Lake Pleasant

At approximately 120,000 acres, Maricopa County is home to the largest regional park system in the United States. All trails within the Maricopa County Park System are for non-motorized use only and ten parks in the system circle the metropolitan area and all are within a 45-minute drive from downtown Phoenix.

This backtrack hike is at the Lake Pleasant Regional Park north of Phoenix. It follows the Pipeline Canyon Trail down to a floating bridge over the lake, then returns to the trailhead. On the trail, there are cactus that exceed 30 feet in height and excellent views of the surrounding desert and of Lake Pleasant. The trail is well marked, well maintained and is a great way to spend an hour or more if you want to hike the entire 2 mile (4 mile roundtrip) route. Due to intense heat, and a tight schedule I opted for an abbreviated trip – but it’s enjoyable either way.