Arizona Outdoors Club

Cathedral Rock Loop: Hill-line and Templeton Trail
2025-10-03 17:00 - 2025-10-04 20:00 UTC
This is a moderate level 7.5 mile hike in Sedona. The path passes along one of the four vortexes in the area, this one is known as the Cathedral Rock Vortex. There is a calm river on the route, so if you want to go swimming, remember to bring some swim gear.
This trip will be two days and one night. You should bring a sleeping bag, sleeping mat, tent, sunblock, hat, snacks, lots of water and a good pair of boots.
Trip Plan: Sedona, AZ: Cathedral Rock Hill-line and Templeton Trail – Google Docs
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Quartz Peak Trail Day Hike
2025-10-04 07:30 - 15:00 UTC
Looking for a rewarding desert adventure close to Phoenix? We will be hiking the Quartz Peak Trail! It’s rated as challenging, with sustained climbs and rugged terrain, but hikers are rewarded with amazing views of the valley and a unique summit studded with glinting quartz.
The last few miles of the road are not paved. AWD and a high clearance vehicle is highly recommended.
🗺️ Location: Quartz Peak Trail
🌄 Activity: Day hiking
🏔️ Skill Level: Moderate/Hard
📌 Total Miles: 5.6 miles
👥 Max People: 20
🗞️ Costs: ~$10
⛅ Weather: 70°F
🧭 Meeting Place: Trader Joe’s
🧳 What to Bring: Hiking shoes, water, snacks
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Kendrick Peak, lava river cave and Oktoberfest (TRIP FULL‼️)
2025-10-04 08:00 - 2025-10-05 21:00 UTC
We’ll be heading to Flagstaff for Oktoberfest (https://flagstaffoktoberfest.com/, $15/per-person) , then exploring the Lava River Cave before car camping overnight. The next day, we’ll hike Kendrick Peak (about 9 miles with roughly 2,700 feet of elevation gain) and then drive back to Tempe. Don’t forget to bring headlamps for the cave.
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Humphrey's Peak
2025-10-04 18:00 - 2025-10-05 23:30 UTC
This will be a strenuous 23 mile out and back hike. We will car camp the night before at an ancient volcanic lava field and then set out early the next day. The plan is to wake up at 5 and be at the trail head by 6am. It should take approximately 12.5 to 13 hours to complete this hike and the elevation gain is 5,229ft. If you feel the distance is too much for you, it is ok to turn around and go back the way you came.
This hike is also a training/ test hike for the Fall Break Grand Canyon trip. So, if you feel confident with this hike, you can then sign up for the Fall Break trip.
It will probably be a later night, so if all goes well we should return to campus by 11:30pm.
Note: People in Tempe that are interested in this trip will meet in the Trader Joe’s parking lot. People on the Sedona trip that want to do this trip will have a car going from that trip to Flagstaff.
You should bring: tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, warm clothes/ layers (a jacket is recommended as it has been below freezing at night), personal hygiene items (toilet paper, toothbrush, Advil, etc.), a pack to carry what you need for the day of the hike, plenty of food and snacks, plenty of water and a good pair of hiking shoes.
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The Mighty 5 - Utah National Parks [FALL BREAK] (formerly Yellowstone)
2025-10-09 18:00 - 2025-10-14 20:00 UTC
We will be going to ALL FIVE Utah national parks on this amazing 1800-mile road trip!
We’re expecting below-freezing temperatures when camping overnight (around 25°F or -5°C), so make sure to bring lots of cold-weather gear! It will also be raining on 2-3 days of the trip, so rain gear is required. On some days, we’ll be driving very long distances, so please keep that in mind. Every day will be pretty busy, and we will be camping every night, so keep in mind that there won’t be utilities at any of the campsites! We’ll also be leaving Thursday night, so keep that in mind if you have any evening classes or Friday classes.
Itinerary (subject to change):
Thursday: (3 hours) Drive to Flagstaff at 6pm and camp near Sunset Crater at 10pm.
Friday: (7 hours) Leave at 8am, pass through Monument Valley, visit Arches National Park, arrive at camp at 8pm.
Saturday: (8 hours) Leave at 8am, visit Canyonlands, pass through Capitol Reef National Park, visit Bryce Canyon National Park and camp outside it at 8pm.
Sunday: (5.5 hours) Leave at 8am, Drive to Zion National Park and visit park, then drive to Great Basin National Park and camp outside it.
Monday: (6 hours) Leave 8am, Drive through Great Basin National Park, do some hiking, then drive to Las Vegas and explore city, stay in hotel or camp outside city.
Tuesday: (5 hours) Leave 9am, visit Hoover Dam, possibly hot springs, drive home to Tempe.

