Hiking near Phoenix transports hikers from the city life to the rocky summits of the Flatiron, city views after marching through Echo Canyon, past the cacti on Pinnacle Peak, and so much more. With a massive amount of trails to choose from also means a large amount of interest from local hikers.
Here is a list of 8 of the top hiking groups that Phoenix has to offer. Each group will vary in size, focus, and goals, but one thing they all share in common is the love of hiking. Join one or many of these local Phoenix hiking groups that are to the East and West of the 17 Highway and along the 10 Highway.
- 20’s and 30’s Hikers – 10,552+ Members
- Hiking Hikers Hiking Group – 9700+ Members
- Trail Mix Hiking – 5,696+ Members
- Hiking, Biking, and Socials for over 40’s – 2,753+ Members
- Sierra Club Palo Verde Group – 2,724+ Members
- Arizona and Beyond – 20s & 30s Backpacking and Hiking – 2,866 Members
- Take a Hike – 2,166 Members
- Phoenix Hiking, Biking and Everythinging Group – 1,138 Members
20’s and 30’s Hikers
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Link: https://www.meetup.com/20s-and-30s-Hikers-Meetup-Phoenix-Az/
Description: 20’s and 30’s Hikers group is for 20-something and 30-somethings who enjoy the outdoors and want to experience with like-minded people. They welcome hikers of all skill levels! This is the largest hiking group in Phoenix with more than 10,500 members. With over 378 evens in the past this is a very active group. They have at least two events a week!
Hiking Hikers Hiking Group
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Link: https://www.meetup.com/threeh/
Description: Hiking Hikers Hiking Group aka “3H” is a group that focuses on outdoor activities. This group ranges from early twenties to late sixties and beyond. Although this is the second largest group in Phoenix with just over 9,700 members, they have had an insane 6,953 events in the past with multiple events a week.
Trail Mix Hiking
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Trail-Mix-Hiking/
Description: Trail Mix Hiking hopes to bring together like-minded hikers who share a passion for hikers and want to experience nature. All ages are welcome and dogs too. Their hikes are more for the intermediate difficulty with some more tough challenges tossed in. This group has had more then 3,500 events in the past with at least one event each week.
Hiking, Biking, and Socials for over 40’s
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Peaks-to-Prairies-Hiking-Biking-and-Social-Meet-for-40/
Description: Hiking, Biking, and Socials for over 40’s aims to promote fitness through hiking and mountain biking. This group is for anyone over 40 who wants to start or continue their outdoor activities. This group has had 157 events in the past and hosts one event each week.
Sierra Club Palo Verde Group
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Link: https://www.meetup.com/paloverdegroup/
Description: Sierra Club Palo Verde Group focuses on hiking and conservation activites organized by the Palo Verde Sierra Club. This group has many hiking events and educational events about hiking, camping, and outdoor safety. This group has hosted over 825 events in the past and typically has one or two events each month.
Arizona and Beyond – 20s & 30s Backpacking and Hiking
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Arizona-and-Beyond-Backpacking/
Description: Arizona and Beyond – 20s & 30s Backpacking and Hiking is for those in their twenties and thirties that enjoy backing trips with some day hikes sprinkled in. This group has organized 480 evens in the past with between one or two events a month.
Take a Hike
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Tempe, AZ
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Take-a-Hike/
Description: Take a Hike is a group for active adults who enjoy hiking. Though this group goes beyond hiking and also does activities such as camping, backpacking, kayaking, mountain biking, skiing, sailing, 4-wheeling, and more. This group has had a staggering 3,309 events with multiple events a week.
Phoenix Hiking, Biking and Everythinging Group
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Phoenix-Hiking-Biking-and-Everythinging-Group/
Description: Phoenix Hiking, Biking and Everythinging Group focuses on activities such as hiking, biking, kayaking, paddle boarding, camping, indoor climbing, and more. Their events range from casual to moderate in difficulty. They have hosted 107 events and typically organize two events a week.
Why should you join a Phoenix hiking group?
Meet Other Local Hikers
Local Phoenix hiking groups bring together thousands of like-minded hikers. There will be groups with a variety of different demographics and backgrounds for you to share your hikes with. From beginner hikers to hikers with years of experience, you will be able to teach and learn from others on your hikes.
Gain New Experience
By joining a Phoenix hiking group you will definitely gain new experience during your hikes. If you are looking to build up your fitness and endurance you can find a group that enjoys more challenging hikes. If you are looking to build a hiking routine you can find a group that hikes every week! If you want to venture further and do out of town hikes, there’s also groups that focus on that hiking avenue.
New Trail Discovery
Even with so many hiking trails to choose from in the local Phoenix area, there can be some hidden gem trails that fall through the cracks. By joining a hiking group you will definitely be able to experience hikes on trails you might have never even heard of. Local hikers will show you the hidden gems that aren’t on blogs or in books. These hiking group events happen all throughout the year, so you will be able to discover many new trails all year long!
3 things to consider when joining a Phoenix hiking group
Meet-up Frequency
One of the most important things to keep in mind is to find out how often the hiking group meets. Some groups may only meet once a month, while others can meetup multiple times a week. So if you’re looking to build a consistent hiking routine, look at a groups past events to see what their event cadence is. If you’re looking for more infrequent out of town trips, there is likely a group out there that fits this criteria.
Required Experience
If you are new to hiking then you may be worried about joining a group that is too far out of your comfort zone. So the first thing you want to look for is how much experience the group requires for their hikes. If the group is very organized they will list the hiking difficulty and if they welcome beginners. Or if you’re on the other side of the coin, you might want to hike with hikers with more experience that go on much more challenging hikes. The good news is you’ll be able to find groups that fall within those two extremes and adjust as you go!
Local Hiking Only?
Another important aspect to think about is where the bulk of the hikes take place for the group. Do they only do local urban hikes? Some groups might do hikes that are consistently one or two hours outside of Phoenix and some might do out of state trips. You should be able to tell based on their past events where a majority of their local hikes occurs.
Summary
Phoenix, Arizona is a wonderful place for hikers. The local trails provide magnificent views of the city, deep canyon gorges, along the ridges of epic summits, and past the desert flowers and beautiful cacti. Enjoy these beautiful trails by checking out the top 8 Phoenix hiking groups in this list. You’ll be able to meet others, build a hiking routine, learn and teach others about hiking, and more!
While these are the top 8 Phoenix hiking groups, there are definitely many other hiking groups that may fit your need, we just narrowed down a list so you have a place to start and not get analysis paralysis. Enjoy your Phoenix hikes and stay safe!
