Photo by Mare Czinar Cat Peaks Loop

Usery Mountain Regional Park

Kid, bike, dog and horse-friendly, this short hike in the desert offers all the amenities of a stroll through a vivacious subdivision – except with much better scenery. The wide, easy-to-follow trail with only one minor uphill section makes for a perfect family outing. Forests of chain fruit cholla cactuses dripping in spiny seed necklaces and ironwood trees with delicate pink, pea-like blooms clutter the landscape. The roundabout route showcases views of the park’s signature landmark – 3,300-foot-tall Pass Mountain – before heading east toward the jagged peaks of the Superstition Wilderness on the horizon. In between, the path circles the two Cat Peaks, which are pyramid-like summits within the park.

Begin by hiking east on the Blevins Trail.  Continue 0.3 miles, pass the Amigos Wash trail, veer left and continue on Blevins for another 0.4 miles to the Cat Peaks Trail junction. Follow this trail for 1 mile to the Cats Peak Pass trail and turn right. Climb over the pass back to the Blevins Trail, turn right and retrace your steps back to the trailhead.

INFORMATION
Length: 2.7-mile loop
Rating: easy
Elevation: 1,925-1,795 feet
Getting there: From Phoenix, go east on US 60 to Ellsworth Road (exit 191).
Go north on Ellsworth for 7 miles to Usery Park Road, turn right and continue 1.7 miles to the horse staging trailhead. 
Fee: $6 daily fee per vehicle
More info: maricopa.gov/parks/usery/directions.aspx