News
According to the city of Phoenix, more than 200 hikers are in need of rescue each year. Some people fail to bring enough water with them on their journey, some get lost on the intricate trail systems, some get injured maneuvering the desert terrain. But not all hiking stories are doom and gloom. Some offer information, some offer inspiration, some are just downright entertaining.
Recent News
Below is a mix of recent headlines relating to hiking news in and around the city of Phoenix, Arizona.
3/16/2026 - With an unprecedented heat wave coming to Arizona, Phoenix hiking trails are at risk of temporarily closing in March for the first time ever.
[ 12 News ]
3/13/2026 - Phoenix fire officials recorded eight mountain rescues through March 11 as an earlier-than-usual heat wave begins to move through the Valley.
[ AZ Family ]
3/8/2026 - Roger Naylor's new book, Arizona Boots and Burgers, is a guide for hungry hikers, featuring more than 70 hikes and places to eat across Arizona.
[ 12 News ]
1/16/2026 - Rescuers airlifted two hikers off Piestewa Peak late Thursday after they got lost, and one was injured.
[ AZ Family ]
1/10/2026 - The woman had sustained an injury to her "lower extremity" and was not able to continue with her hike, according to the Phoenix Fire Department.
[ 12 News ]
12/14/2025 - The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department is pleased to announce the reopening of Echo Canyon Trail at Camelback Mountain, effective Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 at sunrise.
[ City of Phoenix ]
12/8/2025 - Arizona Republic reporter Joan Meiners celebrates the end of her 900 mile mountain bike ride across the state from Utah on the Arizona Trail in the middle of a border wall construction zone interrupting access to official trail endpoints.
[ AZ Central ]
11/20/2025 - The trail remained closed indefinitely while officials addressed safety concerns, took steps to remove three unstable boulders and made other repairs.
[ KJZZ News ]
11/17/2025 - The mid-October closure of the Echo Canyon Trail (Camelback) will remain in place because of unstable boulders discovered after recent storms.
[ KTAR News ]
11/4/2025 - As the Arizona sun dips below the horizon, the desert begins to transform. Find out more about night hikes in the Phoenix area.
[ City Sun Times ]