Desert Trails, Red Rock Parks + Natural Waterways
There is plenty more than Camelback’s Echo Canyon and Cholla Trails. The outdoors here is not one-note. Minutes from Kimpton Miralina, the landscape shifts from rugged summit trails and cactus-lined preserves to sculptural sandstone parks, botanical paths, and cool creek crossings carved into red rock. Set out for a demanding morning climb, take a gentler walk through desert flora, or make a day of it at one of Arizona’s most memorable natural swimming spots. However you choose to move, Miralina puts the desert’s wilder side within easy reach.
Our Top 5 Outdoor Adventures
McDowell Sonoran Preserve
One of Scottsdale’s strongest outdoor anchors, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve offers a vast network of shared-use trails through protected desert terrain. Choose an easier nature walk or a more ambitious route, with saguaros, rocky washes, and wide stretches of Sonoran landscape setting the pace.
Pinnacle Peak Park
For a classic Scottsdale hike with a clear sense of reward, Pinnacle Peak delivers a moderately challenging trail through granite outcrops and desert vegetation. The views delivered are worth it: sweeping panoramas of Scottsdale, plus wildlife sightings, from roadrunners and chuckwalla lizards to cactus wrens and gambel’s quail. It is a strong option for guests who want a real hike without taking on Camelback’s more demanding routes.
Desert Botanical Garden
A softer but still immersive way to experience the desert, Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden brings together cacti, wildflowers, agave, and desert trees from around the world. Its paths offer an easy, artful introduction to the plants that define the region.
Papago Park
A softer but still immersive way to experience the desert, Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden brings together cacti, wildflowers, agave, and desert trees from around the world. Its paths offer an easy, artful introduction to the plants that define the region.
Lower Salt River
Trade the trail for the water with a tubing trip along the Lower Salt River. The river cuts a cooler path through the desert, offering a refreshing change of pace and a chance to experience Arizona’s landscape from a different angle.
Plus, Worth the Drive: Slide Rock State Park
The two-hour drive north to this state park is worth it. Slide Rock State Park turns Oak Creek into a natural water park, with smooth sandstone chutes, cool water, and red rock canyon scenery. It is a playful counterpoint to the desert trails closer to Miralina and a memorable way to experience Arizona outdoors.
