ParkSonoran Desert
South Mountain Park & Preserve
One of the largest municipal parks in the country, entirely inside city limits. Drive to Dobbins Lookout for the valley at sunset.
- Managed by
- City of Phoenix
- From Phoenix
- 20 min south
- Entry
- Free
Before you go
Fees, access, and what people get wrong here.
- Free. Vehicle gates run 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. while the trails stay open until 11 p.m., so time your return around the gate, not the trail.
- Summit Road to Dobbins Lookout is paved and drivable, making sunset over the valley accessible to everyone.
- This is the hottest of the valley preserves in summer. Rangers close trails during extreme heat warnings.