Estrella Mountain was the first regional park in the county system. Nearly 20,000 acres of Sonoran Desert where two rivers meet, with trails for an easy hour or a long day.
Park entrance: 14805 W. Vineyard Ave., Goodyear, AZ 85338.
Check before you go. Storm damage from August 17, 2026 closed several areas of the park temporarily. The county posts current closures on the park's page.
Estrella Mountain Regional Park is outlined in orange. The other county parks are outlined in blue. Tap any park for its size and a link to its county page.
Estrella Mountain Regional Park Other county parks
Park boundaries are the official Maricopa County Parks and Recreation GIS boundary layer, retrieved 7 October 2026. Street map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
The park sits near where the Gila and Agua Fria rivers meet in the southwest Valley. Most of it is open desert with tall, widely spaced saguaros. After winter rains and the monsoon, seasonal wetlands form along the river side of the park, and that is when the birding is best.
The Sierra Estrella, the range behind the park, was part of Mexico until the Gadsden Purchase in 1853.
Ranked from easiest to hardest. The level comes from the county's own rating, and a trail goes up a level if the county rates any section of it harder than the rest. Within each level, trails are ordered by elevation change, then length. Lengths are one way.
| # | Trail | County rating | Length | Elevation change | Use | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | ||||||
| 1 | Gila Trail | Easiest | 0.4 mi | 47 ft | Barrier-free | Barrier-free. |
| 2 | Crossover Trail | Easy | 0.9 mi | 36 ft | Hike, bike, horse | Part of the Maricopa Trail. |
| 3 | Horseshoe Trail | Easy | 1.0 mi | 107 ft | Hike, bike, horse | |
| 4 | Saddle Trail | Easy | 0.3 mi | 119 ft | Hike, bike, horse | |
| 5 | Dysart Trail | Easy | 1.9 mi | 144 ft | Hike, bike, horse | |
| 6 | Quail Trail | Easy | 1.0 mi | 156 ft | Hike, bike, horse | Part of the Maricopa Trail. |
| 7 | Homestead Trail | Easy | 2.4 mi | 240 ft | Hike, bike, horse | |
| Intermediate | ||||||
| 8 | Coldwater Trail | Moderate | 2.9 mi | 106 ft | Hike, bike, horse | Part of the Maricopa Trail. |
| 9 | Gadsden Trail | Moderate | 6.5 mi | 224 ft | Hike, bike, horse | Part of the Maricopa Trail. |
| 10 | Baseline Trail | Moderate | 1.7 mi | 229 ft | Hike only | North end hike only; south end shared use. |
| 11 | Desert Rose Trail | Moderate | 3.1 mi | 257 ft | Hike, bike, horse | Part of the Maricopa Trail. |
| 12 | Toothaker Trail | Moderate | 4.1 mi | 344 ft | Hike, bike, horse | Pairs with Rainbow Valley for a classic loop of about 6 miles. |
| 13 | Butterfield Trail | Easy, then moderate | 2.5 mi | 352 ft | Hike, bike, horse | Moderate south of the Gadsden junction. Part of the Maricopa Trail. |
| 14 | Flycatcher Trail | Moderate | 1.1 mi | n/a | Not listed | The county publishes no elevation or use for this one. |
| Advanced | ||||||
| 15 | Pedersen Trail | Moderate to difficult | 8.4 mi | 298 ft | Hike, bike, horse | The longest named trail in the park. |
| 16 | Rainbow Valley Trail | Moderate to difficult | 4.3 mi | 352 ft | Hike, bike, horse | |
For mountain bikers: the park also has a competitive track, non-motorized and multiple-use, built for speed and racing.
Source: Maricopa County Parks and Recreation trail data, retrieved 7 October 2026. Short spurs and connectors are left out. The county's printable trail map (PDF) shows every trail and trailhead.
November through April. Summer is hot and the trails are exposed. Go early on any warm day, and carry more water than you think a short hike needs.
The park has a horse staging arena and is popular with riders. Expect to share trails with horses and bikes, and yield accordingly.
Nov 1 to Apr 30: 8am to 4pm daily. May 1 to Oct 31: 7am to 2pm, Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday. Check the county calendar for guided bird walks.
If open desert and miles of trail are part of what you want nearby, I can tell you which neighborhoods put you closest to a park like this one, wherever you are looking in the Valley.
Size, founding, address, hours, Nature Center hours, the grass picnic area, the rivers, wetlands, Gadsden Purchase history and the storm closure notice: Maricopa County Parks and Recreation. Entry fee: Maricopa County Parks fee schedule. Trail lengths, ratings and elevation change: Maricopa County trail data. Total trail mileage, landscape and the Toothaker and Rainbow Valley loop: American Southwest. All checked 7 October 2026. Fees, hours and closures change, so confirm with the park before you go.