Wind Cave Trail

Hiked this trail for the first time on Saturday with a friend and her 10 year old daughter.
It was fun and pretty easy. Lots of runners on this particular, but maybe that’s the norm.
I found the hike to be pleasant and the scenery was nice. The view from the «cave» was gorgeous.
If I did this hike again, I’d definitely bring the dogs!

There is $ 6 vehicle entry fee. Once you’re inside you can hike or do archery shooting. The hike is pretty moderate. Starts out slow then becomes pretty rocky. Once at the top, it’s an okay view — thought it was cool to see the Phoenix skyline. Bring water and a snack to re-​energize. It’s busy on the weekends so during the week might be better — lots of pups on this trail as well!

$ 6 park entry fee — flush toilets at trailhead (yay!) — parking pretty tight unless you get there early in the morning. GREAT hike, but also pretty crowded. Most everyone was friendly and courteous (some of the runners just have no manners!). Beautiful views. Would recommend. Would do again if visiting the Mesa area again!

Good hike with beautiful views. This is a popular hike so you will say hello to lots of people. During the week days it’s not so bad. It gets gradually steeper the closer you get to the top. Great intermediate hike. Should take about 1.5−2hrs give or take round trip at a steady pace. I would say good for kids 8 and up depending on the kid. Pretty rocky so watch your step. $ 6 park entry fee

We have hiked this trail for years. Located in Usery Park it is a 3.5 total hike with significant climb. Wind Cave is a hollow space worn into the limestone by years of wind erosion. Once at the top of the mountain, you can rest in the hollow and refresh in the shade before your decent. I like this hike as it is a good workout hike. It will let me know how out of shape I’ve gotten.

Had a great hike to the «wind cave» which was really just a little bit of a recess in the mountain. Came with a friend of mine and all of our kids (8 total). The hike is very easy to moderate depending on your condition, but for children younger than 5 I’d say to watch them closely. Lots of cholla cactus right next to the trail can really get you pretty easy. One of the kids got a handfull of needles on the way up. We packed a lunch and ate it in the shade of the overhang, but it gets a little chilly on top once you’ve sat in the shade a bit and work up a sweat. In the summer I can imagine it being a welcomed gift. Overall, I enjoyed the hike and views, but there are definitely more picturesque places in the beautiful state of AZ.

Super easy hike but way too many people on the trail. It was pretty insane and annoying. This is a trail for beginners.

Not an overly long hike. 6 dollars to park. We got to the park around 7:30am on a Saturday morning and there was a pretty big crowd on the trail already. There is a good amount of elevation gain over the course if this «shortish» hike. The trail has some pretty rocky sections. Worth the short drive from Gilbert.

I went to Wind Cave on a date. The climb is relatively good and the trail is well used. I went during the afternoon and there were a lot of people on the trail. So if your looking for a trail with less people this one is not for you. When my date and I reached the cave we found out that it was more of an indent in the mountain. We enjoyed the view and had a fun time but we were both hoping that the cave would have been larger.
If your looking for a good hike with a good view at the end then I would suggest taking advantage of this trail.

Hmmmmm… Walked this with the family last weekend, it is an easy trail, the caves are really indentations — so don’t get your expectations too high. Lots of people and there is was a HUGE bee hive right where the cave is at the top, keeping you from more than a cursory stop there if you have kids because it will freak them out.
Nice view of the city. Too rock to run this without endangering your ankles. The reason it gets 4 stars so much is that it is very close to the East side of town so you can get to it quickly and I think they are comparing it to hiking in town itself. And people who have lived here all their lives have memories of being here with family and friends. It costs money to park.
If you have kids this is the perfect length. Maybe that is why so many people love it.

Took us 1 hour round trip. Went before 10 am and had some decent shade. The trail was pretty crowded, but can’t complain with the trail so close. Pretty fun, short, moderate hike. I don’t think they should charge $ 6 just for that though…

I was in Mesa for a school interview. My bf and I wanted to unwind and see some Mesa scenery. A girl I met at the interview picked out this trail and we followed her lead.
It was pretty straight forward to find for us out of towners. We approached the visitor center and paid $ 3 for the entrance fee and proceeded further to the trail.
We were there at 2:20−3 pm, seems like there’s enough parking. Scenery is beautiful! I’ve never seen more cacti in my life, and the size of those things? Impressive!!!
After we got to the «cave», more like an indentation with a huge honest net, my companions wanted to keep going to the top of the mountain, but after a while the trail became non-​existent and almost a little dangerous with sliding rocks and untrimmed vegetation. She said the view was breath-​taking tho! I didn’t dare to go, not hard core enough.
OVERALL, fun experience, it is a little crowded. Bring LOTS of water!!! Hiking shoes recommended if you want to hike past the cave.

