Thunderbird Conservation Park
Nature preserve
998 acres12.7 mi of trail
Coach Whip TrailArrowhead Point TrailSunrise TrailCholla Loop Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Tony the Marine · CC BY-SA 3.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Glendale
5% of Glendale’s land is conserved, and 98% of residents live within a half mile of a park
The biggest trail networks: Thunderbird Conservation Park (12.7 mi), Sahuaro Ranch Park (2.5 mi), Glendale Heroes Regional Park (0.8 mi). 51 miles of mapped trail cross Glendale, 0.8 per square mile of land. 5% of Glendale’s land is conserved, about 2,187 acres.
Ahead of 75% of U.S. towns · #49 of 140 in Arizona. What drives it
Conserved land
5%
2,187 acres · of 67.3 sq mi of land
Trails
51 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,407 ac
9.5 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
122 mi
96 mi lanes · 25 mi paths
Highest peak
1,552 ft
Hedgpeth Hills
What kind of outdoors town is Glendale?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Glendale have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Glendale is ahead of 75% of U.S. towns, #49 of 140 in Arizona. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Glendale’s overall grade.
Conserved land5% of the land · typical AZ town 14% · U.S. 4%BTrails0.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (51 mi) · AZ 1.1 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land9.5 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,407 acres) · AZ 8 · U.S. 13C+Parks close to home98% of residents within a half mile of a park · AZ 56% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 75%
LessMore
Arizona towns of 2,500+ (140)Ahead of 65%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Glendale ranks #233 on Outdoors.
Arizona towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 14%; the U.S., 4%), so Glendale’s 5% is ahead of 30% of Arizona towns, while its trails per square mile lead 37% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A−. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Thunderbird Conservation Park, with 12.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Sahuaro Ranch Park
Managed by City Of Glendale
76 acres2.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Glendale Heroes Regional Park
Managed by City of Glendale
91 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Northern Horizon Park
Managed by City of Glendale
17 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Discovery Park
Managed by City Of Glendale
12 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Bonsall Park South
Managed by City of Glendale
7 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Grand Canal Linear Park
Managed by City of Glendale
108 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto Green F Field Oversized CarparkWebsite ↗
Rose Lane Park
Managed by City Of Glendale
11 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 85 parks & preserves
Thunderbird Conservation Park998 acres · 12.7 mi of trail
DirectionsSahuaro Ranch Park76 acres · 2.5 mi of trail · City Of Glendale
DirectionsGlendale Heroes Regional Park91 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · City of Glendale
DirectionsNorthern Horizon Park17 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Glendale
DirectionsDiscovery Park12 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City Of Glendale
Bonsall Park South7 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · City of Glendale
DirectionsGrand Canal Linear Park108 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Glendale
DirectionsRose Lane Park11 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City Of Glendale
DirectionsO'Niel Park14 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Hillcrest Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City Of Glendale
DirectionsBicentennial Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Glendale
Air Park2 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSierra Verde Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City Of Glendale
DirectionsGreenbriar Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City Of Glendale
Ocotillo Rose Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Glendale
Midwestern University Green Space2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Thunderbird Paseo Park201 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBonsall Park North10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City Of Glendale
DirectionsOrangewood Vista Neighborhood Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City Of Glendale
Maryland Lakes Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City Of Glendale
DirectionsPaseo Place Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Nicolet Ave Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Fountain Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Sonorita Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSkunk Creek Linear Park114 acres
DirectionsPaseo Sports Complex21 acres · City of Glendale
DirectionsFoothills Park14 acres
DirectionsGlendale Youth Sports Complex12 acres
DirectionsHidden Meadows Park11 acres
DirectionsChapparal Park10 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsSunset Ridge10 acres
DirectionsSunset Palms Park10 acres
Desert Valley Park10 acres
Orangewood Vista Park9 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsSunnyside Park9 acres
Desert Rose Park9 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsTierra Buena Park9 acres
New World Park8 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsDesert Mirage Park7 acres · City of Glendale
DirectionsFowler Park7 acres
DirectionsDesert Garden Park7 acres · City of Glendale
DirectionsGreenway Granada Park7 acres · City Of Glendale
Cholla Park7 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsButler Park7 acres · City Of Glendale
Manistee Ranch Park6 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsKings Park6 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsMondo Park6 acres · City Of Glendale
Delicias Park6 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsDos Lagos Park5 acres · City of Glendale
Montara Park5 acres · City Of Glendale
Mission Park5 acres · City Of Glendale
Memmingen Park5 acres · City Of Glendale
Acoma Park5 acres · City Of Glendale
Carmel Park5 acres · City Of Glendale
Oasis Park5 acres · City Of Glendale
Tarrington Ranch Park5 acres · City Of Glendale
Country Gables Park5 acres · City Of Glendale
Sands Park4 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsSycamore Grove Park4 acres
Horizon Park4 acres · City Of Glendale
Mary Silva Park4 acres · City Of Glendale
Arrowhead Lakes Park4 acres · City of Glendale
Sunset Vista Park4 acres · City Of Glendale
