One of the benefits to living in Phoenix is you can take advantage of all of the mountain trails during our cooler seasons. The closest mountain to our house is the White Tank Mountains. This park is located on Olive a few miles west of the 303. There are many trails here that are easy enough for kids to hike including our favorite, the waterfall trail. This trail features a smooth path that takes you up to where the water falls after the rain. The trail is only about a mile long and we have seen even small toddlers do it so it’s fun for the whole family. You can get a map to see where this trail and other trails are by stopping at the visitors center upon entering the park.
Here is the pool at the bottom of the waterfall. It makes for a great photo opp!
Along the trail there are many facts about the mountains you can read. You can also make some games for the family like how many types of cacti can you spot along the trail.
If you go to the White Tank Mountains:
- Plan your trip here: http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/white_tank/
- Bring $6 to get into the park (this is per vehicle).
- There are plenty of ramadas at this park so you can bring your own food and have a picnic with the whole family.
- A few important things to always remember when hiking in AZ is always bring water, tell family where you are going and where appropriate foot wear.
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