PHOENIX — Several popular hiking trails in Phoenix, Arizona will close March 19-22 as officials respond to an unusually early stretch of extreme heat expected to bring triple-digit temperatures to the Valley.
The city will shut down select trails from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, following standard protocol when the National Weather Service issues an extreme heat warning. The forecast is highly unusual for March, typically a mild time of year in Arizona, where even 90-degree temperatures are rare.
Temperatures are expected to break multiple records across the Phoenix area. The National Weather Service issued the heat warning for 13 counties beginning March 18, cautioning residents and visitors about “dangerously hot conditions” that increase the risk of heat-related illness.
Certain trails in Phoenix have restrictions during extreme heat days. Learn more below. https://t.co/nUGr3a7X2B
— City of Phoenix, AZ (@CityofPhoenixAZ) March 19, 2026
City officials said trail closures are a key safety measure, noting that more than 200 hikers are rescued each year from Phoenix parks and preserves. Rescues on the most dangerous trails have declined as closures and other precautions have expanded.
The upcoming closures will affect Echo Canyon and Cholla trails on Camelback Mountain, the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail and connected routes. Trails in South Mountain Park and Preserve also will close, including the Holbert Trail, Mormon Trail, Hau’pal Loop Trail and access to the National Trail from the Pima Canyon Trailhead.
About Trail Heat Safety Program:
In 2021, the Parks and Recreation Board established the Trail Heat Safety Program as a proactive measure designed to help bikers, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts navigate the beautiful Phoenix trail system while minimizing the risks of extreme heat to trail users and first responders.
Since its inception, the program has evolved to meet the needs of both hikers and first responders as Phoenix continues to experience record-breaking summer heat. On October 25, 2024, the Parks Board voted to approve expanding the program to include all trails at South Mountain Park and Preserve and to begin trail closures one hour earlier, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Following the October meeting, the Parks Board held work study sessions during its regularly scheduled meetings in January and February 2025 to discuss further proposed changes. The work study sessions were focused on discussion only, and no action was taken by the Parks Board.
After hearing public comment and careful review, the Parks Board approved the following updates on March 27, 2025, which are effective immediately:
On days when the National Weather Service (NWS) issues an Extreme Heat Warning, three trails at South Mountain Park and Preserve will be restricted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m:
- Holbert Trail (2.56 miles)
- Mormon Trail (1.35 miles)
- Hau’pal Loop Trail (2.8 miles)
- Access to the National Trail from the Pima Canyon Trailhead
The National Trail will remain open when accessed from other trailheads and all other trails at Pima Canyon Trailhead will remain open.
In total, more than 100 miles of trails on South Mountain will remain accessible to hikers, with fewer than 7 miles subject to restrictions during Extreme Heat Warnings.
Current Trail Restrictions During Extreme Heat Warnings
On days when the NWS issues an Extreme Heat Warning, the following trails are restricted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m:
Camelback Mountain Preserve – Echo Canyon and Cholla Trail
Phoenix Mountains Preserve – The Piestewa Peak Summit trail and associated trails
South Mountain Park and Preserve – Holbert Trail, Mormon Trail, Hau’pal Loop Trail, and access to the National Trail from the Pima Canyon Trailhead.