Only 4 stars due to the popularity — it gets crowded and that can take away from the experience.
I love the Usery Mountain park and have logged many miles hiking and running the trails out there, both with my family and solo. This is THE trail people come to visit when they come from out of town, have visitors, or just want a short hike to enjoy the day.
The trail is roughly 3 miles out and back, terminating at the «cave,» which is more of a cutout in the side of the mountain. In the summer, you get shade and often even a little breeze. After hiking a mile and a half uphill in 90 – 100 degree, full-​sun heat, that is a blessing! Take a snack to eat at the top, especially if you’re taking children.
As I said before, this is probably the most popular trail and at the park, so it gets CROWDED during peak times: weekends and holidays are especially full. Parking can be a challenge, so be prepared for a walk to the trailhead. There’s a bathroom and a drinking fountain at the trailhead, so that’s nice.
There are no side trails — the Pass Mountain trail intersects at the trailhead, but that’s it – and this is one of the few trails in the park that only allows pedestrians (no horses or bikes). Take plenty of water, wear appropriate shoes, don’t litter, and remember that the uphill hiker has the right of way. Be courteous and friendly… Everyone is out there to have fun!
If you want some variety, try the Blevins Trail, too … A much less crowded 3-​mile loop trail with virtually unlimited possibilities via side trails.

One of Phoenix’s most underrated trails. The trail is smooth, the Wind Cave is a great place to rest and see animals, and there’s even a bonus section if you’re willing to take a little risk. Easily worth the $ 6 park entry fee, especially if you go early or in the middle of the week. Found a pretty good detailed break down of the trail here.

Riddled with rude hikers. Saw 6 dogs off leash, nobody yields to uphill.

It’s a great trail, but very popular so if you want solitude don’t go on the weekend. Still better than the crowds at Camelback. A good workout, especially the last bit where it is the steepest. This time we went past the cave and a little more towards the summit. Had to do a little rock wall climbing at one point. One of the better trails in the valley.

Pretty easy trail but you have to pay a vehicle fee to get in. The view isn’t as great as some of the other peaks closer to Phoenix, but it’s nice to avoid the crowds once in a while.

This is a very popular trail, but not so crowded that you have to park a mile away… looking at you, Camelback.
This is a 3.2 mile round trip with lots of switchback which can take an hour and a half up to two hours hike. There’s a restroom before the trailhead, so don’t forget to go. Make sure you bring lots of water because the last quarter of the trail is almost vertical. I always bring some apples to replenish us and my little cutie pie… nothing like a good crisp green apple to bite on when you reach the summit!
It’s the journey, not the destination. Nevertheless, one of our favorite hikes!

I love this trail — it offers a good balance of ease and challenge without dangerous drop-​offs, except for near the top of the trail where a sign warns you that travel beyond that point is not recommended — it is best to heed what that sign says! The trail ascends to a respectable height — enough for a really grand view of much of the east Valley all the way to Phoenix, as well as the San Tan area to the south and the Fountain Hills area and the mountains beyond it to the north. In fact, the tall jet of water from the fountain of Fountain Hills can be seen from the higher part of the trail. Sonoran Desert vegetation abounds along the trail, and this is one of the best areas for viewing springtime blooming of desert wildflowers.

This is a beautiful trail in a wonderful regional park. Easy parking, running water bathrooms, and good signage. Reading the reviews from those who bring families and dogs, I would agree that it’s nice for everyone.
Now I’ll write from the point-​of-​view of the solo hiker. It’s not the best trail for your workout if you go during peak times. The problem is that it is mostly single-​track, so you are going to need to pull over, or have others pull over for passing. Especially if you’re running down… that was a total pain, trying to avoid dogs and families. Don’t get me wrong — everyone was great, and accommodating (mostly) but it definitely makes for a much more challenging workout process.
If you’re in workout mode, you’ll make it up in about 40ish minutes, and down in 20ish.