Shaw Butte Summit

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Shaw Butte is one summit that's part of the Phoenix Mountains, centrally located in the city. The butte can be reached from a variety of trails with North Mountain Park. This route is the shortest way to the summit, and it follows a wide path with relatively tame gradient. Still, it gains almost 700 feet in elevation, making a respectable workout. Along the hike you'll have excellent views over the city and more of the Phoenix Mountains. - Overview by Blaine Hoppenrath, Outdoor Project.

This hike leaves from the Shaw Butte Trailhead at the end of N Central Ave. Note that this trailhead does not have water or restrooms. If you want those amenities, you could instead start from the North Mountain Visitors Center off 7th Street, but that makes a slightly longer route to the top of the Butte. Keep in mind that both of these trailhead parking areas can fill up in the winter months on busy days.

From the Shaw Butte Trailhead, the entirety of the trail is an old road used to maintain the radio towers at the summit. While some of it is paved, there are places where the surface is degraded and turns to gravel. Views soon open up to the north and the south, revealing an expanding panorama over the mountains and the city.

Shaw Butte's actual summit is crowed with transmission infrastructure, so some of the best views are had from the hike on the way up. You can walk around some of the summit area to find different vantage points. After enjoying your time up top, you can choose to return the way you came or to complete a loop on the Shaw Butte Trail #306. There are many different variations of this trail that you can explore next time you come back.