The desert landscape is a weird and wonderful one, filled with life and color, and in Phoenix, perhaps the weirdest and most wonderful landscape is the one you will discover at Papago Park. Yes, there will be cacti, and yes, the brush you have come to expect from the desert will add to the image you see, but sandstone formations give the park a different feel, and three small ponds will remind you that water can be found in the dryest of areas. We at Paseo Homes AZ love this small park, located on the outskirts of another Arizona favorite, the Phoenix Zoo, and today we have decided that a virtual walk in Papago Park is just what the tour guide ordered.
Papago Park Near Phoenix
Papago Park has always fascinated humans, and hundreds of years ago, when the Hohokam people made the desert their home, they utilized the park as a way of celebrating and marking the change of seasons. In more modern times, the park was honored as a National Monument, but in 1930 the park was decommissioned as our state wanted the area back to be able to build upon it. In interim years, the government took it away, using the area as an internment camp, before finally returning it to the state. Today, it is once again a peaceful and welcoming area, much loved by residents and visitors to the area, as well as being a popular photographic backdrop; those iconic red sandstone formations truly stand out in pictures.
Exploring the Park
Not as busy in the summer months as it is in the winter months, Papago Park offers plenty of opportunities to play and have fun. There are 10 different trails that lead throughout the park, and although are rated easy for beginning hikers, we ask summer visitors to pay attention to the restrictions that may be in place during especially hot days and to restrict their explorations to early morning hours. When you do hike, however, be sure not to miss the Hole in the Rock Trail, leading guests to—yes, you guessed it—the Hole in the Rock, perhaps the most popular viewing location in the entire park. Also offering the Papago Ponds fishing lagoon, an archery range, the Papago Golf Course, the Phoenix Zoo, and the Desert Botanical Gardens, as well as the Hall of Flame Museum and the Papago Sports Complex, there is so much to do at Papago Park, you may want to come back every day of your stay to discover what more is waiting for you!
Contact Paseo Homes
Contact us to reserve your Paseo Homes AZ retreat today! Browse our Phoenix rentals here.
