Things to do / Travel Guide
Our Tourist Attractions Expert Says:
What makes Papago Park a "Phoenix Point of Pride?" Since 1959, it has been a popular location for outdoor recreation, with five miles of biking and hiking trails, and attractions for the whole family. Papago Park features unique geological formations, lagoons, a wide variety of typical desert plants, including the giant saguaro cactus, and several interesting museums.
Families should start their visit to Papago Park at one of the park's excellent museums. Visit the Desert Botanical Garden, the Phoenix Zoo, or the Hall of Flame Fire Museum, the world's largest museum of international firefighting history. The Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park is a great place for an educational field trip, especially for visiting schools. Other museums include the Arizona Military Museum, the J. Russell and Bonita Fine Arts Center and the Salt River Project History Center.
The Arizona Historical Society Museum shares the park's rich history. Papago Park was established in 1879 as a reservation for the Maricopa and Pima tribes. During World War II it housed a POW camp, and later became the site of a government hospital and Army Reserve facility. Exhibits educate guests on the impact of water in the desert, the development of agriculture and transportation, and the Home Front during World War II. Group tours are available but must be scheduled in advance. Kids under 12 get in free, and the museum is free of charge to all on the first Saturday of every month.
Other fun attractions within the park are Hunt's Tomb, the pyramidal tomb of Arizona's first governor, George W. P. Hunt, and Hole-in-the-Rock, a red sandstone formation that has evolved over millions of years. There is some evidence that the aboriginal Hohokam tribe used the openings of the hole to track the solstices with sunlight. Papago Park's lagoons are also a great place to fish. Visitors interested in orienteering can take a course in the Papago Sports Complex and learn to navigate through fields, woods, hills and desert terrain using a map and compass. Class times and a sign-up form can be found online.
Papago Park includes a 70-acre picnic area with ramada shelters that can be reserved in advance. The area can accommodate up to 1,000 people. Reservations are required in advance by calling the park. Keep in mind that alcohol is only permitted with a permit, and restrictions apply.
In addition to its recreational amenities, Papago Park and its vacinity has several theaters offering entertainment. Childsplay, the Grady Gammage, Memorial Auditorium, the Marquee Theater, and the Tempe Center for the Arts all over various theatrical performances throughout the year.
Papago Park is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. year-round, making it a great place for an all-day trip. If you are planning an extended retreat, rent a room at the Peaks at Papago Park. The Peaks features sand volleyball and basketball courts, a driving range, fully equipped kitchens, washer and dryer within each apartment, a pool and hot tub, a privately owned convenience store, fitness center, horseshoe pits and more.
Surrounded by Tempe, Phoenix and Scottsdale, Papago Park is conveniently located and easily accessible by car, and can be found at Van Buren Street and Galvin Parkway in Phoenix. Although there is no shopping or dining within the park, the nearby cities are full of restaurants, shops, and hotels.