🏜️ Camelback Mountain hike at sunset (Cholla Trail)

In March of this year, I visited Phoenix for the second time and I did the Camelback Mountain hike. The weather was far more pleasant than the first time I’d done a hike in Phoenix (that one’s one for the books, as my friend Andrew can attest). I’d heard about the Camelback before, but never looked into the details. I assumed it would be too difficult for me, but I assumed wrong. (Gimme a gold star.) There are two main trails that go to the top, the Echo Canyon trail, and the Cholla trail. I did the latter. I want to say it was a bit of a spontaneous hike, but now that I think about it, perhaps it was more that I was a little afraid of giving it a go, should it be too difficult, but I am very glad I did. 😁 I am a big believer that hiking is for everyone 💙 and I think it is important to not let your ego get to you and to know that you can—and should—always turn back around if you feel like you have to.

I did the hike on a Friday afternoon starting at around 4:10pm, so that I had enough time to see the sunset at the top. There was a decent amount of hikers but it wasn’t uncomfortably busy. The hike took about 2.5 hours for me in total, out and back, not including the 30 to 40 minutes watching the sunset. I also stopped and had a chat with some other hikers for a decent amount of time, so the actual hike may have taken a bit less than 2.5 hours. The trail is rated “extremely difficult”, for experienced hikers only, and there was a sign at the beginning of the Cholla trail that indicated this. I believe the trail closes during times of extreme heat. It was in the 60s (℉), around 18–20℃ when I did the hike.

I agree that the Camelback is a difficult hike, but it was only a little bit challenging for me. I wouldn’t say it was difficult. I consider myself a pretty fit person and an experienced hiker, although I don’t hike as much as I’d like to because I don’t easy access to a lot of hikes in Australia. If I had to rate the Camelback, I’d rate it 7/10. There was lots of scrambling over rocks required, and a bit of crawling and climbing. I am certain that is more difficult as a short 5’2 person than it would be for anyone taller. I can’t take as wide steps, and having smaller feet also means less surface area on the bottom of my foot for grip. Tell me if you are also a small person and have thought about this!

I came as prepared as I could, with trackpants over my activewear shorts, and a t-shirt over my sports bra. I brought a cardigan to shield me from the wind (forgive me, I don’t hike enough to have a proper activewear long-sleeve kinda thing). I probably should have done the hike without the pants over my shorts, to be a bit more comfortable, but the windy conditions were deceiving me. I also had a light, small backpack with a water bottle and snacks, but I would recommend bringing a more compact one because that would be more comfortable.

The hike wasn’t overly steep, and most of the climbing was towards the summit. The part with the climbing is often referred to as “The Saddle”. I just had to take my time here. This was the most technical part of the trail and everyone completes these parts differently. I had to let some people pass me at these difficult points because I needed more time and concentration, and they had obviously done this climb multiple times before. This is where my backpack got a bit annoying. It wasn’t heavy; it was only about 20% full, but it was a standard backpack so not made to contour my body or anything like that. Once again, being a small person on these climbs means a bit more time being hunched over and using your hands to support you, and you don’t want your backpack moving around. A tall person can more easily take steps and walk over parts that I’d have to use all fours for. I have done hikes with tall friends before, and it is so interesting to me that we complete trails in a completely different manner. There are times I’ve felt like parts are slippery or a fall hazard, but it really is not that way for someone with bigger feet than me, because they have better grip.

I didn’t feel the need to rush, but based on what I logged on my Apple Watch, it seemed like it took me a considerable amount of time to complete The Saddle compared to the rest of the hike. You may like to consider more time for that part if you are trying to see the sunset.

The sunset felt like it happened pretty quickly and a streak of clouds sort of obscured part of it. I think the sun started setting at around 6:20pm; at least that’s when I started taking photos. I didn’t take many photos on the trail itself. I didn’t spot any wildlife, although I found the hike a mental challenge so I may not have been looking around or paying too much attention to any.

I waited for the sun to almost fully set, leaving the summit at around 6:45pm. It was still a bit light at this time but it got dark in about 15 to 20 minutes. I don’t recommend starting the climb back down when it’s already dark, unless you are really confident or have a headlight. Personally, I found it almost impossible to take photos while doing the climbing, or use my phone as a flashlight. This is also why I’d still recommend some kind of backpack or something that lets you go hands free. Going back down was also a bit tricky because I had to sit and shuffle downwards over some rocks to avoid any falls and ensure safety.

I still don’t know what it is about the views of the city of Phoenix that feel kind of mesmerising, without actually knocking my socks off. Perhaps it is that I haven’t ever seen anything like it—a relatively flat city, no lush green trees that I love. But seeing a city like that, illuminated at night, is not a common occurrence for me. And you get a 360° view of it at the summit here.

I returned to the start of the Cholla trail at around 7:52pm. As I only did the Cholla trail, all of my thoughts and my experience is based on that, and I can’t speak for the Echo Valley trail.

I don’t often do hikes with this kind of terrain and in a place like Arizona. Most of the hikes I’ve done have been full of lush vegetation and lakes and rivers, since that’s what I usually prefer. I think it is nice to see what nature has to offer that might be outside of your comfort zone. If you are a relatively experienced hiker then I would recommend this one, and the sunset (and likely sunrise) does make it worth your while. If you are less wowed by desert and city views, then you may not care much for the view, but if you enjoy hiking in general, then the Camelback is a great challenge.