Guided Day Tours: Half-Day Hiking Tours
Each of these hikes has been selected to showcase a unique area of the Valley of the Sun. Click on the name of a hike to get more information about it. These tours are all inclusive , including transportation to and from your hotel.
To reserve a hike call 1-866-455-1601 or complete our reservation request form.
Hike |
Location |
Distance |
Elevation (ft) |
Difficulty |
| Saguaro Loop Nature Walk | McDowell Sonoran Preserve |
2 miles |
101 |
Easy |
| Taliesin West Overlook Hike | McDowell Sonoran Preserve |
4.5 miles |
380 |
Easy |
| Gateway Loop Hike | McDowell Sonoran Preserve |
4.1 miles |
688 |
Moderate |
| Tom’s Thumb Grand Traverse | McDowell Sonoran Preserve |
11 miles |
1,363 |
Very Difficult |
| Sunrise Peak Grand Adventure | McDowell Sonoran Preserve |
7 miles |
1,095 |
Difficult |
| Descend into the Hidden Valley | South Mountain |
3.5 miles |
600 |
Moderate |
| Hike the Go John Trail | Cave Creek Recreation. Area |
5.8 miles |
700 |
Difficult |
| Explore the Wind Cave Trail | Usery Mountain Park |
3 miles |
760 |
Moderate |
| Camelback Mountain | Paradise Valley |
2.4-3 miles |
1,300 |
Difficult |
| Hike the Freedom Trail | North Phoenix Mountain Preserve |
4 miles |
500 |
Moderate/Difficult |
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Half-Day Hiking Tour Prices | ![]() |
| 2 Persons = $110 per person 3 Persons = $95 per person 4 + Persons = $75 per person *We can accommodate singles for $100 more than the 2 person price *Pre-formed groups of 10 or more? Call Us - 1-866-455-1601. |
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| Tour Inclusions and Terms & Conditions | ||
All AOA tours include CPR/First Aid certified professional guide(s), roundtrip transportation, bottled water, trail snacks, Sonoran Desert handbook (1 per family), all required equipment for the selected tour(s), all applicable taxes, permit fees and insurance. Full-day tours also include lunch on the trail. Guide gratuities are not included. What to bring? Check out the Day Tour FAQ's. Wearing helmets is mandatory on all AOA bike tours. Wearing life jackets is mandatory on all kayak tours and we do not allow participation in bare feet for safety concerns. |
| Call 1-866-455-1601 today for reservations. | ||
Saguaro Loop Nature Walk |
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Exploring on foot is the most intimate and educational way to experience the desert. The flora includes almost all varieties of Arizona cactus such as saguaro, barrel, hedgehog, jumping cholla and prickly pear. Trees and colorful shrubbery include palo verde, mesquite, ironwood trees, creosote, ocotillo, brittle bush, desert lavender and giant sage shrubs.
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Taliesin West Overlook Hike |
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A 4.5 mile round trip to a saddle overlooking Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West complex, the hike is one gradual climb to the saddle with breathtaking views over the City of Scottsdale and Camelback Mountain.
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Gateway Loop Hike |
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Looking for up-close and personal experience in the Sonoran desert: the Gateway loop offers an amazing sample of what the desert flora and fauna have to offer, and gorgeous views over the Valley to boot.
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Tom’s Thumb Grand Traverse |
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This strenuous hike will take you from one end to the other of the McDowell Mountains. Enjoy 360-degree breathtaking views of the Sonoran desert, the Valley of the Sun, the Four Peaks and the Superstition Mountains. **Add $75.00 for a one-way hike. Another guide and vehicle will be waiting for you.
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Sunrise Peak Grand Adventure |
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Hike up the Sunrise trail to its peak culminating at 3,069 feet. The views from there are just magnificent. As its name suggests, hiking at sunrise or sunset for that matter offers the experienced hiker a unique Sonoran desert experience.
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Descend into the Hidden Valley |
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Located in the largest city park in the nation, the Hidden Valley is virtually undetectable until you hike through a natural tunnel. To exit this paradise, you’ll squeeze through another narrow rock corridor named “Fat Man’s Pass”.
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Hike the Go John Trail |
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Starting at an elevation well above the valley floor, the Go John trail offers an array of desert flora and a glimpse of the shattered dreams of the speculators and settlers of yesteryears who hoped to make their fortunes from mining the hills to the north.
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Explore the Wind Cave Trail |
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Reaching high up Pass Mountain, also named “Scar Face” by the local folks, the trail will take you through a forest of majestic saguaro cacti before reaching higher elevations and spectacular vistas of the surrounding plains.
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Camelback Mountain |
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Hike where the Phoenicians hike. This strenuous hike will have you panting once you have reached the summit. The 360-degree views of the valley below are worth the effort.
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Hike the Freedom Trail |
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Located within close proximity of most resorts, this hike will take you in the middle of a 7,000-acre preserve, with breathtaking views in all directions. The desert flora is abundant and so are the cottontail rabbits, jackrabbits, chuckwallas and gamble quail.
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| Call 1-866-455-1601 today for reservations. | ||
















