Explore Arizona

Things to Do in Arizona

Hikes, day trips and waterfalls from Home Inspector Dan, including our trip to Havasu Falls.

Starting from Gilbert

When I’m not in an attic or on a roof, I’m usually out on a trail. Arizona has some of the best hiking and road trips in the country, and many of them are a short drive from our home base in Gilbert. Here are some of my favorites, including our trip down to Havasu Falls, with photos and videos from the road.

Grand Canyon

Hiking to Supai and Havasu Falls

In May 2026 we hiked down to Supai and the waterfalls of Havasu Creek, on the Havasupai Tribe’s land at the bottom of a side canyon of the Grand Canyon. It is about 10 miles from the trailhead at Hualapai Hilltop to the campground, through red rock canyon walls, past the village of Supai, and finally to water so blue it doesn’t look real.

Havasu Falls is the one everyone knows. Mooney Falls, just past the campground, is taller and the climb down to its base, through tunnels and on chains and ladders carved into the rock, is an adventure on its own. Beaver Falls is farther downstream for anyone with extra energy.

Planning your trip

You need a reservation. All visits require a permit and a campground or lodge reservation through the tribe’s official site, havasupaireservations.com. Day hiking is not allowed.
Plan for the hike. It is 8 miles to Supai Village and 2 more to the campground, one way. There are no services at the trailhead.
Watch the weather. The canyon can flood and close with little warning, and summer heat on the trail is dangerous. Check the National Park Service Havasupai page before you go.

Red Rock Country

A day in Sedona

On the same trip we spent a day in Sedona. Soldier Pass Trail packs a lot into a short hike, with the Devil’s Kitchen sinkhole, the Seven Sacred Pools and big red rock views. We also climbed into one of the red rock caves above the canyons, which made for some of my favorite photos of the trip.

Sedona trailheads fill up fast. The free Sedona Shuttle runs to several of the most popular ones, including Soldier Pass, and saves you the parking hunt.

Close to home

Favorite hikes near Gilbert

Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, Gilbert – An easy, flat loop around ponds full of birds, right in Gilbert. Great for families, early mornings and sunsets.
Peralta Trail to Fremont Saddle, Superstition Wilderness – A steady climb to one of the best views of Weaver’s Needle. Start early, it gets hot.
Siphon Draw and Treasure Loop, Lost Dutchman State Park – Treasure Loop is a moderate loop below the Superstitions. Siphon Draw to the Flatiron is a very hard scramble for experienced hikers only.
Wind Cave Trail, Usery Mountain Regional Park – A popular climb in Mesa to a shallow cave with views across the East Valley.
San Tan Mountain Regional Park – Quiet desert trails between Queen Creek and San Tan Valley.
South Mountain Park and Preserve, Phoenix – One of the largest city parks in the country, with trailheads in Ahwatukee and Phoenix.

Road trips

Day trips and road trips

Tortilla Flat and Canyon Lake – Drive the Apache Trail past Goldfield Ghost Town to Canyon Lake and the old stagecoach stop at Tortilla Flat.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Superior – Arizona’s oldest and largest botanical garden, about an hour east of Gilbert.
Meteor Crater, near Winslow – A nearly mile-wide impact crater off I-40. We stopped here on a northern Arizona road trip, video below.
Grand Canyon National Park – The South Rim is about a four-hour drive from Gilbert. Plan ahead at the official park site.

Arizona trail tips

Start early. From May through September, plan to be off the trail by late morning.
Carry more water than you think you need, plus salty snacks.
Stay out of washes and slot canyons when storms are in the forecast, especially during monsoon season.
Tell someone where you are going, and check trail and park status before you leave.

Moving to Arizona or buying a home here? Start with our service areas and home inspection pages.

Arizona skies

Desert mornings and orange evenings

Some of the best views in Arizona don’t need a trail. Big morning clouds and orange sunsets over the Valley are a regular part of life here.