Exploring Phoenix: The 7 Best Parks to Visit

If you live in Phoenix or plan on traveling there soon, there are many opportunities for outdoor recreational activities. The city boasts over 180 parks alone. Unlike other urban areas in the United States, people in Phoenix spend much of their time outside, after all, its nickname is the Valley of the Sun for a reason. Due to its desert climate, you’ll have nearly the entire year to explore some of the most stunning natural environments in the country.

So whether you’re looking for ways to soak up the southwestern sun or a simple play area for your kids, Phoenix has something for you.

Check out these seven best parks in the Phoenix metro area to soak up the sun.

Encanto Park

Location: 2605 N 15th Avenue, Phoenix

Right in the heart of Phoenix’s bustling desert city, you’ll find a 222-acre oasis that’s pet-friendly. Envisioned in 1935 as a park that would rival Golden Gate in San Francisco and Balboa in San Diego, William G. Hartranft began construction on Encanto Park. Today it includes a golf course, a lagoon, and a clubhouse. With such beautiful landscapes, it’s a popular destination for weddings and other celebratory events. Enchanted Island Amusement Park, also located at Encanto, offers families pedal boats, a train, special holiday activities and outdoor concerts.

Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch

Location: 2757 E Guadalupe Road, Gilbert

While not included as one of Phoenix’s premier parks, The Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch is conservation land that functions as an educational and recreational site, too. Just outside of Phoenix, you’ll discover this natural resource with over 300 species of animals, insects, and birds. You can camp and catch the big one at the fishing lake if you follow the posted rules. The 4.5 miles of walking trails include shady picnic areas and barbeque grills. 

Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt

Location: A world-renowned 11-mile oasis in Scottsdale

It would be difficult to pick just one park in Scottsdale, the swanky resort area east of Phoenix. Scottsdale may have been made famous by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, but it’s the urban oasis that’ll have you talking. Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt gives you 11 miles of lush green outdoor space that includes lakes, parks, walking trails, and golf clubs. Tee off at the pristinely manicured McCormick Ranch Golf Club. For safety, the Greenbelt’s 24-grade separated crossings mean no matter how you choose to traverse the landscape, you’ll avoid cross traffic. And this Scottsdale space is also home to several of the best dog parks in the city including Chaparral, Horizon, and del Camino Dog Parks.

Papago Park

Location: 625 N Galvin Parkway, Phoenix

Are you looking for a funky spot with panoramic views of the city that’s not far from Sky Harbor Airport? Papago Park may be the place for you. Offering some of the best hiking and climbing in the area, Papago has it all. Whether you’re looking for an easy half-mile trail like Little Butte Loop to hike with the kids or want to scale the east-facing rocks at Beaver Wall, you’ll be able to do just that from sunrise to sunset. If you have time, you can meander through the Desert Botanical Gardens, a AAA Gem attraction, or take your wild ones to the Phoenix Zoo. And for something different, hike up to Hunt’s Tomb, the white pyramid-shaped structure that’s a memorial to once Arizona Governor George W. P. Hunt, his wife, and seven of their relatives. It’s an Egyptian wonder amid the desert landscape and worth a look.

Kiwanis Park

Location: 5500 S Mill Avenue, Tempe

If you’re family digs sports, Kiwanis Park is the place to go. Just 4 miles south of Arizona State University, the 125 acres feature a baseball diamond, basketball courts, a batting range, and a recreation/community center that teaches everything from tennis to swimming lessons. The giant splash pad known as “The Cloud” is a 5,000 square foot of water play fun. It’s open from April until October, and it’s the perfect spot to take the kids when you need to cool off in those sweltering summer months.

South Mountain Park and Preserve

Location: 10919 S Central Avenue, Phoenix

The 16,000 acres that make up this municipally managed area known as South Mountain Park and Preserve is one of the largest of its kind in the nation. Here you can hike, horseback ride and mountain bike. Or you might enjoy a walk up to Dobbins Lookout, the highest point in the park at 2,330 feet. You can learn about the local wildlife at the South Mountain Environmental Education Center or discover the City of Phoenix’s commitment to respecting Ancestral Indigenous Communities. If you plan on a weekend visit, note that Silent Sunday is observed all day on the 4^th Sunday of the month with road closures, reserving the park for non-motorized activities only. A shortened Silent Sunday is observed until 10 a.m. on all other Sundays.

Margaret T Hance Park

Location: 67 W Culver Street, Phoenix

This 32-acre public park is so much more than a picnic area. It showcases some of the city’s most culturally relevant features. For starters, it was named after the first female mayor of Phoenix, who served the city from 1976 to 1984. Margaret T. Hance Park is home to the Japanese Friendship Garden. Whether you visit these Zen grounds for tea house rituals or the spring celebration of “Haru in the Garden,” you’re sure to experience the rich history of Japan. Or you could visit the Irish Cultural Center, which hosts theatrical and musical performances as well as educational classes. Research your genealogy at the McClelland Library.

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