Let's explore South Mountain Preserve and discover Hidden Valley. We'll hike about 2-3 hours, travel a total of 3.8 miles, and gain 1,000 feet of elevation to discover a magical spot in the middle of the mountain. Our adventure begins with a climb but offers amazing views right away. As we continue to gain elevation we’ll see local landmarks like Four Peaks, Camelback Mountain, Piestewa Peak, and Downtown Phoenix. Surrounded by fantastic rock formations as we climb even higher, we’ll stop to learn about the Sonoran Desert’s unique geological history, vegetation, and wildlife. We'll see Saguaros, wild flowers, Barrel and Prickly Pear cacti. We may even spot a family of Quails, a Zebra Tailed Lizard, or Jack Rabbits running across the trail. After we’ve reached our highest elevation we’ll squeeze through Fat Man’s Pass (a narrow pass through a giant boulder created by a powerful wash) and descend into Hidden Valley. Here we will be completely secluded from city views and surrounded by birds, butterflies, and fresh herbal air. We’ll take a moment here to enjoy in the beauty of the desert. We'll stop again to examine ancient petro glyph sites created by the Hohokom, sometime between 350 - 1500 AD. Next, we’ll rock scramble a bit before we hike to a natural rock tunnel. Finally, we’ll enjoy more views of the valley on the way down the mountain.