Camelback Mountain was arduous but once you finish you feel a huge sense of accomplishment. This was my first time ever going hiking and what an experience! I went on the Echo Canyon trail which is supposed to be harder.
Parking is very limited. There will be a lot of people there so you might get lucky but I didn't. There are about 35-40 parking spaces. You can park on an area on 56th that is a few minutes from the main entrance. From parking to the trail is about a mile walk.
You will sweat. Now is not the time to try to be prim and proper because by the time you make it back down you will look awful, but in a good way because others there will be able to empathize. You will have to crawl, scoot, and use what ever means necessary to climb especially if you're a novice. Believe me, some of the rocks there got very familiar with me! There is railing and fencing at the beginning but after that it's all nature!
Dress lightly, bring lots of water, proper shoes, and a positive attitude. Climbing up can be just as difficult as climbing down so it's great to stay optimistic. I used my boyfriend as motivation since he was leaping on the rocks like a billy goat!
Don't rush. If you are in regular health and new to hiking it will take about an hour to make it up. Sure you will see Bodybuilder Bob but don't let that hasten your hike. The rocks can get slippery and if you rush thinking you have superhuman abilities, especially if it's your first time hiking you can seriously hurt yourself. And don't be fooled that it will be easier going down, go down with more precaution than you used going up.
The people there are great. They will encourage you and talk to you. So good luck and make sure you take lots of pictures once you make it up the top because this isn't something you want to miss out on for pictures!