This Daisy Mountain Hike is one of my absolute favorites. One because it’s a great workout, and two because it’s right here in Anthem’s backyard.
Although we’ve transcribed the key points into this blog post, we strongly encourage you to click and watch the video above. The text simply won’t do the views justice. Enjoy!
By the end of the video you’ll know exactly where to access the Daisy Mountain Trailhead, what to expect along the way, how to get your permit to access it, and most importantly, I’ll have got some much needed exercise in!
Come hike with me!
If this is your first time here, welcome! My name is Lindsay and I‘m a proud Anthem resident and your local REALTOR® with the Wise Move AZ Team at Realty ONE Group. Each week we have a lot of fun talking about all things Anthem and real estate, and we would love to have you along for the ride, so consider subscribing to our YouTube Channel.
Get to Know Daisy Mountain
It’s no secret that Arizona is a great place for hiking and enjoying the outdoors. I love hiking and I feel particularly blessed that we have such an incredible hike right here in Anthem.
Daisy Mountain is Anthem famous. In fact, anywhere you are in Anthem, there is a good chance you can see Daisy Mountain. But did you know that it’s home to a challenging hike with incredible panoramic views of the valley? Yup, I can’t wait to get up there and show you.
Let’s get going.
State Trust Land
First things first, the Daisy Mountain Trail is on Arizona State Trust Land. This means that you need to get a State Land Department Recreational Permit to hike Daisy Mountain. You can do it online and it’s really easy. At the time I’m writing this, it cost $21 for a Family Permit, which includes a full year of access, and it takes less than 5 minutes to complete. I will walk you through the process step by step at the end of this post, so make sure you stick around.
Where to Start?
Now, where is the best place to access the Daisy Mountain Trailhead? If you google it, it might recommend that you start way down in the Panhandle area of Anthem. This is NOT right. You’re actually going to want to access the hike at the intersection of N Livingstone Way and Navigation Way in Anthem Parkside East.
Parking
Please keep in mind that there is no street parking at this intersection, so it is best if you can be dropped off or park elsewhere and walk.
Trail Usage
The Daisy Mountain Trail is for hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian use only. No ATVs are allowed.
Distance & Elevation
If you look online it says the hike is roughly 6.8 miles total, and the peak of Daisy Mountain is 3,164 ft high. We’ve done this hike many times before and have never done a good job of tracking it, so today, we’re going to use a Garmin hiking watch and see what it says. We will keep you posted throughout.
Weather
We are hiking out here today on February 14, 2020… a little Valentine’s Day hike. I might even see if my husband, Ryan is willing to get on camera with me for a bit. It is 12:45PM. The weather is amazing. It’s 66 degrees out, the sky is clear, and the sun is out. Perfect weather for hiking.
If you would like more information about the weather in Anthem, Arizona click here.
On the Trail
The first part of the hike starts out pretty flat, until you get to the base of Daisy Mountain. Then it picks up.
On the way to Daisy Mountain you can also see Gavilan Peak in the distance. That will be a hike for a different day!
As you start to climb Daisy Mountain you get some incredible views of Anthem.
There is a flag at the top of Daisy Mountain. We always like to see who can spot the flag first. When you see the flag, you know you’re getting closer to the top.
Different Paths
There are different trails that head to the top of Daisy Mountain, and there are actually two flags in two different locations. You can travel from one to the other by staying on the ridge of Daisy Mountain, but that will definitely add length to your hike.
Guest Book
Don’t forget to sign one of the books at the top and take time to soak in the incredible views.
Final Step Count & Timing
The hike took us about four hours, but we were stopping to record video, etc. so you will definitely be able to get it done quicker than we did. Our GPS shows that we did over 19,000 steps, and traveled a little more than 8.1 miles.
Don’t Forget the Permit
Now, as promised, I want to walk you through getting your Daisy Mountain hiking permit so that you can get out there and enjoy it this weekend.
- First you’re going to click the link here which will take you to a page at OnlineAtAnthem.com. This page has some great information about hiking in Anthem, so I encourage you to read it.
- Then when you are ready you can click the link to ‘Apply for a Permit’. This link will take you to the Arizona State Land Department website.
- Read this page and then click the button on the bottom of the page to proceed.
- Fill out your personal information. Then click ‘Save and Pay Now’.
- Input your payment information and click ‘Continue’.
- Review your order and click ‘Authorize’.
And there you have it! You’ll want to download and save a copy of your receipt and permit. You’ll also want to keep a copy of the permit on your phone or print the permit and bring it with you on your hike. It’s that easy!
Free Hiking Guide
Now, if you want to make sure you’re really prepared for hiking Daisy Mountain you’ll want to download our free guide: 10 Tips for Hiking in the Sonoran Desert.
So, there you have it! What do you think? Are you ready to get out there and hike Daisy Mountain?
Also, if you want more information on Daisy Mountain and Anthem then you’ll want to watch this video about super blooms on Daisy Mountain, or this video with information on Anthem weather.
Enjoy those and I’ll see YOU next Thursday!
