Spring Fever!

I've got Spring Fever and I've got it bad. Today I took a nice long hike with the pups and I gotta say, it was a spectacular day to be outside. We had temps in the low 80's with a nice cool breeze and a blue blue sky. You just can't ask for anything more. As we were hiking along, the dogs sniffing every single rock along the way and me trying to keep the leashes from pulling me down, I thought about the many hikes of years past and all the fun we had.

Back in the day, my girlfriends and I would scurry up Squaw Peak on a Saturday morning getting in our exercise before hitting Aunt Chilada's Patio for some chips and salsa with a side of Corona. The rest of the day was spent lounging by the pool. Sigh. Those were the days.

Nowadays it is all I can do to force myself away from my desk to grab the dogs and get out for a 30 minute traipse around the block. Being out on the trails today inspired me. I am going to get outside and get my hike on!  In honor of my new found motivation, I thought I would take a second to tell you about a few places I like to hike.

Today I went to Lookout Mountain, it is located in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve at 16th Street just South of Greenway. There are a few trails to try and my favorite is the perimeter trail. It is a long-ish hike (about 90 minutes) and there are some small hills but nothing crazy. A few of the other trails are a bit more challenging if you like your hikes with a dash of sweat and tears, check out the 301 trail. There are some pretty views of the City to reward you for your hard work.

Another trail I like to hike is the Dreamy Draw Nature Trail. This trail is located at the base of Squaw Peak. The best way to get there is to take Northern Road East under the 51 freeway and the road winds up in the parking lot. This is a great hike, lots of different trails of all different levels. You can wander around the foot of the Peak and just forget you are in the middle of the City.  This area is great for mountain biking as well.

The last one I want to throw in here is the Squaw Peak Circumference trail. Not the big, scary, stairmaster-on-steroids trail, this is the one at the end of Squaw Peak Drive.  This trail is about 1.5 miles and depending on which way you go (clockwise is more challenging, counter clockwise is moderate) you can have a nice quick work out and get back to the rest of your day.

All of these trails are dog friendly so take your favorite four-legged buddy out there with you. Don't forget to bring water and sunscreen!

Here's a link to a good website to find other hiking trails near you. Arizona Hiking Trails