Papago Park

Some of the best memories with your children are made on a family-friendly adventure. Papago Park in Phoenix is such an adventure. With close to 1,700 acres across two mountain ranges, this park offers something for everyone. A must see is the scenic loop drive which takes visitors through beautiful desert scenery and up to panoramic views of metropolitan Phoenix below. Families can spend hours exploring the trails and picnic areas that dot the park or head straight for one of its many attractions: museums, golf courses, lakeside restaurants – all without having to leave home! What more could you ask for?

History of Papago Park in Phoenix

    After Papago Park was acquired by Maricopa County in the 1930s, it became known as Papago County Park. The park’s name has been debated over the years and other names have included Papago Indian Reservation and Papago Playground.

Papago was originally part of an ancient Indian reservation, but became a camp for Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) workers during World War II. The CCC built Papago Golf Course and Papago Lake to provide recreation for these young men while they served their country. Today, Papago still offers some of the best golfing around as well as leisure activities such as swimming at Papago Pool or boating on Papagoro Lake. You can also enjoy our Desert Living Museum which tells about living off-the-grid with solar power and windmills!

Papago Park Today

    The present-day Papago is a result of multiple renames with Papago being accepted after pressure from citizens to be named for its heritage. In 1991, Phoenix voters approved changing the park’s legal designation back to Papago Park because many people were unaware that “Pap”aga means “father” in O’odham (the language spoken by some Native Americans living on or near the Gila River) while others thought this sounded like an insult toward fathers.

The Papago Golf Course features two 18-hole courses designed by world famous golfer Scott Simpson. One course was designed around the red butte formations

Things to Do in Papago Park

    Papago Park offers a welcome mix of avid hikers, fishing enthusiasts and golfers. Papago is centrally located in Phoenix with easy access to downtown and the airport. In addition Papago has plenty of amenities nearby such as museums, lakeside restaurants – all without having to leave home!

• Located in a beautiful, soothing natural environment
• Close proximity to downtown Phoenix and the airport
• Plenty of variety in outdoor recreation (hiking, fishing, golfing)
• Wide variety of amenities nearby including Zoo and Botanical Garden

Trails in Papago Park

• Take a walk on the wild side in Papago Park
• Flexible and easy rules for all sorts of outdoor activities
• Get up close with Arizona native wildlife
• The trails are easy to find—just follow the signs!

Papago Park is the perfect way to escape from a busy day in Phoenix.

It’s true that life can be tough. But sometimes, it doesn’t have to be so hard! With some time and effort, you can find a place of peace and tranquility where you feel at home in your own skin. Picture yourself walking on the trails through Papago Park—you might see an animal or two along the way. You could even take a walk down Eagle Mountain Road for what is one of the most scenic drives in all of Phoenix! If this sounds like something up your alley (or trail), then it’s time to visit downtown Phoenix with plenty to do outdoors without ever leaving its boundaries.