Papago Park - Tempe
Park
266 acres10.4 mi of trail
Lizard TrailLoma TrailPapago SouthConnector
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Hunter Trick (TrickHunter) · CC BY-SA 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Tempe
5% of Tempe’s land is conserved, and 98% of residents live within a half mile of a park
41 miles of mapped trail cross Tempe, 1.0 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Papago Park - Tempe (10.4 mi), Kiwanis Park (1.3 mi), Neil G. Giuliano Park (1.1 mi). 5% of Tempe’s land is conserved, about 1,364 acres.
Ahead of 79% of U.S. towns · #43 of 140 in Arizona. What drives it
Conserved land
5%
1,364 acres · of 40.0 sq mi of land
Trails
41 mi
1.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,747 ac
9.3 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
172 mi
120 mi lanes · 47 mi paths
Highest peak
1,457 ft
Hayden Butte
Lakes & rivers
6
1 beach · 5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Tempe?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Tempe have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Tempe is ahead of 79% of U.S. towns, #43 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 Tempe’s overall grade.
Conserved land5% of the land · typical AZ town 14% · U.S. 4%BTrails1.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (41 mi) · AZ 1.1 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land9.3 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,747 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 79%
LessMore
Arizona towns of 2,500+ (140)Ahead of 70%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Tempe ranks #204 on Outdoors.
Arizona towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 14%; the U.S., 4%), so Tempe’s 5% is ahead of 31% of Arizona towns, while its trails per square mile lead 47% 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 Papago Park - Tempe, with 10.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Kiwanis Park
Managed by City Of Tempe
127 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hayden Butte Preserve
Nature preserve
43 acres0.9 mi of trail
Leonard Monti TrailMain Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Tempe Sports Complex Park
Managed by City Of Tempe
61 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Benedict Sports Complex
Park
18 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 67 parks & preserves
Papago Park - Tempe266 acres · 10.4 mi of trail
DirectionsKiwanis Park127 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · City Of Tempe
DirectionsNeil G. Giuliano Park25 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsEvelyn Hallman Park39 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsJaycee Park9 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsHayden Butte Preserve43 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsTempe Sports Complex Park61 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · City Of Tempe
DirectionsBenedict Sports Complex18 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsRio Salado Park94 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsSRP Desertwise Park6 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsTempe Beach Park17 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City Of Tempe
DirectionsTempe Town Lake North Beach - Boat Beach41 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsHanger Park15 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Escalante Park10 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Tempe
DirectionsEstrada Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Tempe
DirectionsDesert Arboretum Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCorbell Park13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Papago Park12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsIndian Bend Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMichelle Brooks-Totress Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSingh Meadows72 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDaley Park14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMary and Moses Green Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City Of Tempe
Optimist Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsClark Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Goodwin8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Svob Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Selleh Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Stroud Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCelaya Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Tempe
DirectionsCircle G Ranch Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Hollis Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Tempe Women's Club Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Tempe
DirectionsPalmer Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDaumler Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Joyce Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Scudder Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Tempe
DirectionsArredondo Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRotary Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Cole Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Peterson Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBirchett Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPapago Park Playground1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsStanding Stones1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPERA Club57 acres
DirectionsMeyer Park8 acres
DirectionsSDFC Field8 acres
DirectionsMoeur Park7 acres
DirectionsAlisanos Park7 acres
Marina Heights Courtyard7 acres
DirectionsMitchell Park6 acres
Ehrhardt Park6 acres
Campbell Park6 acres
Connolly Field6 acres
Dwight Park6 acres
Waggoner Park4 acres · City of Tempe
Parque De Soza4 acres
DirectionsEsquer Park3 acres · City of Tempe
Creamery Park3 acres
DirectionsGaicki Park3 acres · City of Tempe
DirectionsJeanine Park3 acres · Sierra Tempe 4 Subdivision
Alegre Park2 acres · City of Tempe
Diane and Bruce Halle Skyspace Garden2 acres
DirectionsBuena Vista Ranchos Park2 acres
Tempe Village Park2 acres
