Voaz Loop at Phoenix Mountains Preserve

Believe it or not, I’m a part of my high school’s Environmental Club! As a fun, post-finals activity, I joined my peers on a moderate hike through the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, conveniently located right by our school.

For one of our club’s first activities, we hit up The Phoenix Mountains Preserve. This expansive area of desert is set aside for recreational enjoyment, smack dab in the middle of the city! We looked for a moderate hike on AllTrails, leading us to Voaz Loop. The 3.7 mile loop was definitely a moderate hike. With some steep, rocky inclines, it could be a little more challenging for beginners. My friend Evie and I were able to move ahead of the group, and we ended up finishing the hike a bit earlier than everyone else. As you may know by now, I love a good hiking buddy; so it was great to catch up with her and talk our way through the hike!

For being in the middle of a major city, you wouldn't expect to see such greenery and beauty! This part of the Preserve, however, is one of the more gorgeous hiking spots in the Phoenix Metro area. I don’t hike up here too much, but it seems like I should start. This area has SO many trails, that you can really craft any sort of hike you’re looking for. Centered around Piestewa Peak, you can easily add incline. Looking for distance? This swath of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve connects South through Paradise Valley or North toward Shaw Butte. This build-you-own-adventure style can be super fun, and it’s very easy to find unique routes already built on AllTrails or similar.

Attached below are some pictures that really don’t do this hike justice. Come for the unique, expansive trails and stay for some quality hiking time with some good friends!