It's almost impossible to review an entire park like Piestewa Peak in just one hike so I'll preface this review by saying this only encompasses the 32nd St Trailhead and the #8A Quartz Ridge Trail. Evidently this is my sister's go-to spot for a quick and (relatively) easy hike by her house. Here's a breakdown:
Parking- There's a parking lot off N 32nd St & E Lincoln Rd on E Sierra Vista Dr that holds maybe 20-25 cars and fills up pretty quickly according to my sis. She usually just skips it and heads straight for the shopping center across the way.
Restroom- There are no restrooms at the 32nd St Trailhead, but there are park restrooms on E Squaw Peak Dr, but I would just ignore those and head for the Starbucks in the aforementioned shopping center--evidently they don't mind since a preponderance of their business seems to be hikers.
Trails- The trails themselves are in pretty rough shape and have lots of loose rocks and jagged edges that create a pretty hazardous situation if you're not watching where you're going; they're also really narrow in some spots and are barely wide enough for an adult. Unfortunately you find yourself staring at the ground 90% of the time and kinda lose the fact that you're in a really beautiful area.
Scenery- Excellent scenery with lots of different cacti scattered throughout the trail; great views of Downtown Phoenix; and there's even a decent view of Camelback Mountain. Not much shade here, but you're in the Sonoran Desert so bring a hat and some water.
Difficulty- On a scale of 1-10 I'd rate this at a 4 for an adult and maybe an 8 for kids. My 3-year-old did most of it on his own and I only had to carry him over a few really rough patches--but he's a more experienced hiker than some adults. There's also the weather here in AZ that could add a +3 to all those numbers but we lucked out and went on a spectacular Spring Day.
I really wanted to give this trail a 3-star rating but I had a hard time justifying that in my head because we all had a good time and the views are definitely worth the effort. The 32nd St Trailhead gets a thumbs up from yours truly.