Deem Hills that is. I made a commitment that I would hike in local Phoenix park areas that to be honest, I didn’t know they existed. Phoenix Parks Department has done a marvelous job in preserving and creating an urban setting that is conducive to hiking and biking. I am amazed at the number of trails that exist and are really worth exploring. I for one, seem to get caught up in wanting to hike in many of the far off places without exploring my own backyard so the past several days I set out to hike every trail in Deem Hills Park. Am I ever glad I did.

Day One started off with a good omen as I drove down the 51 and saw this vehicle bearing my last name “Fruth” driving next to me. Don’t see my name very often in Arizona so I took that as a good sign. I went to the west entrance off of Happy Valley Road and 51st Avenue. The park is very nice with restroom facilities, soccer field, dog park and plenty of parking.

It was a cloudy overcast day that turned into a rainy day while out on the trails but I was prepared and actually looking forward to hiking in the rain it the desert. There is something magical about hiking in the rain in the desert. I set out on the Circumference Trail which is advertised as a little bit less then six miles. I meandered on to the Basalt Trail and the Palisade Trail and back on the Circumference Trail to my car. I was entertaining the thought of hiking all the trails including the Ridgeline but with the rain getting heavier I finished up for the day and headed home.

My GPS told me that I had a total elevation gain of 1461 feet. I traveled a total of eight miles and loved every minute of it. I came across about 10 others so I had plenty of solitude and time to myself and my thoughts on life. There is much to be said about being alone on trails for several hours.

Day two, starts off with my own tasty version of some “bulletproof” coffee to fuel my inner hunger cravings and my goals for the day. I drove the 20+ miles and the weather was completely different. Sunny, few clouds and once again few hikers on the trails. This time I took the Circumference Trail from the 39th Avenue side to the Palisade Trail and then to the Ridgeline Trail. From the Ridgeline, back to the Basalt, on to the Palisade and this time down to the Water Tank Road back to the car. A little over five miles and I finished what I started. What a glorious hike. The views were incredible.

Here I am in the city but yet alone in the desert.  This time my GPS App tells me that I had total elevation gains of 999 feet. Interesting. The  yellow is starting to come out on the plants and the birds were out in force. Just beautiful to soak up the sunshine on my five mile journey.

I knocked off this park, so on to my next city hiking adventure. Sometimes we can find what we need just down the road.