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Sierra Nevada Car Camping + Day Hiking
2025-10-10 06:00 - 2025-10-13 20:00 UTC
This will be a 4 day 3 night car camping trip with 22 mile day hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Yosemite National Park. There will be a group A and a group B for this trip. Group A will consist of moderate hiking and group B will be intense.
Group A
Day 1: Drive, establish a campsite, 5-7 mile hike through the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, cache water
Day 2: To be determined (most likely going to be a shorter version of group B hiking)
Day 3: To be determined (most likely going to be a shorter version of group B hiking)
Day 4: Potential sightseeing, drive back
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Group B
Day 1: Drive, establish a campsite, 5-7 mile hike through the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, cache water
Day 2: Glacier Point, Panorama Trail, Mist Trail, Four Mile Loop Trail
Day 3: Sentinel Dome, Taft Point, Pohono Trail to Dewey & Crocker Points
Day 4: Potential sightseeing, drive back

You should bring: a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, layers (it will be cold), raincoat, hat, flashlight/ head lamp, a first aid kit, a pack for carrying all of your things for the day hike, personal hygiene items (tooth brush, toilet paper, Advil, etc.), plenty of food (think about bears when bringing this), plenty of water and a good pair of boots.

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Superstition Storm Chasing
2025-10-11 09:00 - 18:00 (America/Denver)
With Hurricane Priscilla on the way, it’s looking like it’s going to storm all weekend. Now this isn’t good if you’re trying to plan a kayaking trip, but this is good for storm chasing! We’ll be setting off into the superstition mountains for a rainy day hike. Be prepared for the possibility of off-trail hiking and low-grade scrambling as we try to get into a good spot to see flash flooding from a safe spot. We will be hiking an undetermined length and elevation gain, it really just depends on the conditions. Make sure to bring a rain jacket!

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Arizona Hot Springs Backpacking
2025-10-13 08:00 - 2025-10-14 18:00 (America/Phoenix)
This is a 6.7-mile round trip hike in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area leading through scenic desert slot canyons to the Arizona Hot Springs. We’ll camp overnight, swim in the springs, and maybe cliff jump into the Colorado river before hiking back the next morning. Make sure to bring swim trunks, food, plenty of water, hiking shoes, and camping gear.
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Sunrise Hike in the South Mountains: Fat Man's Pass and Natural Tunnel via Mormon Trail
2025-10-15 05:10 - 08:00 UTC
This will be a 3.5 mile sunrise loop hike in the South Mountains with 918ft in elevation gain. We will meet in the McDonald’s parking lot at 5:10am.
Make sure to wear good shoes, bring a flashlight and some water. Be prepared to see snakes.
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Climbmax Rock Climbing
2025-10-16 18:00 - 20:30, 2025-11-07 18:00 - 20:30 (America/Denver)
Come check out the Climbmax climbing gym and take advantage of our $20 day pass with free gear rentals deal!

