At a glance
No. The City of Phoenix prohibits dogs year-round on all Camelback Mountain trails and on the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail, and dogs are barred from every City of Phoenix trail when the temperature hits 100 degrees or more.
- Camelback Mountain: dogs prohibited on all trails, year-round, per the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation page. That covers Echo Canyon and Cholla, no exceptions, no winter loophole.
- Piestewa Peak: dogs prohibited year-round on the Summit Trail. The rest of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve follows the citywide 100-degree rule.
- Heat rule: dogs are prohibited on any City of Phoenix trail when the temperature is 100 degrees or warmer. Breaking the rule can mean fines reaching into the thousands and up to six months in jail.
- The plain reason: heat kills dogs fast on exposed desert climbs, and it has happened here. More than 200 hikers are rescued from Phoenix desert parks every year, and a dog died on Piestewa Peak in 2023.
- Where to go instead: McDowell Sonoran Preserve trails (leashed, six-foot leash, skip days over 90) and South Mountain trails (leashed, under 100 degrees). See our dog-friendly hiking trails guide for the full list.
No, you cannot bring your dog to Camelback Mountain, and you cannot bring your dog up the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail. The City of Phoenix bans dogs from both, year-round, in any season, at any hour. If you just moved to Scottsdale or Cave Creek and planned a hike with your dog on one of Phoenix's most famous peaks, this page gives you the rule in plain language, what it costs to break it, and where to hike with your dog instead. Start with our dog-friendly hiking trails guide for the full replacement list.
Are dogs allowed on Camelback Mountain?
No. The City of Phoenix prohibits dogs on all Camelback Mountain trails, year-round.
The city's Camelback Mountain page states it under "Animal Restrictions" in one sentence: "Dogs are prohibited on all Camelback Mountain trails year-round." That covers both summit routes: Echo Canyon Trail and Cholla Trail. It means no leashed dogs, no carried dogs, no service-animal workarounds discussed on forums (service animals are a separate federal matter; pet dogs are barred). Winter does not change it. Early morning does not change it. Bringing the dog to the parking lot and leaving it in the car is its own offense under Arizona law, so do not treat the trailhead as a waiting room.
Both routes are rated Extremely Difficult by the city: steep rock, uneven footing, and sections that require hand-over-hand scrambling. That is a description. The posted rule is the legal basis. Obey it or pay for ignoring it. That is the line our trainers use with trail-day clients too: control what is yours, the plan, and let the rule handle the rest.
The rule is the rule. Your dog's exercise plan is the part you control.
Are dogs allowed on Piestewa Peak?
Dogs are prohibited year-round on the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail. Other trails in the Piestewa Peak / Dreamy Draw area are not under a year-round ban, but they fall under the citywide 100-degree rule.
The city's Piestewa Peak page states the restriction the same way: "Dogs are prohibited year-round on the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail." The Summit Trail is the steep, rocky, stair-stepped climb most people mean when they say they hiked Piestewa Peak. It is short and it climbs fast, roughly 1,200 feet of gain in a little over a mile, which is why the heat hits dogs there before it hits people.
The distinction matters. The year-round ban names the Summit Trail. Lower trails around Dreamy Draw allow leashed dogs when it is under 100 degrees, same as every other City of Phoenix trail. Check the temperature before you go, keep the leash to six feet, and understand that Scottsdale's own guidance says 90 degrees is already too hot for a dog at any point in the hike. The City of Phoenix draws its hard line at 100. The desert does not care which line you picked.
What happens if you break the rule?
You can be ordered off the mountain and cited. Violating Phoenix park rules can carry fines reaching into the thousands and up to six months in jail.
The mechanics: park rangers educate first. That has been the stated approach since the heat rule took effect. Education is not a free pass. Rangers can issue citations, and the reported maximum penalty for a park-rule violation is a four-figure fine or six months in jail. A citation for the dog walk is the most expensive kind; the Gateway Loop is free.
Two layers of rule apply to you, so know both:
- Year-round bans (Camelback trails, Piestewa Summit Trail). These apply in January and in July. There is no temperature threshold that makes it legal.
- The 100-degree rule (every City of Phoenix trail). Since June 2016, dogs have been prohibited on any City of Phoenix trail when the temperature reaches 100 degrees or warmer. The Parks and Recreation Board passed it after a string of rescues and at least one death; the companion proposal to close trails to human hikers at 110 was rejected. Dogs only. You can hike. Your dog stays home.
