Hiking and biking maps are available from City Parks, Recreation and Library Department. A maze of well-maintained hiking trails crisscrosses one of the largest municipal parks in the world, South Mountain Park . Free maps are available at the entrance. Then trek to Happy Valley, a trail through South Mountain Park, magnificent especially in spring when knee-deep with wildflowers. No glass containers permitted.
Rangers advise park users to stay on the trails, particularly at dusk and after dark.
At 48th Street and Guadalupe, mountain bike paths some easy and others technically challenging fan out through South Mountain park. Scottsdale Green Belt Loop trail through lush golf courses and dramatic landscapes. Start at Indian School Road and 64th Street, head south through Papago Park to the Salt River, go north on the Green Belt west of Hayden, then return to your starting point along the Arizona Canal. Try an indoor pool at one of the many spas and health clubs, or the wave pool and lap pool at Kiwanis Recreation Center . The wave pool usually operates when kids are out of school, such as the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.