Hiking Camelback Mountain's Cholla Trail Into Sunset and Moonrise
October 25, 2015
Golden hour on Camelback Mountain, just before the sunset and the moonrise
An evening hike on Camelback Mountain where golden hour faded into silhouetted saguaros, sparkling city lights, and a moonrise over the Sonoran Desert.
There are plenty of reasons to hike Camelback Mountain.
The workout.
The views.
The challenge.
I went for something a little different.
I wanted to hike down with the sunset and watch the Sonoran Desert trade sunlight for moonlight.
I started up Cholla Trail around four o'clock on an October afternoon, knowing the hike would take about three hours. Rather than trying to beat the sunset, I planned on ending my hike with it. I wanted to climb up in daylight, watch the desert fade into golden hour, and journey back down with the city lights and moonrise.
By the time I reached Cholla Trailhead, the afternoon sun had only softened a little.
The trail was pretty busy. Many hikers were making their way down, while others journeyed toward the summit, probably hoping to beat the sunset.
I wasn't in a hurry.
I wanted to indulge in Camelback's desert drama.
The trail climbs over ancient granite and in between long lived saguaros with silhouettes making them seem even taller.
With every switchback, the city was farther in the distance.
It's boggling to be on a mountain in the desert and in one of the largest cities in America at the same time.
As I climbed higher, the mountains surrounding the Valley slowly came into view.
Near the summit, I did a 360 for the panoramic view. The desert horizon has a way of making you swoon.
I watched the first colors from the sunset paint across the sky.
Then I started down.
This was the part I'd been looking forward to.
Most hikers tell you about their Camelback experience in daylight.
I wanted to experience it while everything was changing.
The farther I descended, the quieter the mountain became.
The crowds disappeared.
The saguaros became dark giant silhouettes.
Meanwhile, Phoenix was waking up.
One neighborhood at a time, lights came on across the Valley. Pretty cool to see one section light up at a time.
Once twilight faded, it was time for a moon bath.
The same dusty trail that had been bright and sunlit only a short time earlier now had a dark sky and a moon.
The desert became quieter after sunset.
The city sounded far away.
The coyotes sounded closer.
A hike under a moonlit sky felt like the perfect ending.
Watching the desert drift from daylight to dusk, then from sunset to moonlight, as the saguaros faded into silhouettes reminded me why I love the desert so much.
The moon rising over the Sonoran Desert while Phoenix sparkles under Camelback Mountain
✦ If You Go ✦
If you're thinking about timing your hike for sunset like I did, start with enough daylight to comfortably reach the summit before the sun drops below the horizon. My October hike began around 4:00 p.m. and took about three hours, allowing me to climb in daylight and descend through sunset, twilight, and moonrise. Bring plenty of water, wear good hiking shoes, and don't forget a headlamp or flashlight. Once darkness settles in, the rocky trail becomes much harder to see, and you'll want both hands free to navigate your way back down.