Do not rely on other hikers' reports. "People do it all the time" is not a defense, and a citation follows the rule as posted, not as practiced.
Why does the rule exist?
Heat kills dogs on exposed climbs faster than most Pet Parents expect, and Phoenix has the incidents on record.
The city rescues more than 200 hikers a year from its desert and mountain parks and preserves. Those are people, who can say they are dizzy, sit down, and call for help. A dog cannot do any of that. Dogs cool themselves almost entirely through panting, and once the air is hotter than their body, panting stops working. Heatstroke sets in when body temperature spikes past 105.8 degrees. At that point it is a medical emergency, not a rest break.
In August 2023, a dog died on Piestewa Peak and a second dog was treated for heat-related illness after a hike in temperatures over 100 degrees. The owner was arrested and cited on animal-neglect charges. That hike happened under the 100-degree rule, not the Summit Trail ban, but the lesson lands the same way.
This is not an argument against the rule. The rule is settled. What matters is what you do with the dog instead. The trainers you will see in these photos all hike the same replacement trails with their own dogs. The Gateway Loop at dawn is a staff favorite, for exactly the reasons in the table below.
Step one
Book a PD360 Assessment
A senior trainer reads your dog across nine dimensions and names the gap honestly: whether the Preserve is the plan, or the training comes first.
Where can you hike with your dog instead?
Yes, and the replacements are good. The table below covers the closest options to Scottsdale and Cave Creek. Rules are current as of September 2026; check the city page before a first visit. For the full ranked list with parking and distances, see our dog-friendly hiking trails guide.
| Trail | Leash rule | Heat cutoff | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Loop, McDowell Sonoran Preserve | Leash, six feet max | Skip it over 90 degrees | Moderate 3.6-mile loop, water and restrooms at the Gateway trailhead, minutes from Scottsdale |
| Saguaro Loop / Nature Trail, Gateway Trailhead | Leash, six feet max | Skip it over 90 degrees | Easy 1.6-mile loop for seniors and any dog new to the desert getting its legs |
| Tom's Thumb Trail, McDowell Sonoran Preserve | Leash, six feet max | Skip it over 90 degrees | Challenging 4.4-mile round trip with real elevation for fit dogs that want a workout |
| Holbert Trail, South Mountain Park | Leash, six feet max | Citywide 100-degree ban applies | Challenging climb under the city trail rule; allowed whenever it is under 100 degrees |
| Mormon Trail, South Mountain Park | Leash, six feet max | Citywide 100-degree ban applies | Shorter moderate-to-challenging option for a morning hike before the heat builds |
Scottsdale's rule is stricter than Phoenix's, and the stricter rule is the one to follow: the city says if it is over 90 degrees at any point in your hike, it is too hot for your dog, and it notes that dogs have died of heat illness in the Preserve. Build your hike plan around the 90-degree safety line and the 100-degree legal floor never comes into play.
Trail manners matter on these replacements. Leash laws are six feet, waste gets picked up and carried out, and your dog's behavior around other trail users and wildlife decides whether these trails stay dog-friendly. Brush up on trail etiquette in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve before the first outing, and condition a real desert leave it so the dog's default response around coyotes and javelinas is to check in with you.
How do you keep your dog safe on a Phoenix trail?
Check the temperature, check the ground, bring more water than you think, and turn around early.
- Check the air temperature first. Under 100 degrees is the legal requirement for City of Phoenix trails. Under 90 is Scottsdale's rule and the smarter standard everywhere. If the forecast crosses either line during your hike window, make the Phoenix heat walk/skip call and stay home.
- Test the ground. Measured data: asphalt in direct sun hits 125 degrees at 77-degree air, 135 at 86, and 143 at 87. Desert rock and packed trail surface behave the same way. Put your bare hand on it for five to ten seconds. If you pull away, your dog's paws will burn. Our pavement test and booties guide covers conditioning booties before you need them.
- Hike at the edges of the day. Dawn starts beat every other precaution. June through September, plan to be off the trail by mid-morning. The ground holds the day's heat long after sunset, so the same test applies to evening walks.
- Carry water for the dog. A collapsible bowl and a dedicated liter weigh nothing and matter more than anything else in your pack. Offer water at every stop; a dog that stops drinking is telling you something.
