Sep 2, 2026

Dogs on Phoenix Trails: Banned Above 100 Degrees

One of the best urban trail networks in America, closed to dogs on any day it hits 100. The rule, the two mechanisms stacked on each other, and a seasonal plan that actually works.

Luis ZamoraCo-founder of PetCompass; Dog Dad to Banzo and Tuck

Phoenix, Arizona10 min readThings to DoPet Care & Services

Phoenix has one of the best urban trail networks in America and it closes to dogs on any day the temperature reaches 100 degrees.

Verbatim from the city's heat safety page:

"Did you know that dogs are prohibited on ALL city hiking trails when the temperature is 100 degrees or warmer?"

The capitals on ALL are the city's. And the rule is temperature-triggered rather than seasonal, so there is no date range to remember. If it is 100 or warmer, the trails are closed to dogs, whether that is April, July or October.

In a city that spends much of the year above that mark, this is the single most consequential rule for anyone who moved here planning to hike with a dog.

What the rule does and does not cover

All city hiking trails. The city's wording is unqualified, and Phoenix's trail network is extensive: the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, South Mountain Park and Preserve, Camelback, Piestewa Peak.

On the day, not for the season. The trigger is the temperature.

And it is separate from the closures that apply to everyone. Verbatim from the same page: "On days when the National Weather Service issues an Extreme Heat Warning, Camelback Mountain's Echo and Cholla Trails and all trails associated with Piestewa Peak Trailhead in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve and South Mountain Park and Preserve will close from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m."

So there are two mechanisms stacked on each other. The 100-degree rule closes all city trails to dogs. An Extreme Heat Warning closes specific named trails to all people between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

One dated notice to ignore. At the time we read those pages, both carried a banner: "Active until Saturday, August 29. For public safety, certain trails are restricted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m." That is a specific seasonal notice rather than a standing rule, so check the current banner rather than assuming those dates recur.

The city's own advice, which is blunter than the rule

From the summer safety page, verbatim: "Hike early before it heats up. Bring plenty of water and a cell phone, stay on designated trails, dress appropriately, and watch the weather. When it's hot, leave pets at home."

"When it's hot, leave pets at home." That is the city's summary, and it is broader than the 100-degree line. Ninety-five degrees is legal and it is not a good idea.

And from the heat page, on people rather than dogs, verbatim: "When the forecast hits the triple-digit, City of Phoenix Rangers advise not hiking during these weather conditions". The grammar is as published.

Why the number is 100 and not higher

Because of what happens under the dog's feet, and Maricopa County publishes the arithmetic.

From its pet heat safety page, an asphalt conversion table:

Outside temperature	Asphalt temperature
77 degrees F	125 degrees F
86 degrees F	135 degrees F
87 degrees F	143 degrees F
102 degrees F	167 degrees F

And the county's own gloss, verbatim: "Skin damage can occur in ONE MINUTE when asphalt temperatures are above 125 degrees. It's hot enough to fry an egg when asphalt temperatures are above 135 degrees."

At 102 degrees of air temperature the surface reads 167. Desert rock and decomposed granite are not asphalt, but they are dark, exposed and they hold heat the same way. A trail at noon in July is a hot plate with a gradient on it.

The county's test, verbatim: "Place your bare foot or the back of your hand on the pavement for 7 seconds, if it's too hot for you, it's too hot for pets too!"

Do it at the trailhead. Seven seconds, before you set off.

Trails also bring three problems asphalt does not

Worth thinking about even on a cool day, because these are the reasons a trail walk goes wrong in the season when trails are legal.

No shade, and no way to shorten the route. A dog that overheats a mile up Piestewa Peak has to come down a mile. There is no doorway to duck into.

No water unless you carried it. Maricopa County's instruction, verbatim: "Ensure pets have consistent access to cool drinking water." On a trail that means you are the water supply, for two.

Terrain that abrades pads. Decomposed granite behaves like sandpaper on a soft pad, and a dog that has spent the winter on pavement has soft pads.

The county suggests protection, verbatim: "If walks on pavement are necessary, consider getting dog booties to protect your pet's paws." The same logic applies to rock.

Our summer heat safety for pets guide covers the physiology, and our pet first aid basics guide covers what to do if you have misjudged it.

What to do if a dog overheats on a trail

Maricopa County's first aid list is short, and two of its six items are prohibitions that run against instinct. Verbatim:

"Move your pet out of the heat" "Place a cool wet cloth on their belly, paws, and neck" "Place a fan so that it is blowing on your pet" "Do not attempt to rapidly cool pet with water or ice; this may cause shock" "Do not force water" "Do not leave pet unattended"

Shade first, then a damp cloth on the belly, paws and neck. Not a bottle of water over the head, and not forcing the dog to drink.

Then get down and get to a vet. Greater Phoenix has an unusually good 24-hour picture, and Maricopa County publishes its own directory of hospitals, which we cover separately. Our emergency vet, what to know explainer covers what to expect on arrival.

