Hole-in-the-Rock

A few minutes of dirt path and steps around a sandstone butte in Papago Park to a wind-carved hole that frames the city, popular at sunset.

Papago Park's red sandstone buttes are weathered into a spongy texture, and Hole-in-the-Rock is the best known of them. A short dirt-and-step path wraps around the butte and up into the opening, which frames the park's palm-lined ponds and the city beyond. It gets crowded around sunset; midweek is quieter. The Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden are next door.

Parking

A small lot near the trailhead; when it's full, other Papago Park lots are within walking distance.

Trailhead: Hole-in-the-Rock trailhead, Papago Park.

Fee

Free

Dogs

Dogs on leash

Shade

Minimal

Hazards

• No dogs on City trails when it’s above 100°F.
• No specific hazards recorded beyond desert heat.

Best months

1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D

October to April, when the average high in Phoenix is under 90°F.

Trail map

Papago Park trail map · City of Phoenix (PDF)

Sources

6 sources · last verified Sep 24, 2026. Report a change

Photo: Tony the Marine · CC BY-SA 3.0

Where each fact comes from

• Papago Park trail map — City of Phoenix (PDF) checked 2026-09-27
• Papago Park Trails — City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation checked 2026-09-24
• Hiking and Trails (leash and heat rules) — City of Phoenix checked 2026-09-24
• Hole in the Rock Trail — 10Adventures (updated 2026-09-01) checked 2026-09-24
• OpenStreetMap — parking lot on the Hole-In-The-Rock Trail, Papago Park checked 2026-09-24
• Best months: normal high under 90°F, Phoenix Sky Harbor 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI) checked 2026-09-24