Pine Creek Loop

The Pine Creek Loop is an enjoyable hike in the Tonto National Forest north of Mesa that offers a stellar view of The Boulders and surrounding mountains in addition to the thousands of towering saguaros, and, if you time your hike right, the desert wildflowers. This hike is suitable for beginners and families.

Bring plenty of water on this hike and wear a hat and sunscreen. We don’t recommend visiting in the summer months as it can get extremely hot in this area. There can be some road noise on the nearby half of this route, so visiting during the week is ideal if you want a quieter experience.

From the trailhead, decide which way you want to do the loop. Going left makes the climb more gradual and easier, going right gets your legs working a little more at the start. There’s an offshoot trail at the end of the loop that you’ll need to avoid accidentally continuing down, but otherwise there are no other junctions to consider. Enjoy your hike!