Where to walk instead

Four options, in rough order of how well they work in a Phoenix summer.

A dog park, before the sun is up. The city runs fourteen, all "fenced with safe, double-gated entrances" per its dog parks page. But check the closures first: ten of the fourteen have summer closure dates in the city's 2026 document, because Phoenix rests the turf. The ones with rotating or multiple pens stay open.

Grass, not pavement, at dawn. Maricopa County's timing advice, verbatim: "Limit your pet's time outside and try to stick to the mornings or evenings when the temperatures are cooler."

Water play at home. Verbatim from the county: "Consider play activities that involve water such as a hose or sprinkler." Genuinely the best summer exercise plan in this city.

And structured indoor work. Scent games and training sessions do more for a dog's day than most owners expect, and they are the only option that is temperature-independent.

Our dog park etiquette and how to leash train a dog guides cover the groundwork, which matters because Phoenix requires voice control inside its dog parks and bans food inside the fence, so treat-based recall does not work in there.

The leash rules that apply on a trail

Whatever the temperature, a dog on a Phoenix trail is on a lead.

Phoenix City Code 8-14(A), quoted in the Phoenix Police Department's leash law document, verbatim: "No dog shall be permitted at large. Each dog shall be confined within an enclosure on the owner's or custodian's property, secured so that the dog is confined entirely to the owner's or custodian's property, or on a leash not to exceed six feet in length and directly under the owner's or custodian's control when not on the owner's or custodian's property."

Six feet. Not a retractable extended past it.

The same subsection reserves a further power, verbatim: "Nothing in this section shall prevent the Director or the Parks and Recreation Board from prohibiting dogs or unrestrained dogs in a particular park, preserve or area under its jurisdiction, or any part thereof."

So specific preserves can be closed to dogs entirely, quite apart from the temperature rule. Check signage at the trailhead.

And the state adds its own park provision. ARS 11-1012(D), verbatim: "No person in charge of any dog shall permit such dog in a public park or upon any public school property unless the dog is physically restrained by a leash, enclosed in a car, cage or similar enclosure or being exhibited or trained at a recognized kennel club event, public school or park sponsored event."

Also, the city asks trail users to "stay on designated trails", which for a dog on a six-foot lead is mostly a question of where you walk.

And the tag matters more on a trail than anywhere else, because a dog that slips a collar in a preserve is a long way from home. ARS 11-1012(C) requires any dog over three months running at large to wear a collar or harness with a valid licence tag attached, and Maricopa County holds a licensed dog that arrives at the shelter for a minimum of 120 hours for Hold-Notify against a minimum stray hold of 72 hours. On a Saturday afternoon in a preserve, those two days are the difference between a phone call and a search. Our Maricopa County dog licence guide covers how to get one, and our lost dog in Phoenix guide covers what to do inside the window.

A seasonal plan that works

November to March. Trail season. Dogs allowed, temperatures manageable, and this is the window Phoenix dog owners plan the year around. Go often.

April and October. Check the thermometer, not the calendar. The 100-degree rule bites on individual days in both months.

May to September. Assume trails are closed to your dog most days. Dog parks at dawn, minus the ones on summer closure. Sprinkler in the yard. And never the middle of the day.

Any month, before you set off. Seven seconds on the surface at the trailhead, water for two, and a look at the signage.

If you are visiting Phoenix to hike with a dog, come between November and March. Our roundup of pet-friendly hotels in Phoenix and our Phoenix hotel directory are the places to start, and our hotel stay with a dog packing list covers the rest.

Frequently asked questions

Are dogs allowed on Phoenix hiking trails? Yes, on a lead, except when the temperature is 100 degrees or warmer. The City of Phoenix states that dogs are prohibited on all city hiking trails at 100 degrees or above.

What temperature closes Phoenix trails to dogs? 100 degrees or warmer, per the City of Phoenix.

Which Phoenix trails close in extreme heat? On days when the National Weather Service issues an Extreme Heat Warning, the city closes Camelback Mountain's Echo and Cholla Trails and all trails associated with Piestewa Peak Trailhead in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve and South Mountain Park and Preserve from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

How hot is the ground on a Phoenix trail? Maricopa County's asphalt conversion table gives 125 degrees at 77 degrees of air temperature and 167 degrees at 102, and states that skin damage can occur in one minute above 125 degrees.

How do I check if it is too hot to walk my dog? Maricopa County's test is to place your bare foot or the back of your hand on the pavement for seven seconds. If it is too hot for you, it is too hot for your pet.

What leash do I need on a Phoenix trail? Phoenix City Code 8-14(A) requires a leash not to exceed six feet in length, directly under the owner's or custodian's control, when the dog is off the owner's property.

Sources

Trail restrictions change seasonally. Check the city's pages and the trailhead signage before you go.