HikeArizona.COM

I know it's kind of general and probably hard to answer but... I'm planning an early 07 trip to Az, my first, and was wondering when is the best to visit? Looking to fly into phoenix, then head up to Sedona/Flagstaff/ and the GC. When I started to plan this I was thinking that Az was hot and dry from end to end, and we could escape the winter for a few weeks, now I see that's not exactly the case. My wife and I are avid hikers but would prefer to avoid hiking in snow, we can do that here (W. Ma.). I started to plan on Early March, back when I thought you had 12 months of summer, to avoid crowds, which is a must for us.
So what do you think, can you suggest a good time to do the Phoenix-GC trip with minimal cold and crowds?
If anyone knows of any must visit hikes, or good places to stay along the route it'd be great. Although there is a lot to be said about not planning ahead too much.
By the way, for whoever dreamt up this site, great idea, there should be one for every state. I usually get stuck going just by guide books.

Thanks

padlin wrote: By the way, for whoever dreamt up this site, great idea, there should be one for every state. I usually get stuck going just by guide books.

This site is supported and maintained by Joe from his own paycheck. =D> We are guests who try to help each other by sharing information, knowledge and/or wisdom. This is forever a work in process.

So what do you think, can you suggest a good time to do the Phoenix-GC trip with minimal cold and crowds?

The short answer is May and October. The long answer is:

FINDING HIKES IN GEOGRAPHIC AREAS AROUND ARIZONA.
There are several ways to plan hikes.
1) TrailDEX on the Hike Indexes page
2) Locations on the both the Main Page and the Hike Indexes Page under the HikeArizona.com Banner
3) The Dynamic Map Link, Static Map Link or Regional Map Link to the left of the HikeArizona.com Banner
4) The Welcome Map of Arizona on the Main Page

1) Go to "Hike Indexes" to get to TrailDEX http://hikearizona.com/traildexPRO.php

In TrailDEX, on the left Under the "Division" column go to the third option "Wilderness" and click on the drop down arrow at the right and select Grand Canyon National Park.

In the right third under Features go to In Season . Click on the drop down arrow on the right of the box and select "Likely Best".

Then click on the Search Now button

Since this is May, you will get a list showing 21 hikes are "In Season". Some hikes do not have an "In Season" listed, so even though they are "In Season" they won't show up. May and October are excellent seasons for the Grand Canyon.

Five diamonds are the highest rated hikes. You can then read hike descriptions and members comments on the hikes.

2) You will notice that to the right of Locations are Wildernesses. You can click on Grand Canyon. This will give you a list of all hikes in the Grand Canyon Wilderness.

3) If you double click on the Dynamic Map Link you will get a Dynamic Map showing various options to the right. If you click on Grand Canyon you will be taken to a map showing all hikes in the Grand Canyon area.

4) If you click on the Welcome Arizona map in the middle left of the main page you will activate this feature. You can then move your cursor over the map and click to select various regions. The areas of the Grand Canyon that most visitors are interested in are in the Northwest Region.

HIKE DESCRIPTIONS

Most of the Hike Descriptions show the best season for the hike. There is always someplace great to hike in AZ, you just have to pick the right region for the right season. The problem is that the crowds are greatest in season. The Grand Canyon is best before the family vacation season starts or after it ends. The South Rim is more popular and crowded than the North Rim. The Rims are more crowded than below the Rims. To stay overnight below the Rims you need a Backcountry Pass.

If anyone knows of any must visit hikes, or good places to stay along the route it'd be great. Although there is a lot to be said about not planning ahead too much.

Sedona has many great hikes. Flagstaff has many great hikes. Humphrey's Peak is the tallest point in AZ at 12,633 feet. If you are into Peak Bagging, it's a definite must.

padlin wrote:I know it's kind of general and probably hard to answer but... I'm planning an early 07 trip to Az, my first, and was wondering when is the best to visit?

AZ is much more than the Grand Canyon. We have tremendous hiking all over AZ all year round. If you are planning to visit in March, consider the Superstitions just east of Phoenix. Or Tucson. Or the Chiricahuas south of Tucson catching Kartchner Caverns on your way south. Kartchner Caverns is absolutely incredible.

And you could do some Sedona in March. The Red Rocks are awesome.

And catch some Cactus League Spring Training Baseball.

And we have more history than MA, it's just that it's Native American History so most people in MA don't ever learn about it. Check out some cliff dwellings.

Well said.

As for cliff dwellings, here are just a few:

The couple from MA didn't say if they're camping? Navajo National Monument has a great cliff dwelling to visit, Betatakin, 5 mile hike with a ranger, free admission, nice campground, free camping. A bit cool in March for camping, though. Nearest motels are in Kayenta. Monument Valley is just north of Kayenta.

Another set of cliff dwellings are at Tonto National Monument. That would be to the east of Phoenix. There are also some near Sedona, called Palatki. Get directions when you're there--it's not too well-known but is accessible on a dirt road in a passenger car in dry weather. All of these require some hiking.

The big mtns. by Flagstaff, the San Francisco Peaks, which include AZ's highest peak, Mt. Humphreys, are usually pretty deep in snow in March. Even this past winter, which was very dry, they got a big snowstorm in March. The mountains where I live, the White Mtns., also can be pretty cold and snowy in March. Save the White Mtns. and the San Francisco Peaks for a future visit in the summer or fall.

Thanks all
Will need to think about late Apr-Early May, hopefully that'll be before the schools let out for the summer. Really wanted to get away from the winter. I didn't realise there was so much hiking around Phoenix, I've heard about the Superstitions and would like to see them. Sounds like too much in too little time, so goes vacation.
If I hit the GC in May I can stay at Bright Angel, which is closed till then.
Being as how we're flying in, I can take some lite car camping gear but backpacking would require too much stuff for traveling. Last time I tried that I couldn't fit everything in the rental car and had to leave some at the first motel we stayed in, which also happened to be the one we were going to spend our last day in so we didn't loose anything. Kind of a hassle at the airport though.
Allinaz
Thanks for the directions for the site, they'll come in useful. No peak bagging for me, Mt. Washington did in my knees a few years ago, can't do the long downhills anymore.

Thanks Again.

visit Africa instead. sometimes the valleys heat seems akin to a blazing saharan desert lol.