South Mountain Park Visitor Center — Attraction in Phoenix

No wonder this is a great place for children! Lots of interactive activities! The paved walkways are good for wheelchairs and there are over 60 miles of paths to hike and bike. Stop at the visitors center for a map of the trails and walk through the area that gives the history of South Mountain Park area. Take your children into the library room for a great selection of books and activities. Pick up a sheet listing the activities or check out their website. There are paved paths around the center to view the wildlife and petroglyphs can be seen right off the path. This is definitely is a great education source! There are restrooms inside the visitors center. The historic store is located to the south of the road before you...

This area is great for a few hours in relatively cool weather. There’s no shade so be careful. Lots of trails. If you need a paved trail then the trail right next to the Environmental Education Center is a good one. It’s mostly flat, good for strollers and it’s a loop so your kids can run free. The actual Education Center is rarely open so don’t hold your breath to go inside. It basically tells you the history of the South Mountain area. There are readily accessible petroglyphs along the paved loop trail as well, right off the trail. My 2 year old was able to climb up there and sit next to them which was pretty cool. There’s a place to rent horses to ride near here too, they take kids 8 and up I believe. The horses...

Largest city park in the world. If you travel to Dobbins point, you will be rewarded with beautiful, expansive views of Phoenix and the surrounding burbs. Just be prepared, although the road up is two lanes and paved, it can be very nerve wracking. There are also hiking trails and other areas to stop for great photo ops. Also be sure to stop by the ed center. Small but very well set up and the staff very happy to give a verbal history as you walk around. A must see if...