Pima Canyon Loop
The Pima Canyon Loop at South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona is an easy 2.8-mile loop hike that features distant views of the City of Phoenix and the surrounding mountains.Trail names: Pima Wash, Pima West Loop Trail, Pima East Loop Trail, Beverly Canyon Trail and the Beverly Canyon Pima-Connector.
Location: 4500 E. Pima Canyon, Phoenix, Arizona, South Mountain Park/Preserve.
Permitted uses: Walking, Hiking, Geocaching, Running, Mountain Biking, Birding, Nature Study.
Prohibited uses: No smoking outside of vehicles, no open fires, no fireworks.
Hours: Friday - Sunday 5:00am to 11:00pm and Monday - Thursday 5:00am to 7:00pm.
Fees and Parking: There is no fee to park or use the trails. There is ample parking in a huge parking lot.
Pets: Dogs MUST be on a leash and owners must remove dog waste. If temperatures reach 100 degrees F, dogs are no longer permitted on the trails.
Accessibility: The trails are not wheelchair accessible.
Sanitation: There are multiple gender-neutral restrooms at the trailhead along with a large outside sink for handwashing. There is a water filling station and two water bubblers for visitors to fill up before heading out on the trails. There is a large trash/recycling receptacle on the side of the parking, near a group of picnic tables. There is a dog waste bag dispenser at the trailhead with a sign reminding dog owners that by law, dogs must be on a leash and waste must be properly disposed of.
Length and Trail information: The trailhead has two excellent information Kiosks with posted maps. There is also a heat warning sign to remind hikers how to hike safely. Opposite the trail information kiosk is a shaded plaza with three educational boards that pertain to the surrounding area. There are also several picnic tables under a shade structure for visitors to use. The Pima wash trail begins down a short path, situated behind the Heat Warning signage and to the right of the Maricopa Trail kiosk map. The path is marked by a square metal brown post that has a purple blaze with "PIMA WASH" in white lettering and a white arrow. This hike was a 2.8-mile hike done as a loop and is considered to be easy with some moderate sections. Trail Markers are placed at trail junctions and colored blazes with white lettering help guide hikers to the desired trail. The trails are easy to hike, with gravely or somewhat rocky terrain. There are no major trip hazards. The changes in elevation during this hike were gradual and there was nothing too strenuous. During our hike, we were fortunate enough to have some cloud cover for some occasional shade. With no clouds there is no shade along this hike, so it's a good idea to have some form of sun protection if you are hiking during the day. The landscape surrounding the trail is rugged and rocky. The hike does have some elevation offering interesting views of the city of Phoenix and the mountains beyond.
