Who goes hiking on vacation? Apparently I do! Several friends that live in the area are always posting pictures of their hiking adventures around the Phoenix area and I wanted to see what desert hiking was all about when I came down for Memorial Day.
Being from the Pacific Northwest, hiking generally involves parading through heavily forested trails with occasional rockery and is often made worthwhile with scenic waterfalls and lakes. I knew not to expect this in Arizona, but what I didn't realize was the different beauty Camelback provided. Being located in basically the heart of the widespread greater Phoenix area, the panoramic views are unparalleled without being in a plane. PNW hiking is generally situated far away from any urban areas so it was unique to be able to see an entire city and its surroundings from a hiking vantage point.
In hindsight I wish I would've brought a map of the Phoenix area (rather than looking at my small iPhone screen) to get an idea of what I was looking at across the valley. As a golfer it was fun to see the layouts of the courses I've played from an aerial view, especially the Phoenician directly below on the south and east sides of the mountain.
I'd love to come back for a sunset hike!