Hike #43 - Telegraph Pass Trail - South Mountain Park, Phoenix, AZ

Telegraph Pass Lookout

Paul and I hiked this trail on my birthday, October 27, 2013. Telegraph Pass Trail is a short and fairly easy hike with spectacular views of Ahwatukee and South Phoenix.  This is a popular trail so expect to pass lots of people.  The trail has an elevation gain of 500' and the distance is 2.3 miles RT. We extended the hike by continuing left on Summit Road and up to Telegraph Pass Lookout .25 miles, then continued on the Pyramid Trail another mile or so.  We hiked in late afternoon and appreciated the shade as we hiked up the East side.  The trail starts out as a wheelchair accessible paved path which continues around the neighborhood. After .4 miles there is a sign for Telegraph Pass Trail. Shortly after starting on the trail we passed Hohokam petroglyphs that are dated about 600 years old.
As with most AZ desert hikes, this trail comes alive in the Spring with wildflowers.  We saw many cacti including; cholla, saguaro, barrel cactus, hedgehog, ocotillo.
 

Saguaro

Hedgehog cactus

Cholla

Petroglyphs