By Annika Tomlin
March 30 is National Take a Walk in the Park Day — the perfect excuse to do just that. Here are 11 places to visit on March 30. Don’t forget to bring water as temperatures begin to rise.
11. Dos Lagos Park
6200 W. Utopia Road, Glendale
Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Set between two lakes, this park is great for walks. Take advantage of the picnic tables and grills or bring a blanket and watch the sunset.
10. Cave Creek Regional Park
37019 N. Lava Lane, Cave Creek
Open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily (through April 30); 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily (May 1 through October 31)
This regional park boasts eight trails ranging from 0.2 miles to 5.8 miles, with a variety of difficulty levels. Get lost in nature for a few hours taking the longer Go John trail (5.8 miles) or go for a stroll on the half-mile Flat Rock trail. Entry into the park is $7 per car, while hiking, biking and horse riding is an additional $2.
9. Chaparral Park
5401 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale
Open 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily
Outside of the glitz and glam of Scottsdale, Chaparral Park offers an escape. Walk around the lake, bring the pup to the dog park and enjoy the day outside. Chaparral Park covers 100 acres, making it easy to spend a few hours getting in those steps.
8. Riverview Park
2100 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Mesa
Open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
The home to the Chicago Cubs’ Sloan Park, Riverview Park is a premier recreation destination. Miles of accessible sidewalks wrap around the facilities, playgrounds and water features. The Rio Salado Pathway travels along the Salt River for walkers, runners and bicyclists to hit up Riverview Park, Sloan Park, Riverview shopping center and Tempe Town Lake.
7. Veterans Oasis Park
4050 E. Chandler Heights Road, Chandler
Open 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily
With 113 acres, a beautiful community fishing lake, scenic hiking and horseback riding trails, tranquil pavilions and an outdoor amphitheater, Veterans Oasis Park hosts plentiful outdoor recreational opportunities. Nestled in southeast Chandler, 78 acres of the park are designed for groundwater recharge and wetlands, making it the perfect home to an abundance of unique Sonoran Desert flora and wildlife.
6. Desert West Park
6602 W. Encanto Boulevard, Phoenix
Open 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
At 0.48 miles, this is a shorter trail that is great for getting on a fitness kick. Surrounded by soccer and softball fields, walkers are sure to be around during a game or practice. Don’t forget to bring water.
5. Steele Indian School Park
300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix
Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Named after Horace C. Steele, who founded the Steele Foundation in 1980, this park was designed in the spirit of the City Beautiful movement. Its premise is simple: City dwellers need passive, open green space in city centers to take a break from urban living’s physical confinement. In other words, take a walk in the park and forget about city life.
4. Tempe Beach Park
80 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe
Open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
This 25-acre park offers more than 5 miles of paths and exercise trails, picnic areas, ramadas and the Luis Gonzalez Arizona Diamondbacks Field of Dreams. Plus, it’s a great place to take graduation photos.
3. South Mountain Park
10919 S. Central Avenue, Phoenix
Open from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily
At more than 16,000 acres, South Mountain Park/Preserve is one of the largest city parks in the nation. With the Ma Ha Tauk, Gila and Guadalupe mountain ranges, the park has more than 50 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking. At 2,330 feet, Dobbins Lookout is the park’s highest point available to the public. This is the spot to take an unobstructed panoramic picture for Instagram.
2. Rio Vista
Community Park
8866 W. Thunderbird Road, Peoria
Open from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Rio Vista Community Park is a 52-acre park in Peoria that offers a wide array of activities and amenities. It is home to the Rio Vista Recreation Center, multiple athletic fields, playground and splash pad. The park is also home to Peoria’s Veterans Memorial Wall, which recognizes all of those who have served and are serving the country.
1. Papago Park
625 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix
Gated parking area open from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (trails remain open until 11 p.m.)
Papago Park guests enjoy world-class natural attractions and an extensive trail network through Sonoran Desert habitat. They can also enjoy the parks of two major residents, the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden. Look into WishTrip, a hiking app that adds fun games to the Papago Park trails. CT