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Tom’s Thumb Hiking
2025-10-17 08:30 - 14:30 UTC
We’re going to be hiking Tom’s Thumb! Join us for this epic adventure!
🗺️ Location: Tom’s Thumb
🌄 Activity: Hiking
🏔️ Skill Level: Moderate
📌 Total Miles: 4
👥 Max People: 20
🗞️ Costs: Free
⛅ Weather: Clear, sunny
🧭 Meeting Place: ASU Building @ Trader Joe’s parking lot
🧳 What to Bring: Water, snacks, proper hiking shoes
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Mogollon Rim: General Crook Connector Trail
2025-10-17 14:00 - 2025-10-19 11:00 UTC
Prepare for a challenging 24.9 mile out and back hike along the historic General Crook Connector Trail. Back in the day this route helped secure supply routes and travel through the wilderness of AZ. It is estimated the trail takes approximately 10.5 hours to complete.
This will be a 2.5 day, 2 night camping excursion. The plan is to camp the night before and set out early in the morning. After finishing the hike, we will camp for one more night and then return the following day.
You should plan on bringing a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, backpack, hat, layers, food, plenty of water and a good pair of boots.
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Fossil Creek and Bob Bear Trailhead (FULL)
2025-10-18 07:00 - 17:30 UTC
Hey guys! We’ll be hiking to Fossil Creek. It’s about an 8-mile round trip, so make sure to bring plenty of water and snacks. We’ll get to snorkel in the creek, swim, and explore the area, so pack a swimsuit, towel, and good hiking shoes. Don’t forget sunscreen and maybe a change of clothes for the ride back. Should be a fun adventure!
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Sunrise Peak Hiking
2025-10-22 05:10 - 08:30 UTC
Join us for a sunrise hike up Sunrise Peak!
🗺️ Location: Sunrise peak🌄 Activity: Hiking🏔️ Skill Level: Moderate📌 Total Miles: 3.8👥 Max People: 10🗞️ Costs: None⛅ Weather: High 82, low 65🧭 Meeting Place: McDonald’s parking lot🧳 What to Bring: Water, good hiking shoes, a flashlight, maybe a snack or two
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Coconino National Forest: Elden Lookout, Sunset and Hearts Trail Loop
2025-10-24 17:00 - 2025-10-25 20:00 UTC
This is a slightly strenuous 11.2 mile round trip on Mt. Elden with 2,657ft in elevation gain. The route has good views, ridgeline hiking, forests and meadows. Though it should be noted that there is some steep climbing to be expected for the first 3 miles and certain sections have limited shade.
The trip will be a 2 day, 1 night excursion. We will camp the night before and set off early in the morning. Prepare for about a 6 hour hike. Make sure to bring a tenet, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, hat, sunscreen, layers (jacket), food, plenty of water, a good pair of hiking boots and some ice spikes (depending on how the weather is on Mt. Elden closer to the trip).
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Boynton Canyon & Subway Cave Day Hike/Car Camping
2025-10-25 08:00 - 2025-10-26 12:00 UTC
We will be exploring Boynton Canyon and Subway Cave in Sedona! The Boynton Canyon trail near Sedona offers wonderful views of the canyon floor and the unique desert plants that thrive here, such as Arizona cypress and manzanita. It’s a place where you might see mule deer or hear the calls of canyon wrens. We’ll also be exploring the beautiful Subway Cave! We will be camping overnight in the area.
🗺️ Location: Boynton Canyon & Subway Cave
🌄 Activity: Day hike/car camping
🏔️ Skill Level: Easy
📌 Total Miles: ~5.5 miles
👥 Max People: 20
🗞️ Costs: ~$20 per car in gas; $5 per car for Red Rock parking pass
⛅ Weather: 60-80°F, Sunny
🧭 Meeting Place: Trader Joes on Rural and University
🧳 What to Bring: Camping gear (sleeping bag, pad, tent), hiking shoes, water, food, snacks, sun protection and warm clothes for night.
Signups will open at the end of the weekly meeting on October 1st!
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EDGE OF THE WORLD 🌎
2025-10-25 09:00 - 2025-10-26 19:00 UTC
We’ll be heading to Flagstaff on October 25 and driving up to one of the most scenic campsites in Arizona. The views from the top are incredible, especially at sunset, making the drive well worth it. We’ll spend the night camping there, and the following day we’ll hike Soldier Pass Trail (5 miles) in Sedona before heading back to Tempe. This trip is capped at 25 participants, as the campsite can’t accommodate a larger group.
Please note: the final stretch of road is about 20 miles of rocky, narrow terrain, so a high-clearance vehicle is highly recommended.

