South Mountain

The first time I went there was Nov of 1987. I suspect I’ll hike back there some day.

I had finished some meetings in Phoenix and had a free afternoon. It was time to head back up to South Mountain. I thought that it might be interesting to visit during the daytime.

Looking to the north there were wonderful panoramic views of Phoenix to be had. It is amazing to see just how spread out the city is. To the south you could see Chandler and a little bit beyond that the desert took over.

We also visited the antenna farm on the ridge.

It’s kind of a long drive to get up to the top, but the view is grand. There are several lookout areas. The all offer something interesting to see.

While the drive up the steep, twisting, narrow road can be a bit nerve wracking (to the point of being a damn near religious experience when forced to share the road with some of those classic Phoenix drivers), there’s one curve that once you’ve reached it, its totally worth it. Looking out over Phoenix, the valley reaches as far as the eye can see, surrounded by mountains. It keeps getting better the further you go, be it straight up the mountain to the summit, or veering off along any of the various trails in the park, South Mountain is easily my favorite place in Phoenix.
Although, as the sun starts to set, the summit quickly becomes packed. Its a great spot to bring a date..and its no secret. Kinda pisses me off when the quiet I was enjoying turns to thumping bass and loud, obnoxious herds of horny hipsters, but with views like that, can’t say I blame ‘em. Hell, that’s precisely how I discovered South Mountain (sans the hipster part)..ahem..
Anyway, I digress…with killer views that can’t be beat, be it night or day, rain or shine, and great trails, picnic areas, lookouts, etc., South Mountain is a gem of Phoenix, offering an escape from city life for some outdoor recreation, and yet its barely 20 minutes from Downtown.

I went up there with a group of people when I was down in Phoenix for work a few years ago. We were tied up in meetings all day. After dinner that night one of the guys who used to live in Phoenix) suggested that we go see South Mountain.

We headed up there. We saw quite a few animals on the drive up the mountain. When we got to the top we got out and had a look around.

By then it was dark. We got out of the car in a parking area that had a commanding view of the city and its lights. As we admired the view we realized that we were not alone. South Mountain is also a very popular hangout for the dating crowd, if you catch my drift.

We, a bunch of loser engineers felt a wee bit out of place up there admiring the lights that night.

Another great place to hike. I used to hike here all the time.

I’ve been to South Mountain many times, but only once during the day. I must say whether you visit day or night the views are amazing! This place is great for locals and visitors alike. You can see miles and miles of Phoenix and its surrounding cities and different mountain ranges. Dobbins Point is usually the busiest lookout from what I’ve experienced. The one time I went up there during the day I only found a couple people there (who left as soon as I arrived). The other lookouts were deserted. The views were spectacular, even with bad weather. Nighttime views are equally amazing as the city lights up. Every time I’ve been there at night, Dobbins Point has been pretty packed. The drive up doesn’t take too long, even if you drive really slow like me up it. To me it’s a little nervewracking. There are some fairly steep inclines and plenty of sharp turns. A look over the railing and you see in some places it just drops off. Railing isn’t along the entire road, and it doesn’t look too sturdy. Care should be taken because I’ve seen people speed up and down the mountain (remember, sharp blind turns??). There are plenty of nice trails throughout the park and plenty of places to picnic.

This park is about a block away from where I live and it is a great place to walk. Just bring LOTS of water and try to stay on the trail. If you go for a day trip there are lots of great boulders and nice spots for a picnic. Do some exploring!