Best running trails in Arizona
Ranked by the runners who actually run there — Google rating weighted by review volume, across 290,362 reviews of Arizona trails. A trail needs at least 25 reviews to qualify (189 in Arizona do) and each name appears once. Nobody pays for a place. Updated 2026.
The 20 below run across 13 cities, 2 of them paved, 4 loops, 5 shaded, and 2 with a stated distance. This is a popularity ranking, not a difficulty score — for what a trail is actually like underfoot, open its page for surface, loop distance, shade, lighting, restrooms and parking.
Papago Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 12,935 reviews
Expansive hiking & picnicking area that includes the Phoenix Zoo & famed Hole-in-the-Rock formation.
Tempe Beach Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 10,435 reviews
Local landmark features a splash playground, boating, a baseball diamond & other athletic fields.
Prescott National Forest
4.7 ★★★★★ 7,241 reviews
Vast wilderness area offering nearly 950 miles of trails, campgrounds & sites for fishing & boating.
Fountain Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 6,318 reviews
Town park with a lake & fountain, 18-hole disc golf course, playground & picnic areas on 64-acres.
Phoenix Mountains Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 6,204 reviews
Group of parks with mountain & desert hiking trails, plus an abundance of cacti & native wildlife.
Sabino Canyon Recreation Area
4.8 ★★★★★ 5,457 reviews
This vast national forest area offers hiking trails & tram rides through picturesque desert canyons.
Sahuaro Ranch Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 4,388 reviews
Set on old ranch grounds, this park features wandering fowl, a historic house museum & play areas.
Kiwanis Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 4,324 reviews
Park with a lake & a 54,000-sq.-ft. complex with an indoor wave pool & a 15-court tennis center.
Desert Breeze Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,526 reviews
This large public park offers a lake, splash pad, sport courts & fields, paths & a playground.
Rio Salado Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 3,338 reviews
This former industrial area is now a desert river habitat with hiking trails & 200+ bird species.
Chaparral Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,135 reviews
This 100-acre public park has a swimming pool & fishing lake, plus sports courts & a playground.
Red Mountain Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 3,147 reviews
Green space housing facilities for sports from baseball to volleyball, plus picnicking sites.
Echo Canyon Trailhead
4.9 ★★★★★ 2,830 reviews
Trailhead featuring a parking lot, restrooms & the start of a trail leading up Camelback Mountain.
Bullhead City Community Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 2,889 reviews
Quaint lakefront park featuring a boat launch, playground, athletic fields & a dog run.
West Wetlands Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,692 reviews
Sprawling riverfront park featuring playgrounds, multi-use trails, grassy areas for sports & a pond.
Veterans Oasis Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,458 reviews
Outdoor recreation area with trails & a playground, plus a visitor center with educational programs.
Eldorado Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,427 reviews
Outdoor sanctuary offering fishing lakes, a pool & fields for sports such as softball & soccer.
Buffalo Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,307 reviews
215-acre park offers a 2-mile hiking loop trail, picnicking space, wildlife & scenic mountain views.
Glendale Heroes Regional Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,331 reviews
A city park with playgrounds, water play area, skate & BMX facility, picnicking, basketball & more.
Camelback Mountain
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,062 reviews
Rocky hiking destination with two major trails featuring steep elevation gains & sweeping views.
Where these trails are
The cities in this ranking, if you'd rather start from where you live.
- Running trails in Phoenix, AZ
- Running trails in Tempe, AZ
- Running trails in Prescott, AZ
- Running trails in Fountain Hills, AZ
- Running trails in Tucson, AZ
- Running trails in Glendale, AZ
- Running trails in Chandler, AZ
- Running trails in Scottsdale, AZ
- Running trails in Mesa, AZ
- Running trails in Bullhead City, AZ
- Running trails in Yuma, AZ
- Running trails in Flagstaff, AZ
- Running trails in Paradise Valley, AZ