Piestewa Peak

Phoenix Mountains Preserve, AZ Superstition Mountains + Phoenix

Trip stats

Distance
2.2 mi
Net Gain
1,200 ft
Time
<1 hrs
YDS Rating
Class 2
Route
Out/Back
Peaks
1

Ratings out of 10

Effort
1.4/10
Personality
3/10
Beauty
4/10
Solitude
0.5/10
What do these mean? →

Peaks on this hike

Summits listed in route order

  1. Piestewa Peak
    2,606′ elevation · 1,176′ prominence

Route map + Trailhead

Trailhead Coordinates

33.539510, -112.023180

The directions link below drops a pin on the trailhead coordinates and lets Google Maps pick the route. If the drive has rough roads or access issues that GPS nav might get wrong, I cover that in my trip report.

Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)

Trip report

Nov 10, 2019 — Piestewa Peak was recently renamed from Squaw Peak, to clear up any confusion. This hike follows a nice, well-manicured Phoenix locals trail to some nice views. Starting within the Phoenix Mountains Reserve at a popular trailhead, the hike switchbacks incessantly along the southwest ridge of Piestewa Peak pretty much the whole way to the summit. The trail is obvious, but note that most people stop at a false summit. The true summit is a short Class 2 scramble just south of the official end of the trail.

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Photos

10 photos

  1. Starting up the Piestewa Peak Trail.
  2. Piestewa Peak visible top right.
  3. The Piestewa Peak trail switchbacks along the southwest ridge of the peak.
  4. View back at our progress, the trailhead visible below.
  6. Making our way up the southwest ridge.
  7. Rocky section before the end of the trail.
  8. Looking back at the rocky section before the end of the trail.
  9. End of the Piestewa Peak Trail. Just south is the true summit.
  10. True summit of Piestewa Peak, view toward people who stopped at the end of the trail.

Photo 1 of 1

Hire me or show some love!

Hire or refer me as a web developer, or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so it's funded by yours truly. It also takes a ton of work to edit photos and write these reports. I really appreciate it!

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GPX track

Piestewa Peak GPX route and driving track

The complete GPX track is available to download, so you can load the route straight into your navigation app or device. The trip report, route info, photos and planning details stay free.

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