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A Mountain Night Hike
2025-10-28 19:30 - 21:00 UTC | Old Main Fountain, 400 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85281, United States
We’ll be doing a quick, easy hike up A Mountain on Tuesday night! No hiking experience or equipment required! We will enjoy the beautiful view of the Tempe skyline at night and make some new friends! There’s no need for a driver or a huge time commitment on this trip since we’ll just be walking from campus.
We will be meeting at the fountain in front of Old Main and leaving by 7:30PM. We should reach the peak no later than 8:00PM. We will have a good amount of time to hang out and chat at the peak.
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Tonto National Forest: Four Peaks
2025-10-31 12:00 - 2025-11-01 20:00 UTC
This is a difficult 6.9 mile loop hike with 1,870ft in elevation gain and sections of trail considered class four scrambling. Be sure to prepare for at least 20 miles of off-roading along bumpy mountain roads.
This will be a 2 day, 1 night camping trip. We will arrive the day before and set up camp. Then we will head out early to summit before the afternoon weather starts to get bad. You should bring a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, a small pack, food, plenty of water and a good pair of boots.

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Antelope Creek Paddle Route Camping and Hiking
2025-10-31 17:00 - 2025-11-02 21:00 UTC
Join us for an epic 3 day 2 night camping, kayaking, and hiking trip outside of Page, Arizona. We’ll be paddling up Antelope Creek off the Colorado River.

Itinerary
Day 1 – Thursday, October 31
• 5:00 PM – Depart from Trader Joe’s
• Stop in Flagstaff for dinner
• 10:00 PM – Arrive at campsite and set up camp
Day 2 – Friday, November 1
• 8:00 AM – Drive to White Pocket for a 1.2-mile scenic hike
• 9:00 AM – Start hiking White Pocket (approximately 1-2 hours)
• 1:00 PM – Depart for Wire Pass Trailhead
• 2:00 PM – Begin 5.6-mile hike at Buckskin Overlook (approximately 2-3 hours) • Evening – Return to camp
Day 3 – Saturday, November 2
• 10:00 AM – Break camp and head to the kayak rental location
• 1-hour paddle through Antelope Creek with spectacular views
• 1-hour creek hiking exploration
• 9:00 PM – Arrive back at meeting point
Costs (Per Person)
• Gas (estimated): $30-40
• Parking fee: $6
• Kayak rental: $40–$60

Important Reminders
⚠️ 4×4 High-Clearance Vehicle REQUIRED – Roads to trailheads are super bumpy, rough and unmaintained; better to have experience on off-road driving
🌡️ Weather: Daytime highs around 60°F, nighttime lows around 40°F – it will be cold at night, so pack extra layers!
🧳 What to Bring: Camping gear (sleeping bag, pad, tent), hiking shoes, water, enough food, snacks, warm layers, waterproof clothes, Sun protection, kayak rentals, and a Drybag

