Trail Compass

Easy hiking trails in Arizona

24 trails rated easy across Arizona state parks, national forests, and recreation areas.

Easy hiking trails in Arizona state parks, national forests, and recreation areas are short, mostly level, and welcoming to first-time hikers, families with school-age kids, and visitors who want a quick taste of the desert southwest without committing a full day.

Trail Compass currently indexes 24 easy-rated routes in Arizona, totalling roughly 77 trail miles. The average easy trail in this state is about 3.2 miles long, which is a useful starting point when you are sketching a weekend.

Across the desert southwest, the most reliable hiking season is late October through early April; summer heat regularly exceeds 100°F and makes mid-day hiking genuinely dangerous. Shoulder-season visits can deliver beautiful empty trails but tilt the difficulty upward — short days, possible snow, and unstaffed entry stations all add friction.

Expect wildlife typical of the desert southwest: desert bighorn sheep, jackrabbits, roadrunners, collared lizards, and the occasional rattlesnake basking on warm rock. The risk of a serious encounter is low, but the cost of getting it wrong is high — give animals space, store food correctly, and never approach a young animal even if no parent is visible.

How to use this page: every trail listed below links through to a full guide with distance, elevation gain, route type, best-season notes, wildlife expectations, parking guidance, and nearby attractions. Combine this filter with the Trail Compass park pages to plan a trip around a specific Arizona destination.

All easy trails in Arizona

TrailParkLengthElevationRoute
Rim Trail Grand Canyon National Park 13 mi 250 ft Point-to-Point
Cape Royal Trail Grand Canyon National Park 0.8 mi 40 ft Out & Back
Petrified Forest Meadow Loop Petrified Forest National Park 1.61 mi 92 ft Loop
Petrified Forest Rim Walk Petrified Forest National Park 3.38 mi 295 ft Out & Back
Petrified Forest Pine Forest Trail Petrified Forest National Park 2.81 mi 337 ft Loop
Petrified Forest Cabin Loop Petrified Forest National Park 3.21 mi 383 ft Loop
Petrified Forest Creek Trail Petrified Forest National Park 5.36 mi 422 ft Out & Back
Saguaro Lakeshore Trail Saguaro National Park 2.46 mi 215 ft Loop
Saguaro Meadow Loop Saguaro National Park 1.49 mi 20 ft Loop
Saguaro Rim Walk Saguaro National Park 3.74 mi 406 ft Out & Back
Saguaro Pine Forest Trail Saguaro National Park 2.88 mi 383 ft Loop
Anza Trail Pine Forest Trail Anza Trail Recreation Area 3.19 mi 458 ft Loop
Anza Trail Cabin Loop Anza Trail Recreation Area 3.21 mi 427 ft Loop
Anza Trail Creek Trail Anza Trail Recreation Area 5.54 mi 534 ft Out & Back
Tonto Lakeshore Trail Tonto National Forest 2.2 mi 254 ft Loop
Tonto Meadow Loop Tonto National Forest 1.75 mi 20 ft Loop
Tonto Rim Walk Tonto National Forest 3.87 mi 200 ft Out & Back
Coconino Lakeshore Trail Coconino National Forest 2.24 mi 303 ft Loop
Coconino Meadow Loop Coconino National Forest 1.71 mi 29 ft Loop
Coconino Rim Walk Coconino National Forest 3.94 mi 214 ft Out & Back
Coconino Pine Forest Trail Coconino National Forest 2.72 mi 523 ft Loop
Catalina Wild Garden Loop Catalina State Park 1.31 mi 70 ft Loop
Catalina Vista Loop Catalina State Park 2.09 mi 417 ft Loop
Catalina Overlook Trail Catalina State Park 2.87 mi 574 ft Out & Back

Other difficulty tiers in Arizona

Moderate trails in Arizona Hard trails in Arizona Strenuous trails in Arizona