HomeHiking GuidesBest Hikes in Arizona

Best Hikes in Arizona

Arizona hiking is decided by two things: the heat and the permits. Half of these trails are unsafe from June to September, and the most famous ones run on lotteries you have to enter months ahead. These are the hikes worth the planning, with the months each one is actually good.

41 trail guides and 8 ready-to-book itineraries

Ready-to-book trips

Day-by-day, with the permits and the stays already worked out.

Arizona Canyoneering: Slot Canyon & Grand Canyon ItineraryArizona & Utah · Slot Canyons + Grand CanyonChiricahua National Monument: A 2-Day Hiking ItinerarySoutheast Arizona · Wonderland of RocksGrand Canyon Rim to Rim: A Weekend Hiking ItineraryArizona · North Rim to South RimGrand Canyon South Rim Hikes: 3-Day ItineraryNorthern Arizona · Grand Canyon National ParkHavasupai Falls: A Hiking and Permit ItineraryHavasupai Reservation · Grand Canyon side canyonColorado River Kayaking Trips: A 3-Day Moab and Lake Powell ItineraryUtah & Arizona · Red Rock Canyon CountrySaguaro National Park Hikes: 3-Day Best Hikes ItinerarySonoran Desert · Tucson, ArizonaSedona Hiking: Devil's Bridge, Cathedral Rock and the Best Red-Rock Trails (3-Day Itinerary)Northern Arizona · Red Rock Country

Backpacking and multi-day routes

Grand Canyon Rim to Rim: Complete Trail GuideCross the Grand Canyon on foot, South Kaibab to North Kaibab, 24 miles of the most dramatic hiking terrain on earth.Grand Canyon Rim to Rim PermitA day hike rim to rim needs no permit at all. You only need a Grand Canyon backcountry permit if you sleep below the rim, and thatHavasu Falls PermitThe Havasupai Tribe has permanently scrapped the permit lottery. There is no draw to enter and no waiting to hear back. ReservatioPhantom Ranch ReservationsHow the Phantom Ranch lottery works, what it costs, and how to book a cabin, dorm bunk or the famous steak dinner at the bottom of

Day hikes

The Wave Permit LotteryThe Wave is the hardest permit in the American Southwest to draw, and most people apply for it the wrong way. Here is how the two Mooney Falls to Beaver Falls Day HikeHow to hike from the campground down the Mooney Falls chains to Beaver Falls, the most rewarding day hike on the Havasupai ReservaSouth Kaibab Trail GuideEverything you need to hike the South Kaibab Trail in Grand Canyon National Park, from Ooh Aah Point to the Colorado River.

When to go

Best Time to Visit Chiricahua National MonumentWhen to visit Chiricahua National Monument for cool hiking weather, fall color, spring wildflowers, and quiet trails in southeast Best Time to Visit Havasupai Falls: Season-by-Season GuideWhen to hike Havasupai for the best weather, water color, and crowd levels, plus the monsoon and flash-flood months to avoid.Best Time to Visit Saguaro National ParkWhen to visit Saguaro National Park near Tucson, including the cool hiking season, the late-spring saguaro bloom, monsoon storms, The Best Time to Visit SedonaA month-by-month breakdown of Sedona weather, crowds, and trail conditions so you can pick the right season for hiking Devil's BriBest Time to Visit the Grand Canyon South RimA month-by-month breakdown of weather, crowds, and trail conditions to help you pick the perfect time to hike the Grand Canyon Sou

Where to camp

Camping Near Lake PowellFrom the developed Wahweap and Bullfrog campgrounds to free shoreline beach camping at Lone Rock, here is where to sleep at Lake PCamping Near Saguaro National ParkA practical guide to camping near Saguaro National Park, from backcountry sites on Rincon Mountain trails to nearby Gilbert Ray anChiricahua National Monument CampingEverything you need to camp at Chiricahua National Monument, from booking a Bonita Canyon Campground site to nearby alternatives aGrand Canyon South Rim CampingEverything you need to camp the Grand Canyon South Rim: Mather and Desert View campgrounds, backcountry permits, and how to book aHavasupai Packing ListA field-tested packing list for the 10-mile hike to Supai and the Havasupai campground, from water filtration to flash-flood gear.Sedona Camping GuideWhere to camp in and around Sedona, from creekside Forest Service sites in Oak Creek Canyon to dispersed spots near Cottonwood, pl

