Spanning 9,951 acres of wild space a few miles west of Lake Pleasant, Hells Canyon Wilderness Area offers a quick way to escape into an untamed swath of desert that’s more paradise than purgatory.
Mimicking the look and feel of a cultured botanical garden, the flat, easy 9.2-mile trail that circles the 2,400-acre preserve winds among pristine stands of cholla cacti, ironwood trees and the sites signature “candelabra” saguaros.
One of several highpoints in the hills south of the White Tank Mountains, Pyrite Summit anchors the western edge of Skyline Regional Park.
Start exploring the 315-mile, Valley-circling Maricopa Trail with a trek through its northmost reaches.