Hayden Butte (A Mountain)

About

Hayden Butte, better known as A Mountain, rises right behind Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe. The city has kept it as a park since 1973 and made it Tempe's first preserve in 2002. The climb is free, and the 0.7-mile Hayden Butte Trail starts near Rio Salado Parkway and Mill Avenue. It gains about 278 feet, and the final stretch is steep, so wear real shoes. Petroglyphs left by some of Tempe's first residents can still be seen along the route. From the top you look out over Tempe Town Lake, the stadium and the rest of the city.