Camelback offers one of the best hikes in the valley and perhaps one of the best urban hiking opportunities in the United States. Rising over 1,200 feet from the valley floor in a short 1.2 miles you can experience a strenuous and difficult hike without driving to a national forest. The views are fantastic as you ascend, and the views at top are second to none. You can see 360 degrees with nothing higher from many miles in all directions.\n\nSo why only four stars? It is not the mountain that is a problem - it is the park service and the community. They work together to make the trails as difficult as possible to access. The Echo Canyon trailhead has a parking lot but it is very often full, especially on the weekends. If you can get a spot there you will not find legal parking anywhere in the surrounding neighborhood as they have restricted all street parking to prevent hikers from parking in the area. You will have to park over a mile away.\n\nThe Cholla Trailhead is much worse. There is no parking and it is illegal to even drop hikers off. You will have to park over a mile away and walk to the trail. If you have a bike you can ride your bike to the trailhead.\nGreat hike! Parking sucks!
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