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Diamond Point Rockhunting
2025-11-01 08:00 - 18:00 UTC
We’ll be heading to Diamond Point at the Mogollon Rim to search for rare quartz crystals! This trip is perfect for anyone eager to explore and dig in the mountains.
🗺️ Location: Mogollon Rim
🌄 Activity: Rockhunting/hounding
🏔️ Skill Level: Low
👥 Max People: 16
🗞️ Costs: Gas, food
⛅ Weather: 60s-70s
🧭 Meeting Place: Trader Joe’s parking lot near Tempe campus
🧳 What to Bring: Boots, gloves if you have them, water and lunch. Tools for digging if you have them.
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🎃 Halloween Haunted Canyon Backpacking 👻
2025-11-01 09:00 - 2025-11-02 17:00 UTC
Join us on Halloweekend for a trip to Haunted Canyon! We’ll be backpacking Haunted Canyon Trail to Toney Ranch and watching horror movies via projector at the campsite overnight! 😱 At the end of the trail, we’ll get to explore an abandoned historical cabin and ranch from the 1910’s. 🪦 If we’re lucky, we might get to see some of the fall colors along the trail too! 🍂 Don’t forget to wear a costume on the trail!!
This will be a moderately difficult trip, and your feet might get a bit wet if the creek is big enough. Make sure to bring backpacking gear, warm clothes, water, snacks, and a Halloween costume!
🌥️Weather – High 80s, low 40s. Bring sunscreen!
Sign-ups will open at the end of the meeting on October 15th!
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Forest Lakes Camping
2025-11-08 09:00 - 2025-11-09 18:00 UTC
This is a one-night camping trip at FR 171 Campground in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. We’ll set up camp, hang out by the fire, and enjoy the quiet pine forest with amazing canyon views along the Mogollon Rim. Bring a tent, sleeping bag, food, water, and warm clothes (it WILL be cold). It’s a simple, relaxing getaway perfect for a weekend in the woods.
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Wine Tasting 🍷 and Mount Lemmon
2025-11-08 09:30 - 2025-11-09 21:00 UTC
We’ll head south to Sonoita, famous for its beautiful vineyards and charming wine-tasting rooms. After sipping and savoring the local flavors, we’ll make our way up to Mount Lemmon, where we’ll car camp under the stars. The next morning, we’ll hike the mountain (8.4 miles , 2400 elevations) , known for its breathtaking views, and then drive back to Tempe.

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Flatiron via Siphon Draw Trail
2025-11-09 08:00 - 12:00 UTC
This is a strenuous 5.5 mile hike with 2,627ft in elevation and a good view. Prepare for an out and back day trip.
You should make sure to bring a hat, sunscreen, snacks, lots of water and a good pair of shoes.
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"A Mountain" Night Hike
2025-11-11 19:30 - 21:00 UTC | Old Main Fountain, 400 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85281, United States

Sunrise Camelback via Cholla
2025-11-13 06:15 - 09:30 UTC
Join me on a quick sunrise hike of Camelback Mountain! Unfortunately, the Echo Canyon trail is closed from the crazy storms a few weeks ago, so instead we’ll be hiking via Cholla trail.
This is a steep 3-mile 1,300 ft. We will meet at McDonald’s on Rural at 6:15 and leave at 6:30 at the latest, so don’t sleep in! We should be back in Tempe before 9:30am.
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King's Canyon National Park
2025-11-13 16:00 - 2025-11-16 23:00 UTC
This will be a 3 night 4 day trip to King’s Canyon National Park. The mountains we will be hiking surround Mt. Whitney, so we will scope out conditions for a future winter Whitney ascent. This will be a difficult trip. Also, be prepared to wake up early to avoid bad weather conditions!
Day 1 (Thursday): Depart from McDonald’s parking lot at 4pm
Day 2 (Friday): We will hike the Kearsarge Pass Trail to the Kearsarge Lakes as a “warmup” hike for Day 3. This is a 12.4 mile route with 3,490ft in elevation gain. This is the perfect spot for a polar plunge, so bring a swimsuit if you want to do that.
Day 3 (Saturday): We will hike the Bubbs Creek trail. This is a 24.7 mile route with 4,760ft in elevation gain.
Day 4 (Sunday): Return to campus/ drop off
You should bring: Camping gear (sleeping bag, pad, tent), hiking shoes, water, food, snacks, sun protection, rain protection, backpack, personal hygiene items (tooth brush, Advil, first aid, etc. ), hiking shoes, ice spikes, ice ax??, flash light/ headlamp and warm clothes for camping (it will be cold at night). *There might be the possibility of splitting an air bnb…we will have a meeting later on to decide this once a number of people have signed up for the trip.
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Weatherford Trail to Humphreys Peak (Prerequisite for Whitney)
2025-11-14 18:00 - 2025-11-16 12:00 UTC
Proceed cautiously on this 23.0-mile out-and-back trail near Flagstaff, Arizona. Generally considered a highly challenging route, it takes an average of 12 h 5 min to complete and should only be attempted by experienced adventurers.
Only people who summit the peak will be allowed to sign up for Mount Whitney (20 nov – 23 nov).
Micro Spikes recommended
checklist (only for people doing Whitney)
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