Utopia Park4 acres · City of Glendale
Pasadena Park4 acres · City Of Glendale
Murphy Park3 acres · City of Peoria
DirectionsLawrence Park3 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsHeritage Park2 acres · Marley Park HOA
Sunset Park2 acres
Brian Anderson Field2 acres
DirectionsLions Park2 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsClavelito Park2 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsBelaire Manor Park2 acres
Elsie McCarthy Sensory Garden2 acres
DirectionsOlive Grove HOA Park2 acres
Gardenwood Park1 acres · City Of Glendale
Paseo Neighborhood Park1 acres
DirectionsMidwestern University Outdoor Recreation Space1 acres
DirectionsWindsor Park1 acres
DirectionsMyrtle Park1 acres · City Of Glendale
DirectionsNorther Ridge Estates - Park1 acres · Norther Ridge Estates Community Association
Montoya Park1 acres
Rovey Farm Estates HOA Park1 acres
Belaire Picnic Area1 acres
Plaza Rosa Park1 acres · City Of Glendale
Who protects it
2,187 conserved acres
5% of Glendale’s land. Who manages Glendale’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city2,009 ac
Regional agency100 ac
State Department of Land89 ac
County4 ac
Local Park · 1,776 acLocal Recreation Area · 177 acLocal Other or Unknown · 143 acState Resource Management Area · 89 acLocal Conservation Area · 11 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderbird Park Local Park | Town or city | 963 | Open |
| Thunderbird Paseo Local Park | Town or city | 212 | Open |
| Grand Canal Linear Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 100 | Open |
| Skunk Creek Linear Local Park | Town or city | 98 | Open |
| State Trust Land State Resource Management Area | State Department of Land | 89 | Restricted |
| Saguaro Ranch Park Local Park | Regional agency | 85 | Open |
| Desert Mirage Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 45 | Open |
| Glen Lakes Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 43 | Open |
| Orangewood Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 34 | Open |
| Butler Park Local Park | Town or city | 29 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
173 places to go in Glendale
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Glendale
6 public pools without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Glendale
KTR Glendale
Directions155 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Glendale
Northern Horizon Dog ParkIn Northern Horizon Park
DirectionsPlus 4 dog parks without a name on the map.
Peaks in Glendale
Hedgpeth Hills1,552 ft elevation · In Thunderbird Conservation Park
DirectionsSunset Point1,122 ft elevation
DirectionsPlus 4 peaks without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Glendale
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
8 named trails
Named trails
Open to bikes · 13.2 miUnpaved · 14.4 mi
Coach Whip Trail4.8 mi
Arrowhead Point Trail1.5 mi
Sunrise Trail1.4 mi
Cholla Loop Trail1.3 mi
Desert Iguana Trail1.0 mi
Flatlander Trail1.0 mi
Ridgeline Trail0.4 mi
Chuckwalla Trail0.3 mi
Biking & sports
122 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
96 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
25 mi
off-road bike paths
0.2 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
125Tennis
108Basketball
47Tracks
41Baseball
28Soccer
25Pickleball
16Volleyball
12Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →22 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 22 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Beet Sugar FactoryBuilding · listed 1978
About itSahuaro RanchDistrict · listed 1980
About itFirst National Bank of Glendale BuildingBuilding · listed 1983
About itGlendale Woman's Club ClubhouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itGlendale Townsite-Catlin Court Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1992
About itManistee RanchDistrict · listed 1998
About itC.H. Tinker HouseBuilding · listed 2006
About itFirst Methodist Episcopal Church of Glendale SanctuaryBuilding · listed 2006
About itGlendale Grammar School One-room Class BuildingBuilding · listed 2006
About itGlendale Tract Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2006
About itFloralcroft Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2006
About itGlendale High School AuditoriumBuilding · listed 2006
About it10 more on the History page.
When to get out
April is the best month for walking in Glendale
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.2 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 13.9 | 14.4 | 14.2 | 13.4 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 10.4 | 9.9 |
| High (°F) | 67 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 104 | 106 | 104 | 100 | 88 | 76 | 66 |
| Rain (in) | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
June is the driest month (under 0.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 106 °F). 1.0 inches fall in February, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 106 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Glendale →
Next door
Glendale and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Phoenix847 miGoodyear340 miPeoria223 miSurprise70 miGlendale51 miEl Mirage7.0 miLitchfield Park1.5 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glendale | 5% | 0.8 | 10 | 98% | A− |
| Peoria | 42% | 1.3 | 86 | 92% | A+ |
| Phoenix | 33% | 1.6 | 26 | 84% | A |
| El Mirage | 4% | 0.7 | 8 | 99% | B+ |
| Litchfield Park | 2% | 0.5 | 8 | 99%+ | B |
| Goodyear | 39% | 1.8 | 87 | 83% | A+ |
| Surprise | 10% | 0.6 | 6 | 91% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Glendale
Where can I hike in Glendale?
The longest trail networks: Thunderbird Conservation Park, 12.7 miles; Sahuaro Ranch Park, 2.5 miles; Glendale Heroes Regional Park, 0.8 miles; Northern Horizon Park, 0.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Glendale is conserved land?
5% of its land, against a typical 14% for an Arizona town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Glendale’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Glendale Heroes Regional Park (on leash) and Grand Canal Linear Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Glendale?
122 miles of bike routes are on the map: 96 of painted or protected lanes, 25 of off-road paths and 0.2 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Glendale?
73,430 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Glendale or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,409 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Glendale have?
Ahead of 75% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #49 of 140 in Arizona. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Glendale neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →