The Phoenix Traveler

Running is a popular recreational activity in Phoenix, even during the summer months. If you can get out on the street, trail or canal bank by 5:30 a.m., with lots of water to help beat the heat, you won’t be alone. The coolest spots? I polled a few friends who run together year-round on Saturday mornings. They often train together for marathon races, and here’s where they suggest you might like to pound your feet:

The Arizona Canal

From the Salt River Pima Indian Reservation all the way to the Northwest Valley, this almost 40-mile stretch offers easy access and provides a flat, even path that you can run, walk or bike along. About mid-point, guests who stay at the Arizona Biltmore Resort can find an entryway practically right outside the door. There’s also a terrific view of the Praying Monk on Camelback Mountain as you run nearby. Heading west, between 7th Street and 7th Avenue (in the Sunnyslope neighborhood), you’ll find the Arizona Canal Demonstration Project–a neighborhood improvement project with seating areas, vegetation and cultural enrichment. Heading back east, about where the Arizona Canal meets the Crosscut Canal is another unique feature, the Arizona Falls. Early Scottsdale settlers used to picnic and stage dances on this site in the 1920s.

Pros: The trail is made of compressed dirt, as opposed to a concrete run on the street. It’s long and flat (if you don’t want hills) with many underpasses, which make it easy to cross busy intersections. There are a few places to stop for water/bathrooms along the way. It also offers multiple access points with good places to park your vehicle.

Cons: If you want hills, this trail won’t provide them. There is some shade, but if you start too late, it’ll get pretty hot pretty fast during the summer months.

Historic Murphy Bridal Path

Along Central Avenue, from Bethany Home Road north to Butler Avenue, this 2.5 mile tree-lined path follows a route early Phoenix residents once made by horse and buggy. It was established in 1895 and recently was named to the National Register of Historic Places. Horses still follow the bridal path, but it also attracts runners.

Pros: It’s also a path made of compressed dirt. It’s a great trail for summer runs because of the shade. With several access points, it’s easy to find. It connects to the canal so you can enjoy an extended run, if you like, and it’s flat.

Cons: It won’t provide a heavy-duty workout, as the path is short (about five miles round-trip). It has several street crossings, which could interupt your exercise routine.

Trail 100 

Also known as the Christiansen Trail, the trailhead is located at the Mountain View Park at 7th Avenue and Cheryl Drive. You can also start at the North Mountain Park visitor’s center on 7th Street, south of Thunderbird Road. The multi-use trail runs east-west for about 10 miles through the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. It passes through a tunnel system so you don’t have to worry about crossing heavy traffic on the public streets. Pros: It’s long with many many trails that branch off to other areas. You can get your hill work done here on the dirt trail.

An alternative hill route that takes you through a neighborhood of very nice houses: Mummy Mountain.

Thanks to John Carter, Megan Powers and Michael O’Toole for providing me with most of this information.

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