How serendipitous that our visit to Camelback mountain coincided with the opening day of the parking lot! There was quite a long line when we first arrived. We were unsure at first if we had to pay to park because there was a man in the booth managing things. Usually man in booth=dude waiting to collect $.
We found out that parking was free. The booth is there to let people in as others come out. In the rich neighborhood of Scottsdale this was the city's attempt to manage the riff raff and keep us grubby hikers from parking our dingy cars in front of their fancy houses. I like organized chaos.
Camelback is a popular spot among the locals. The hike is labeled as strenuous. I agree, it's not an easy walk in the park. Wear sturdy shoes. Try to come a few hours before sunset(3 hours before because it will take you that long to get up and come down) and enjoy the change in scenery. Watching the sunset on the hike is amazing and the pictures you get will be so much better than at any other time of day.
Be careful on the hike. This is an ankle twister waiting to happen. It's rocky, steep and slick in some parts. They have metal bars for you to brace yourself on when things get extra hairy. Use hand sanitizer or wash your hands after touching those bars because they are a germ fest.
If in Scottsdale, and you consider yourself the outdoorsy type, a visit to Camelback Mt and conquering the hike should be on ur bucket list.