[Deblipp]

I just bought my first hydration pack and shoes and am anxious to go hiking. I have hiked the Casa Grande Mountain and part of Picacho Peak. I am recovering well from a little knee surgery and did 4 miles yesterday. What are some good hikes you might recommend for me as a beginner? Mostly interested in short hikes while my knee continues to heal. I am planning on going to GC with a group mid may and will probably only do 6 miles. I so much want to hike/pack the GC within the next year...is anyone doing that?

[joe bartels]

Welcome to HAZ! The best hike near you is Table Top Mountain. It may be a tad over what you're seeking.

There's a whole slew of lower key hikes in the Marana area to choose from
http://hikearizona.com/subRegion-Hikes. ... 2&TID=1375
all of which are now in season

I wasn't aware Casa Grande Mountain was open to hiking. I'll have to check that out now as I've eyed it many times.

[Hoffmaster]

An area that includes Table Top Mtn, the whole Sonoran Desert National Monument just east of Gila Bend is fantastic. You might enjoy hiking the old Butterfield Stage Road which is just north of Maricopa Rd. I don't know if hills are bad for your knee or not, but this area is fairly flat...well, the road is at least. This is also a great area for wildflowers.

http://www.hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=747

[Sredfield]

I recently read a book by a fellow who worked at the stage station out there. His name was Stratton, and he bounced around AZ in the Florence-Oracle-Tucson area.

But that does nothing for our new member. So Mtn is not too far from Casa Grande and has many hikes in the range you seek. But it's starting to warm up and won't be much fun when it gets into the high 90's.

[jeffmacewen]

From Casa Grande you're in striking distance of Catalina State Park and all of the trails it has to offer at a great time of year to be in there.

[easternewbie]

Offhand, a couple of nice short (but still somewhat steep) hikes are Piestewa Peak in Phoenix, and the Siphon Draw trail up to the rock bowl in the Supes. If you're willing to drive all the way to Sedona, the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon is a classic, and is a fairly flat hike.

Welcome to HAZ, and hope your knee recovers!

[Mberry]

The Butterfield trail is closed to vehicles?

What about Maricopa Wells? I hear a lot about it, but can't seem to locate it...

[azbackpackr]

For some easy, well-built hiking trails not too far away, I'd go to Saguaro National Park West and the adjacent Tucson Mountain Park. I notice also, that there is a San Tan Regional Park on the map. I wonder if there is a trail into the San Tan Mountains from the park?

I've hiked in the Silverbells a lot, too, but that was years ago. I suspect all the dirt roads around there that used to be nice and quiet for walking are now overrun with quads. To climb up into those mtns. themselves you mostly have to rockhop and bushwhack.