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Arizona, United States

Papago Park & Camelback

Red-rock buttes, desert gardens and a sunrise hike for Jan 1. Below: 1 sight, 1 activity and 2 outdoor spots, plus how Papago Park & Camelback fits into a longer trip.

Plan Papago Park & Camelback with friendsBrowse 6 places
Papago Park & Camelback, Arizona, United States
Places
6

1 See · 1 Do · 2 Outdoors · 1 Eat · 1 Drink

Curated routes
1

Phoenix New Year's Eve

Best season
Dec 30 – Jan 1

from our route notes

Warmest month
July

41°C / 107°F avg high

Coolest month
December

18°C / 65°F avg high

Wettest month
January

about 33 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Papago Park & Camelback

6 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

1 sight worth building a day around in Papago Park.

  • Desert Botanical Garden in Papago Park & CamelbackPhoto: Scotwriter21 · CC BY-SA 4.0
    See

    Desert Botanical Garden

    Garden of saguaros, agaves and desert wildflowers set against the Papago Buttes, with trails of under a mile each.

    Tip Confirm Jan 1 hours and book a timed ticket; the morning light is best for photos.

    • Papago Park
    • $$
    • 2 hr
    • Morning

Do

1 activity for when the group wants to do more than look in Papago Park.

  • Phoenix Zoo in Papago Park & CamelbackPhoto: Jedijoe82 · CC BY-SA 3.0
    Do

    Phoenix Zoo

    Zoo in Papago Park whose ZooLights season ran from late November to mid-January in 2025-26.

    Tip ZooLights tickets are timed; the evening of Jan 1 is quieter than the week before Christmas.

    • Papago Park
    • $$
    • 2 hr
    • After dark

Outdoors

2 outdoor spots for fresh air across Papago Park and Arcadia. All 2 are free to visit.

  • Hole-in-the-Rock in Papago Park & CamelbackPhoto: Tony the Marine (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0
    Outdoors

    Hole-in-the-Rock

    Sandstone butte with a natural opening, reached by a short trail, looking out over Phoenix and the zoo.

    Tip It takes about 15 minutes up; go at sunrise or sunset when the rock glows red.

    • Papago Park
    • Free
    • 45 min
    • Sunrise
  • Outdoors

    Camelback Mountain

    The city's landmark peak; the Echo Canyon trail climbs about 1,200 feet in 1.2 miles to a summit over the whole valley.

    Tip Start at first light with plenty of water; parking at Echo Canyon fills fast on Jan 1.

    • Arcadia
    • Free
    • 2.5 hr
    • Sunrise

Eat

Where we would book a table in Papago Park & Camelback in Arcadia.

  • Eat

    La Grande Orange

    Arcadia's long-running cafe, bakery and market at 40th Street and Campbell, busy with brunch crowds.

    Tip Order at the counter and grab a patio table after the Camelback hike.

    • Arcadia
    • $$
    • 60 min
    • Brunch

Drink

Our picks for a drink in Papago Park & Camelback in Arcadia.

  • Drink

    Postino Arcadia

    The original Postino wine bar, in a converted 1950s post office, known for bruschetta boards.

    Tip A relaxed spot for a late lunch glass of wine on Jan 1 if it is open.

    • Arcadia
    • $$
    • 75 min
    • Afternoon

How to fit Papago Park & Camelback into a trip

Papago Park & Camelback is stop 2 of 2 on our Phoenix New Year's Eve route. Follow it as-is or lift Papago Park & Camelback into your own plan.

Getting here and onward

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Papago Park & Camelback month by month

Average daily highs run from 18°C / 65°F in December to 41°C / 107°F in July. January is the wettest month, with about 33 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Papago Park & Camelback weather and the best time to visit →

Near Papago Park & Camelback

7 other destinations from our guides within about 400 km (249 mi), measured in a straight line.

Papago Park & Camelback questions, answered

How many days do you need in Papago Park & Camelback?

On our Phoenix New Year's Eve route it is stop 2 of 2 in a 3-day trip. Split evenly, that is about 2 days here, an estimate rather than a rule. The listed visit times for our 6 places add up to roughly 10 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Papago Park & Camelback best known for?

Red-rock buttes, desert gardens and a sunrise hike for Jan 1. Standouts on our list: Desert Botanical Garden (Garden of saguaros, agaves and desert wildflowers set against the Papago Buttes, with trails of under a mile each); Hole-in-the-Rock (Sandstone butte with a natural opening, reached by a short trail, looking out over Phoenix and the zoo); Camelback Mountain (The city's landmark peak; the Echo Canyon trail climbs about 1,200 feet in 1.2 miles to a summit over the whole valley).

When is the best time to visit Papago Park & Camelback?

Our Phoenix New Year's Eve route is best Dec 30 – Jan 1. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in July (41°C / 107°F), the coolest in December (18°C / 65°F) and the most rain in January (about 33 mm).

What are the best things to do in Papago Park & Camelback?

Start with Hole-in-the-Rock, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix Zoo and Camelback Mountain. Our guide lists 6 places in all, from 1 sight, 1 activity, 2 outdoor spots, 1 place to eat and 1 bar or café.

What is near Papago Park & Camelback?

The closest destinations in our guides are Downtown Phoenix (about 12 km / 7 mi), Phoenix (about 12 km / 7 mi) and Sedona (about 158 km / 98 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Papago Park & Camelback with your crew

Open the Phoenix New Year's Eve route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 6 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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