Trail Compass

Hard hiking trails in Arizona

16 trails rated hard across Arizona state parks, national forests, and recreation areas.

Hard hiking trails in Arizona are serious half-day to full-day commitments. Long mileage, sustained climbing, and sometimes rocky or exposed terrain push these routes well past a casual outing in the desert southwest.

Trail Compass currently indexes 16 hard-rated routes in Arizona, totalling roughly 144 trail miles. The average hard trail in this state is about 9 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 hard trails in Arizona

TrailParkLengthElevationRoute
Bright Angel Trail to Plateau Point Grand Canyon National Park 12.2 mi 3,200 ft Out & Back
South Kaibab Trail to Skeleton Point Grand Canyon National Park 6 mi 2,000 ft Out & Back
Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa Grand Canyon National Park 6 mi 2,500 ft Out & Back
Hermit Trail to Dripping Springs Grand Canyon National Park 6.5 mi 1,700 ft Out & Back
Petrified Forest Backcountry Traverse Petrified Forest National Park 12.29 mi 2,756 ft Point-to-Point
Petrified Forest Wilderness Loop Petrified Forest National Park 9.32 mi 1,861 ft Loop
Petrified Forest Saddle Trail Petrified Forest National Park 6.33 mi 1,671 ft Out & Back
Saguaro Summit Trail Saguaro National Park 7.97 mi 2,181 ft Out & Back
Saguaro Backcountry Traverse Saguaro National Park 12.53 mi 2,886 ft Point-to-Point
Saguaro Wilderness Loop Saguaro National Park 9.41 mi 1,784 ft Loop
Saguaro Saddle Trail Saguaro National Park 6.4 mi 1,748 ft Out & Back
Anza Trail Saddle Trail Anza Trail Recreation Area 6.71 mi 1,705 ft Out & Back
Tonto Summit Trail Tonto National Forest 7.95 mi 2,346 ft Out & Back
Tonto Backcountry Traverse Tonto National Forest 12.56 mi 2,698 ft Point-to-Point
Coconino Backcountry Traverse Coconino National Forest 12.58 mi 2,909 ft Point-to-Point
Coconino Wilderness Loop Coconino National Forest 9.57 mi 1,876 ft Loop

Other difficulty tiers in Arizona

Easy trails in Arizona Moderate trails in Arizona Strenuous trails in Arizona