surrounding scenery and no water or shade on route.
Hike, Horseback 2.6 mi
L.V. Yates Trail (#8)
Phoenix, Arizona
2.6 miles NA rocky, technical trail near Phoenix with large rocks and gullies from torrential rains — two ravines separated by saddles with no ridge hiking, some hike-a-bike sections.
Hike, Horseback, Mountain Bike 4.6 mi
Mystery Loop
Phoenix, Arizona
2.7 miles NTechnical rock trail, wash crossings, and climbs on the Mystery Loop in Phoenix's North Mountain Preserve — connects to Trail 100 and Christiansen, Perl Charles, and Irregular Link trails for extended adventures.
Mountain Bike 7.1 mi
Trail 100
Phoenix, Arizona
3.0 miles NEA 14-mile out-and-back hike and MTB trail through Phoenix Mountain Preserve with 1,570 feet of elevation, easy-to-follow markers, cacti, wildflowers, and several side paths to explore.
Hike, Mountain Bike 3.6 mi
Charles M. Christiansen Memorial Trail
Phoenix, Arizona
3.0 miles NEA 10.7-mile wilderness trail through the Phoenix Mountain Preserve with great valley views, gentle climbs, nice singletrack, and only 200 feet of elevation gain — very beginner friendly.
Hike, Horseback, Mountain Bike
North Mountain National Trail
Phoenix, Arizona
5.0 miles NWA 2.3-mile moderate loop with steep inclines, beautiful surrounding views, and two route options — it can get crowded at the parking lot but the panoramic Phoenix views are worth it.
Hike
Maxine Lakin Nature Trail
Phoenix, Arizona
5.1 miles NWHike near Phoenix, Arizona
Hike
Shaw Butte and Charles M Christiansen Loop Trail
Phoenix, Arizona
5.5 miles NWA popular but lesser-known Phoenix trail climbing past radio towers and an old burned restaurant ruin, with city views from the top and an easy flat return on the backside.
Hike, Mountain Bike
Papago to Tempe Town Lake
Phoenix, Arizona
5.5 miles SEA scenic urban walk or bike ride linking Papago Park's red buttes and Hole-in-the-Rock to the waterfront paths of Tempe Town Lake.
Hike
Shadow Mountain Trail
Phoenix, Arizona
6.0 miles NA wildlife trail in the Sonoran Desert starting at 23rd Place and Sweetwater Road — a great spot for desert nature watching in northwest Phoenix.
HikeNearby Campsites
Lower Salt River Nature Trail
Fort McDowell, Arizona
20.2 miles EA 2-mile beginner loop alongside the Salt River in Tonto National Forest, with worn markers that keep things adventurous — watch for wild horses and spring cactus blooms.
Camp, Hike
Buckhorn Campground Nature Trail
Apache Junction, Arizona
23.0 miles ECamp and Hike near Apache Junction, Arizona
Camp, Hike