Palo Verde Beach1 acres · Arizona State University
DirectionsCapistrano Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
1,364 conserved acres
5% of Tempe’s land. Who manages Tempe’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city1,330 ac
State Department of Land84 ac
County2 ac
Local Park · 1,308 acState Resource Management Area · 84 acLocal Recreation Area · 23 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Papago Park Local Park | Town or city | 428 | Open |
| Kiwanas Park Local Park | Town or city | 117 | Open |
| State Trust Land State Resource Management Area | State Department of Land | 84 | Restricted |
| Moeur Park Local Park | Town or city | 76 | Open |
| Rio Salado Park Local Park | Town or city | 69 | Open |
| Diablo Stadium Local Park | Town or city | 64 | Open |
| Kiwanis Local Park | Town or city | 50 | Open |
| Tempe Sports Complex - Baseball Field Local Park | Town or city | 39 | Open |
| Tempe Womens Club Park Local Park | Town or city | 39 | Open |
| North Bank Linear Park At Tempe Town Lake Local Park | Town or city | 28 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
128 places to go in Tempe
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Tempe
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Tempe
Clark Swimming PoolIn Clark Park
DirectionsEscalante Swimming PoolIn Escalante Park
DirectionsLakeview Pool 1
DirectionsLakeview Pool 2
DirectionsMcClintock Pool
Directionshot tub
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Tempe
68 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Tempe
909 West
DirectionsAll 4 Paws Training
DirectionsCamden Tempe Dog Park
DirectionsCuldesac Dog Park
DirectionsCuldesac Dog Park
DirectionsPapago Dog ParkIn Papago Park - Tempe
DirectionsTempe Sports Complex Dog ParkIn Tempe Sports Complex Park
DirectionsPlus 7 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Tempe
Boat LaunchIn Tempe Town Lake North Beach - Boat Beach
DirectionsBoat LaunchIn Tempe Town Lake North Beach - Boat Beach
DirectionsPlus 3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Tempe
1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Peaks in Tempe
Hayden Butte1,457 ft elevation · In Hayden Butte Preserve
DirectionsTwin Butte1,306 ft elevation
DirectionsBell Butte1,273 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Tempe
Fiesta RamadasIn Kiwanis Park
DirectionsRamada #1In Kiwanis Park
DirectionsRamada #2=In Kiwanis Park
DirectionsRamada #5In Kiwanis Park
DirectionsRamada #6In Kiwanis Park
DirectionsRamada #7In Kiwanis Park
DirectionsRuben Romero Picnic AreaIn Kiwanis Park
DirectionsPlus 21 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Tempe
Escalante Community GardenIn Escalante Park
DirectionsThe Rover Vine
DirectionsTrails & water
10 named trails and 6 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 9.1 miHorses · 4.9 miUnpaved · 18.1 mi
North Linear Park Path1.4 mi
Lizard Trail0.9 mi
Highline Canal South Branch0.5 mi
Loma Trail0.4 mi
Athletics Track0.3 mi
Leonard Monti Trail0.2 mi
Main Trail0.2 mi
Papago South0.2 mi
Playa Del Norte Walking Path0.1 mi
Sun Circle Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
172 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
120 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
47 mi
off-road bike paths
5.0 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
110Tennis
101Basketball
48Baseball
37Soccer
30Beach volleyball
14Pickleball
13Football
9Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →53 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 5 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Farmer-Goodwin HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itRoy Hackett HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About itNiels Petersen HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itSt. Mary's Church-Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic ChurchBuilding · listed 1978
About itAndre BuildingBuilding · listed 1979
About itTempe Hardware BuildingBuilding · listed 1980
About itVienna BakeryBuilding · listed 1980
About itSamuel C. Long HouseBuilding · listed 1980
About itFrankenberg HouseBuilding · listed 1981
About it1931 Tempe BridgeStructure · listed 1981
About itByron Redden HouseBuilding · listed 1984
About itC. P. Mullen HouseBuilding · listed 1984
About it41 more on the History page.
When to get out
April is the best month for walking in Tempe
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) | 68 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 104 | 106 | 104 | 100 | 89 | 76 | 67 |
| Rain (in) | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.9 |
June is the driest month (under 0.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 106 °F). 1.1 inches fall in February, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 106 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Tempe →
Next door
Tempe and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tempe | 5% | 1.0 | 9 | 98% | A− |
| Phoenix | 33% | 1.6 | 26 | 84% | A |
| Chandler | 4% | 0.9 | 10 | 99%+ | A− |
| Mesa | 6% | 0.6 | 8 | 98% | B+ |
| Guadalupe | 3% | 0.3 | 4 | 99%+ | B |
| Scottsdale | 30% | 2.4 | 15 | 71% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Tempe
Where can I hike in Tempe?
The longest trail networks: Papago Park - Tempe, 10.4 miles; Kiwanis Park, 1.3 miles; Neil G. Giuliano Park, 1.1 miles; Evelyn Hallman Park, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Tempe 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 Tempe’s trails?
Papago Park - Tempe and Kiwanis Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Tempe?
172 miles of bike routes are on the map: 120 of painted or protected lanes, 47 of off-road paths and 5.0 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Tempe?
29,573 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Tempe or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,747 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Tempe have?
Ahead of 79% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #43 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 Tempe 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 →