Plan a Camelback Mountain Family Adventure

Current Cholla alert: The City of Phoenix lists Cholla Trail temporarily closed August 17–28, 2026 for construction. Check the official Camelback Mountain page before leaving because closures and restrictions can change.

Should your family hike Camelback?

Both Cholla Trail and Echo Canyon are officially rated Extremely Difficult. That does not automatically mean “never with kids,” but it does mean age alone is a poor test. Experience, heat tolerance, scrambling ability, footwear, water, timing and willingness to turn around matter more.

Maybe, if all of this is true

The group has real hiking experience.
Everyone is comfortable on steep, rocky terrain.
You can start in safe weather and finish before dangerous heat.
You have ample water, proper shoes and a hard turnaround rule.
No one feels pressure to summit just because other people are doing it.

Choose another plan if any of this is true

Young children are new to desert hiking.
Someone dislikes heights, exposure or scrambling.
You are starting late or the forecast is hot.
The group is short on water or proper footwear.
Anyone is already tired, sick, dehydrated or reluctant.

Cholla or Echo Canyon?

Neither route is “the easy one.” They are different versions of hard.

Question	Cholla Trail	Echo Canyon
Official rating	Extremely Difficult	Extremely Difficult
Approx. one-way distance	1.5 miles	1.2 miles
Approx. elevation change	1,420 feet	1,264 feet
Upper terrain	Very steep boulder section and scrambling	Very steep rocky climbing with handrail-assisted sections
Access	Invergordon Road; limited legal street parking and rideshare area	Developed trailhead parking, often very busy
Family planning takeaway	Longer approach gives more opportunities for a partial outing, but the upper section becomes serious.	Shorter, steeper and intense quickly. Do not mistake shorter distance for easier.

Use a four-step family decision

Check the mountain. Verify current closures, trail hours, heat restrictions and weather before anyone gets dressed for the hike.

Check the humans. Use the least-experienced hiker as the baseline. Ask about heights, scrambling, heat, knees, energy and willingness.

Choose the objective. Summit, partial Cholla, scenic Camelback views, or a nearby easier desert outing are all legitimate plans.

Set the turnaround before starting. Pick a time, water threshold and terrain threshold. Turning around is the plan working, not the plan failing.

Useful Cholla landmark: The City of Phoenix describes a saddle/rest area before the upper boulder section. If the group is already working hard there, that is a very reasonable place to call the hike complete.

When Camelback is not the right family hike

Stay in the same part of the Valley and change the difficulty instead of forcing the famous route.

Papago Park

Shorter desert walks, Hole-in-the-Rock, broad views and easy pairings with other Phoenix attractions.

Open Papago planner →

Desert Botanical Garden area

Sonoran Desert scenery with a more controlled walking experience. Check current admission, hours and seasonal heat.

Build a lighter Phoenix day →

Easy Arizona family hikes

Compare easier options when the goal is fresh air and family time rather than proving anything to a mountain.

Browse easier hikes →

Before you go

Heat

Start early, check the forecast and skip exposed hiking during dangerous heat. Camelback has very little shade.

Water

Carry enough for the full return plus margin. Do not build the plan around finding water at Cholla.

Parking

Cholla has no dedicated trailhead parking lot. Follow posted legal-parking signs on Invergordon Road and never block neighborhood access.

Personalize the day in Sage Read desert hiking safety

Frequently asked questions

Is Camelback Mountain good for kids?

It can be appropriate for some experienced older children and teens with prepared adults, but both summit trails are rated Extremely Difficult. Many families will have a better day choosing a partial hike or easier Phoenix trail.

Which is easier, Cholla or Echo Canyon?

Neither is easy. Cholla is longer and becomes very steep and boulder-filled near the top. Echo Canyon is shorter but extremely steep and includes climbing-like sections.

Can we just hike part of Cholla?

Yes, once the trail is open. A partial outing with a planned turnaround can be a much better family objective than committing to the summit.

Are dogs allowed on Camelback Mountain?

No. The City of Phoenix prohibits dogs on Camelback Mountain trails year-round.

Official checks

City of Phoenix Camelback Mountain alerts
City of Phoenix Camelback trail details
National Weather Service Phoenix