The 20 Best Parks in Arizona
These are the 20 highest-rated parks we list in Arizona, ranked by what visitors actually say about them.
South Mountain Park and Preserve in Phoenix leads, with 4.8 stars from 10,115 reviews; McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Phoenix follows at 4.8. The list spans 3 cities, including Phoenix, Arizona and Chandler.
Between them they carry 104,488 Google reviews and average 4.7 stars. We weigh a rating by how many people left it, so a place with a handful of five-star reviews does not leapfrog one that thousands have rated nearly as well.
1.South Mountain Park and Preserve
4.8 · 10,115 reviews · Phoenix
The top pick in Phoenix, holding 4.8 stars across 10,115 reviews. Good for kids and parking on site.
2.McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
4.8 · 7,357 reviews · Phoenix
4.8 stars from 7,357 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
3.Dobbins Lookout
4.8 · 5,713 reviews · Phoenix
4.8 stars from 5,713 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Good for kids, restrooms and parking on site.
4.Gateway Trailhead - McDowell Sonoran Preserve
4.8 · 2,494 reviews · Phoenix
4.8 stars from 2,494 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
5.Papago Park
4.7 · 12,945 reviews · Phoenix
4.7 stars from 12,945 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
6.Monument Valley
4.7 · 5,818 reviews · Arizona
4.7 stars from 5,818 reviews in Arizona, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
7.Riverview Park
4.7 · 5,319 reviews · Phoenix
4.7 stars from 5,319 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
8.Sahuaro Ranch Park
4.7 · 4,400 reviews · Phoenix
4.7 stars from 4,400 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
9.Desert Breeze Park
4.7 · 3,529 reviews · Phoenix
4.7 stars from 3,529 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
10.Chaparral Park
4.7 · 3,147 reviews · Phoenix
4.7 stars from 3,147 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
11.Rio Vista Community Park
4.7 · 2,438 reviews · Phoenix
4.7 stars from 2,438 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
12.Tempe Beach Park
4.6 · 10,458 reviews · Phoenix
4.6 stars from 10,458 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
13.Butterfly Wonderland
4.6 · 7,544 reviews · Phoenix
4.6 stars from 7,544 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Good for kids, restrooms and parking on site.
14.Encanto Park
4.6 · 7,022 reviews · Phoenix
4.6 stars from 7,022 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
15.Friendship Park
4.6 · 5,208 reviews · Phoenix
4.6 stars from 5,208 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
16.Steele Indian School Park
4.6 · 4,261 reviews · Phoenix
4.6 stars from 4,261 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
17.Glendale Heroes Regional Park
4.6 · 2,351 reviews · Phoenix
4.6 stars from 2,351 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
18.Pioneer Community Park
4.5 · 3,361 reviews · Phoenix
4.5 stars from 3,361 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
19.Tempe Sports Complex
4.5 · 899 reviews · Phoenix
4.5 stars from 899 reviews in Phoenix, one of the most reviewed on this list.
20.Gila Springs Park
4.5 · 109 reviews · Chandler
Rated 4.5 from 109 reviews in Chandler. Dogs welcome and good for kids.
Common questions
What is the best park in Arizona?
South Mountain Park and Preserve in Phoenix ranks first, with 4.8 out of 5 stars from 10,115 Google reviews.
Which city in Arizona has the most top-rated parks?
Phoenix has 18 of the 20 parks on this list.
Which parks in Arizona allow dogs?
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, Gateway Trailhead - McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Papago Park, Monument Valley and Riverview Park, among others, are listed as dog-friendly.
Which parks in Arizona are good for kids?
South Mountain Park and Preserve, McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, Dobbins Lookout, Gateway Trailhead - McDowell Sonoran Preserve and Papago Park, among others, are flagged as family-friendly.
Do these parks have restrooms?
2 of the 20 list restrooms on site. Check each place's page before you go, since facilities can close seasonally.
More guides
Rankings come from Google ratings and review counts, and refresh whenever the AllParx directory is updated. Conditions and hours change, so check a place's page before you travel.