Phoenix’s Echo Canyon Trail will soon reopen. The park has been closed for nearly a year for upgrades and remodeling. The city is giving a glimpse into the new and improved hiking area.
The first quarter mile of the Echo Canyon summit trail has a smoother dirt surface that is safer to climb and visually appealing. The original path was eroding. Railroad ties were used to help hikers climb the mountain and keep much of the path rocks in place, and the new trail is wider and kinder to the mountain.
The city of Phoenix created a YouTube narrated slideshow showcasing the new hiking path.
"This trail alignment adds just over one eighth of a mile to the total trail length," the video states.
The saddle at the top of the new trail serves as a turnaround point and a viewing area. Phoenix Parks and Recreation’s Jarod Rogers said that is one of the added features to the new trail.
“With the new alignment being less severely steep it’s easier to slow down and enjoy the view, see the city from a distance, see the Echo Canyon itself, and it also protects the mountain quite a bit as well," said Rogers.
Rogers said the city will reopen the trail as soon as construction crews complete the finishing touches to the new parking area.