Sunrise Peak is one of the most rewarding summit hikes in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, the vast protected desert straddling the McDowell Mountains northeast of Scottsdale and north of Fountain Hills, Arizona. From the Sunrise Trailhead the Sunrise Trail climbs steadily up the range, gaining roughly 1,700 feet over about two and a half miles to the peak, with a steeper, rockier scramble near the top that earns a sweeping panorama over the whole Valley of the Sun, the McDowells and the desert stretching toward Four Peaks and the Superstitions.

True to its name, it is a favorite of sunrise hikers, who climb in the cool dawn to watch the light spill across the desert and the city, though it is just as good at sunset. The trail is a genuine workout, steep and rocky in its upper reaches, on classic Sonoran Desert tread among saguaro, cholla and granite outcrops, and it connects into the McDowell Sonoran Preserve's wider trail network for longer outings.

This is exposed desert with no water and little shade, so it is a cool-season hike; summer heat in the McDowells is dangerous, and even in the shoulder seasons an early start and plenty of water are essential. For fit hikers who want a strenuous climb and one of the best summit views in the north Scottsdale area, Sunrise Peak delivers.