- Watch the dog, not the distance. Heavy, loud panting that does not ease with rest. Bright red gums or tongue. Thick saliva. Wobbling, glassy eyes, refusal to move. Those are the early signs; the full list and cooling steps are in our heatstroke signs guide. At 105.8 degrees body temperature it is a medical emergency: cool with room-temperature water, get to shade, get to a vet. No ice water.
- Never leave the dog in the car at the trailhead. At 80 degrees outside, a car passes 100 degrees inside in twenty minutes and 120 within the hour. Leave the dog home or skip the hike.
This is the checklist our trainers hand owners on the way out of a trail consult: six decisions, all made before the boots hit gravel.
If your dog is reactive on leash, a popular trail is the wrong place to proof the pattern. A tight, crowded trail with dogs passing at ten feet is where leash reactivity rehearses itself into a habit. Work it where you can control distance first, using our reactive dog training guide, then bring the dog to the trail. Management (leash, distance, timing) is not punishment. It buys the reps the right response needs.
By the numbers
Key takeaways
Key takeaways
- Dogs are prohibited year-round on all Camelback Mountain trails. No season, no hour, no leash length changes it.
- Dogs are prohibited year-round on the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail. Nearby trails follow the citywide 100-degree rule.
- At 100 degrees, dogs are banned from every City of Phoenix trail. Rangers educate first and can cite; the maximum penalty is a fine and six months in jail.
- Scottsdale's line is stricter: over 90 degrees at any point in the hike is too hot for a dog.
- Gateway Loop, Saguaro Loop, Tom's Thumb, and South Mountain's Holbert and Mormon trails all welcome leashed dogs. Mind the cutoff and the leash.
- Heat injury is decided at the trailhead: check the temp, test the ground, carry water, watch the dog, never use the car as a kennel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring my dog to Camelback Mountain in winter?
No. The City of Phoenix prohibition is year-round: dogs are barred from all Camelback Mountain trails in January exactly as in July. No cold-season, early-morning, or short-visit exception exists. Plan a winter hike on a dog-friendly trail instead, like the Gateway Loop in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.
Are dogs allowed on any trail at Piestewa Peak?
Only the Summit Trail carries the year-round ban. The other trails in the Piestewa Peak / Dreamy Draw area allow leashed dogs under 100 degrees, under the same citywide heat rule. If you head there, use 90 degrees as your cutoff anyway, per Scottsdale's stricter guidance.
What is the fine for taking a dog on a prohibited Phoenix trail?
Violating Phoenix park rules can bring fines and up to six months in jail. In practice, rangers educate first and cite repeat or flagrant violations. The 100-degree heat rule has been enforced as a park rule since June 2016 across the city's trailheads.
Where can I hike with my dog near Scottsdale and Cave Creek?
The McDowell Sonoran Preserve is the best starting point: Gateway Loop, Saguaro Loop, and Tom's Thumb all allow dogs on a six-foot leash, with a hard stop at 90 degrees. South Mountain Park's Holbert and Mormon trails allow leashed dogs under the citywide 100-degree rule. Our dog-friendly hiking trails guide maps the full list.
How hot is too hot for my dog on a Phoenix trail?
Legally, 100 degrees on any City of Phoenix trail. Practically, 90 degrees anywhere: Scottsdale says over 90 at any point in the hike is too hot, and measured pavement hits 135 degrees at 86-degree air. Watch for heavy loud panting, bright red gums, and wobbling. Our heatstroke signs guide covers the full cooling protocol.
Where to go from here
Camelback and Piestewa Peak will still be there for your solo hikes and sunrise climbs. Leave the dog home for those, without guilt and without workarounds. Then take the dog somewhere built for both of you: the Preserve at dawn, Gateway Loop with water in the pack, a conditioned leave it for the coyote you will eventually meet. The dog does not know it missed Camelback. It knows the walk happened. If the dog is not ready for the Preserve (pulling, reacting, or ignoring the check-in), a PD360 Assessment at Scottsdale or Cave Creek reads where the gap is and routes you to the program that closes it.
What fits your dog
Find the Right Training Program
If your dog is not ready for the Preserve, our structured training programs build the obedience you need for safe desert hikes.
Scottsdale: 8642 E Shea Blvd, 85260. Cave Creek: 4640 E Forest Pleasant Pl, 85331. Serving the Phoenix Valley.
