Hole in the Rock Hiking Guide
Hole in the Rock is barely a hike — a few hundred yards of paved path and rock steps up a red sandstone butte in Papago Park — but it delivers a view that trails ten times its length cannot match. The formation is a natural opening weathered through the rock, and it frames the Phoenix skyline and the Papago buttes like a window built for the purpose. It is the place locals take visitors on their first evening in town, and for good reason.
The Walk
From the parking area a short paved path leads to rock steps that climb into the opening. The whole thing takes five to ten minutes. The final section is uneven sandstone with a handrail in places, so it is not stroller-accessible and requires a little care with small children, but most people of most abilities manage it comfortably. There is no route-finding involved and the formation is visible from the lot.
Papago Park
Papago Park sits between Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale, and Hole in the Rock is one attraction among several — the Desert Botanical Garden, the Phoenix Zoo, fishing lagoons and a network of easy trails all share the park. Parking is free and plentiful. That combination makes this an easy anchor for a half day with people of mixed interest and fitness, which is not something most Phoenix hikes can claim.
Sunset and the Hohokam
The opening faces roughly west, which makes sunset the signature time and consequently the busiest. Arrive early for a spot inside the alcove. The buttes had significance for the Hohokam people who farmed this valley for centuries, and the opening's alignment with solstice light is part of why the site draws archaeological interest. Interpretive signage in the park covers some of that history.
Heat Still Applies
It is short, but it is still exposed red sandstone in Phoenix. In summer the rock is genuinely too hot to sit on well into the evening, and the walk up is unpleasant in the middle of the day from May through September. Winter is delightful. Leashed dogs are welcome in the park, though the rock steps and hot surface make the climb into the opening itself a poor idea for them in warm months.
Pairing It With Something Longer
Because the walk takes minutes rather than hours, most people combine it with something else. Papago's own trail network offers a few easy miles on flat ground; the Double Butte Loop nearby adds gentle distance. If you want a real climb in the same outing, Piestewa Peak is fifteen minutes away and Camelback not much further, which makes an easy-then-hard pairing straightforward to arrange.
Hiking tips for Hole in the Rock
- Arrive well before sunset if you want a spot inside the alcove — it is one of the most popular sunset perches in Phoenix.
- Skip the rock steps with a dog in warm months; the sandstone holds heat long after the air starts cooling.
- Pair it with Papago's flat trail network or the Desert Botanical Garden to make a proper half day out of a five-minute walk.
- Bring small children but hold hands on the final sandstone steps, which are uneven and polished by decades of traffic.
- Use this as the easy half of a day that also includes Piestewa Peak, which is only about fifteen minutes away.
Nearby trails to explore
- Piestewa Peak
- Camelback Mountain
- Gateway Loop Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Hole in the Rock is where Phoenix hiking friendships tend to start — short, scenic, and easy to say yes to. Use TrailMates to find casual evening meetups around Papago Park. Download the TrailMates app to join one.