More guides in this state

Arches National Park to the Grand Canyon: Drive Time, Route and Where to StopArches National Park to the Grand Canyon South Rim is about 334 miles and six hours of driving. The fast road passes Kayenta and eGrand Canyon to Antelope Canyon: Drive Time, Route and Booking the TourGrand Canyon Village to Antelope Canyon is about 143 miles and 2 hours 45 minutes, out the East Entrance at Desert View and north Grand Canyon Family Road Trip: A Las Vegas Loop Through the South Rim and ZionA Grand Canyon family road trip from Las Vegas: the South Rim, the Desert View exit, Zion and back, with drive times, shuttle ruleNearest City to the Grand Canyon: Tusayan, Williams, Flagstaff, Page and Las VegasTusayan, Arizona is the closest city to the Grand Canyon South Rim at about 6 miles. Here is how it compares to Williams, FlagstafThings to Do in Petrified Forest National Park: 10 Stops Along the Park RoadPetrified Forest National Park is one 28-mile road with ten stops on it, from rainbow-colored badlands to logs of solid quartz. HeWind Caves in Arizona: The Usery Mountain Trail and the Sedona CavesWind caves az mostly means the Wind Cave Trail at Usery Mountain Regional Park near Mesa, a short hike to a rock alcove, not Wind Zion National Park to Antelope Canyon: Route, Drive Time and Booking the TourZion National Park to Antelope Canyon is about 120 miles, about 2 hours 30 minutes, via Kanab and Page. Antelope Canyon is on NavaZion to the Grand Canyon: Drive Time and Route to the South Rim and North RimZion to the Grand Canyon South Rim is about 260 miles, roughly 4.5 to 5 hours. The North Rim is closer at about 125 miles, but it Las Vegas to Sedona: How Far It Is and Which Route to DriveAbout 280 miles and four and a half hours, past Hoover Dam and Route 66. The last thirty minutes decide whether this is a good driArizona Road Trip Itinerary: 7 to 10 DaysA classic Arizona road trip loop from Phoenix through Sedona, Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon South Rim, Page, and Monument Valley, plHow Far Is the Grand Canyon From Phoenix, Arizona?Driving distances and times to the Grand Canyon South Rim from Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona, Flagstaff, Tucson, and Las Vegas, plusThings to Do in Sedona Without Hiking: 12 Unique IdeasScenic drives, jeep tours, the Verde Canyon Railroad, Verde Valley wine tasting, drive-up vortex sites, spa days, stargazing, and Best Easy Hikes in Sedona (Family-Friendly Red Rock Trails)The best easy hikes in Sedona: flat, short, family-friendly red-rock trails with huge views and gentle turnarounds for little legsBest Time to Hike the Grand Canyon Rim to RimWhen to attempt the Grand Canyon rim to rim hike, why spring and fall win, and how the North Rim's seasonal closure shapes your wiGrand Canyon Mule Rides from the South RimA practical guide to Grand Canyon mule rides on the South Rim, including the rim ride, the overnight trip to Phantom Ranch, and hoFree Things to Do in SedonaSedona on a budget: the best free hiking trails, scenic overlooks, and red-rock experiences you can enjoy without spending a dime Jeep Tours Sedona: Pink Jeep vs SafariA guide to Sedona jeep tours: Pink Jeep vs Safari, the famous Broken Arrow trail, prices, age limits, and which open-air red-rock Sedona Vortex HikesA trail-by-trail guide to Sedona's four famous vortex sites, with the exact hikes that lead to Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Bell Things to Do in Saguaro National Park Beyond HikingScenic drives, ancient petroglyphs, stargazing, and family-friendly stops that make Saguaro National Park worth a full day even ifThings to Do in Sedona, Arizona: The Complete GuideThe best things to do in Sedona, Arizona: red rock hikes, jeep tours, Slide Rock, easy viewpoints, and the perfect family trip, alThings to Do in Willcox, AZA local guide to things to do in Willcox, Arizona, from high-desert wineries and sandhill cranes to the gateway road into ChiricahWest Fork Trail, SedonaEverything you need to hike the West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon: distance, creek crossings, parking and fees, fall color timin

The Wave, Havasu Falls and the Grand Canyon backcountry all run on lotteries with brutal odds. Our permit watcher tracks every one of them and emails you the morning each window opens.

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Free permit watch

You can't hike it if you can't get the permit.

The best hikes in America run on lotteries that open once a year and sell out in minutes. Every trail runs on its own calendar. Pick the ones you want and we do the watching.

6 trails watched daily

How it works

  • An email the morning each window opens, never the day after.
  • A 14-day heads-up so you can line up your group and dates.
  • Win odds and a ranked backup plan for every trail you pick.

Didn't win? We keep watching. We check recreation.gov every day for The Enchantments, Half Dome and Angels Landing, and email you the moment a sold-out date frees up. Cancellations are the second chance most people never hear about.