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| - The entrance at 32nd St. & Lincoln is probably my favorite hiking location of all time. I don't know why I tried it first when I started hiking here 4 years ago, but it is my go-to place to hike and to (try to) introduce friends/family to hiking. Compared to Camelback which sometimes feels like A Night at the Roxbury, 32nd St. & Lincoln (as well as the adjoining Piestewa Peak) feels like the Cheers theme song when it says, "sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name." Nearly everyone you meet is friendly and polite and will make way for you or thank you for making way for them on the trail, so I never worry about whether someone would stop and render aid if I end up injuring myself there! The views of downtown Phoenix in the distance are wonderful, and you have a variety of trail distance and difficulty depending on how much time you have and how much effort you want to expend. If you follow the 8A trail, you have a comfortable hike without too much claiming for the first 3/4 mile and then a nice climb through switchbacks to a place to stop and rest on a memorial bench. (If you're feeling ambitious at that point, you can follow 8B up another 100 feet elevation to another memorial bench.) On the other hand, if you want the climby part right now or are short on time, follow 8A about 1/4 mile from the entrance until you go through the first creekbed, take a left on the 202 trail, climb to the top of the ridge and take a right, and you have your choice of trails up to two peaks of equal elevation (around 1920 feet) that will make your legs burn pretty quickly. At any rate, no matter your level of experience or fitness, I would recommend a hike at 32nd St. & Lincoln to anyone - you will have a fantastic time! :)
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