Black Mountain Trail

Black Mountain is the landmark you’ll see from our Cave Creek home, and hiking it is one of the best ways to get your bearings on the area. It’s a short but genuinely steep trail — roughly 1.5 miles round trip with real elevation gain and some scrambling near the top — that rewards you with sweeping 360-degree views across the Sonoran Desert, North Scottsdale, and on clear days, downtown Phoenix. This isn’t a stroller-friendly trail; sturdy shoes and caution on loose rock are a must, and it’s genuinely not for young kids or anyone uneasy on uneven terrain. But for guests who want a proper desert workout with a payoff view, it delivers. Multiple access points exist around the mountain’s base, with the most popular starting near Galvin Street. Timing matters enormously here — this is a sunrise or first-light hike for most of the year, both for the light and to avoid the heat. Arizona desert sun is no joke even in cooler months. Bring more water than you think you’ll need. It’s a quick, satisfying way to start a Cave Creek morning before the day heats up, and one of the first things we point guests toward when they check in.