Best Nature Preserve Surprise Near Me

4worldlovers: THE PARKING LOT OFF OF 67th Ave and Patrick Lane will be closed for improvements.

Be advised: open fires are prohibited in Glendale Parks per Glendale City Code 16-16.

If you witness park violations please contact the Park Ranger at 623-695-3004.

Have You Been Here? If you love getting out in nature, we’ve got the perfect place! Thunderbird Conservation Park has trails for hiking, biking,

Running and even horseback riding! There are also several activities for those who just want a quiet time outside. There’s something for everybody!

Thunderbird Conservation Park, a 1,185-acre park in the Hedgpeth Hills, is a conservation park dedicated to preserving the desert environment. The hills were named for Robert Hedgpeth, an early homesteader in the area. The park took its name from the World War II pilot training facility located four miles south of the park. The city of Glendale acquired the park in 1951 through a lease with the federal government. Ownership came in 1956 with the assistance of the Glendale Women’s Club and Glendale Rotary Club. Maricopa County operated the park from 1963 to 1984 and many of the park improvements were made during this time. In 1984 the park was returned to the city. Park activities include picnicking, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, jogging and bird watching. About 15 miles of multi-use trails have been constructed, thanks to the efforts of many volunteer groups.

Trails at Thunderbird Conservation can be crowded during high peak use. With more users comes the need for guidelines for wise trail use. Such guidelines can enable all trail users to have the enjoyable experience everyone is looking for. Remember, courtesy is contagious and, who knows, you may make a new friend! Help us protect this fragile environment by staying on the trails.

Originates at 67th Avenue parking lot at Patrick Lane and concludes at 51st Avenue & Potter. Not designated as a looped trail.

Originates at 55th Ave & Pinnacle Peak parking lot and is a looped trail.

Originates south of Pinnacle Peak parking lot along the Coach Whip trail and ends at Ramadas 14 and 15.

Originates at parking lot A and ends at Coach Whip near 55th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Rd.

Originates at the North end of the amphitheater, or near Ramada 11. A branch of this trail originates at Ramada 11, travels west and intersects the Coach Whip trail on the west side of the park.

Originates off of the Coach Whip trail and intersects with the Sunrise trail.

Originates at 67th Avenue and Patrick Lane parking lot and concludes at parking lot B.

4worldlovers: Access: Start from the Deem Hills Park to proceed to Deem Hills Circumference Trail.

Description: The Deem Hills Circumference trail traverses the entire recreation area and commands excellent views of the Phoenix area, the Hedgepeth Hills to the south, and the Hieroglyphic and Bradshaw Mountains to the north.

Taking the Circumference trail will take you around the entire Deem Hills system, but not in the normal way. For instance, on the north side, the Circumference trail cuts into the mountain instead of going around it, taking you into a small valley. For 5.7 miles, you will go through flat sections to steep and rocky sections. You will have fantastic views of the CAP canal to the north and the surrounding mountains. To the south and west, you will see Phoenix surrounding the lower flanks of the hills. And to the east, you will see the McDowell Mountain range.

Access: Start from the Deem Hills Park to connect to Deem Hills Circumference Trail. From Deem Hills Circumference Trail, proceed to Deem Hills Ridgeline Trail.

Description: As it's name suggests, the Ridgeline Trail will take you to the highest parts of Deem Hills in between the .50 and .79 trail posts at 2,050 ft. From the trail you will have incredible views all around.

The Ridgeline trail is the most challenging trail in the park with an elevation gain of 353 ft and several steep switchbacks. It has excellent views all around including a great view of Ludden Mountain to the west. The highest point is 2,050 ft. This is where to go for some great panoramic pictures and a workout. You can connect with the Circumference Trail at both the beginning and the end of Ridgeline.

Access: Start from East Trailhead to connect to Deem Hills Circumference Trail going north. Turn left off of Deem Hills Circumference Trail onto Watertower Road. Turn left off of Watertower Road to connect to Palisade Trail. From Palisade Trail, proceed to Basalt Trail.

Description: Basalt trail is an important connector in the Deem Hills interior section. You can use it to connect with both east and west sides of the Circumference trail, Ridgeline trail and Palisade. It is short and very rocky at the beginning. Basalt trail also shares .1 mile of the same trail tread as Palisade.

The Basalt trail was named for the amount of Basalt Rock that is visible from the trail. At any point along the trail, one can turn and look to see huge boulders of basalt rock that formed millions of years ago.

Access: Start from East Trailhead to connect to Deem Hills Circumference Trail. From Deem Hills Circumference Trail, proceed to CAP Road Trail.

Description: The CAP Road trail is named after it's proximity to the CAP canal just to it's north. The canal is 336 miles long but the trail runs parallel to it for 1.6 miles of it.

CAP road trail is unmarked and follows the service road on the east side. On the west side, it veers right and follows the chain link fence heading west. It is the closest trail to the canal.

Access: Start from East Trailhead to connect to Deem Hills Circumference Trail going north. Turn left off of Deem Hills Circumference Trail onto Watertower Road. Turn left off of Watertower Road to proceed to Palisade Trail.

Description: Palisade Trail can be one of the quietest trails at Deem Hills as it takes some work to get to. But once there, you often have 360 panoramic views of the city and the mountains to the east, north and west.

Palisade Trail can be accessed from the Water Tank Road to the east and the Circumference Tail in two areas, both north and east. It is a good trail for running, as you can start out at the Water Tower Trail, connect to Palisade and come back the same way. Often you will forget you are in Phoenix on this trail as it can feel remote. The Palisade also has two additional connectors to the Circumference Trail on the east side to make additional loops. The Palisade trail also shares .1 mile of the same trail tread as Basalt between the .45 and .55 section which is extremely rocky.

Video Fly Over of Palisade Trail 360° Panoramic View of the Palisade Trail Summit

4worldlovers:
Escape the city on a self-guided quarter-mile nature trail featuring petroglyphs, native desert plants, and animals in their natural habitat. The preserve features historical research data completed by J. Simon Bruder, as well as displays of on-going Southwest archaeology research by ASU faculty and students.


The museum, gallery and trail are self-guided and we now offer a free audio tour for the petroglyph trail.


The university has operated, protected and preserved the site since 1994. Opportunities to explore and learn more about the site and indigenous cultures are available through guided tours, publications and on-going lectures series. We look forward to your visit!