Lost Dog Wash Trail to Sunrise Peak via Sunrise Trail

I love the fact that I can take one of several trails that are available. Some are moderate and some, like Sunrise Peak and the Quartz Trail, are a terrific challenge. Moreover, the views of the desert landscape and view of the surrounding mountains are fabulous. Just simply stop along the way and take in the beautiful scenery. I’m a flat lander from Illinois and think it’s spectacular there. The one thing I don’t like is people bringing dogs there. It’s rocky footing, hard on their paws and rarely do they bring enough water for them. I did have to help carry a dog down from the path going to Sunrise Peak. Wear good hiking shoes if you have them, bring plenty of water, sun screen, a hat and remember there ARE snakes there. Just be aware of your surroundings.
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I like this trail. The first section is uninspiring with lots of loose rocks and not much in the way of views. Then it opens up into a nice fairly clear trail with a gradual incline up the mountain and wide open scenery. The last bit before the top is steeper and rocky but fairly short. The views at the top are great.

Moderate hike, gradual incline but very rocky so wear stable shoes. Summit to peak makes for amazing views.

Hands down one of my favorite hikes in the area because of the view. The incline is steady the entire way up until the very end. I typically take my small dog with me when I go but leave my larger dog behind if I plan on going all the way to the top because the path gets very narrow. I love the view at the top and usually will spend about 20 minutes there to take it all in. If you go at the right time, you can even see the Fountain Hills fountain going off. I usually will do this hike on a week day because I can imagine it not being as enjoyable if it were to get really corwded especially at the top. The trailhead is very easy to get to and there is tons of parking with a well maintained bathroom.

I did not research where to park before I went to this trail. I ended up going through lost dog wash trail to sunset peak which proved to take a lot longer and I missed sunrise. I would say go at least two hours before just so you make sure you have parking and find the sunrise peak. It is a pretty easy trail, there are some parts where it gets steep but otherwise pretty doable. I'll have to go again at actual sunrise and see how it is lol.

Great 1.5 hour Incline Workout for me! Beautiful views from Sunrise Peak. Special treat was seeing The Fountain from Fountain Hills :) Moderate rating is fair as no technical climbing...total 2.5 hour hike for me today! Good Times!

Amazing views today! I had no idea this trail system existed! We had a great time and wished we could have gone further!

The trail was nice and well maintained. Very heavy traffic with loose rocks all over the trail. Not my favorite hike, I wouldn't do it again.

Great views at the top, worth it to get there. I liked the incline, nice and steady, no need to scramble anything

While I'm not a big fan of the loose larger rocks that dominate the first and last halves of this hike, the overall hike is enjoyable. I found the constant, steady incline quite enjoyable, and the views from the summit are great. One oddity related to all the lost dog trails, they are the only trails I've been on where when greeting fellow hikers along the trail you are somewhat likely to receive an icy stare instead of a reciprocal greeting.

I great aerobic workout, long uphill climb for 2 miles, then it turns into a quad burner. Very uneven and rocky. Probably should be rated as harder.

favorite hike!

Really enjoyed this trail!! Beautiful view at the peak. Pretty moderate/easy throughout, but last 0.2 mi is pretty steep. Stick with it!!

Great hike, rocky with the washes. Good steady elevation gain with some switchbacks. Once you hit sunrise peak, the view is great being able to see az landscape and other mountains surrounding. I would definitely do this again.

This was a good hike. Steady incline. Lots of people. Started out about 730am and was in the shadow of the mountain most of the way so the heat wasn’t bad.

the first mile or so is tedious but the payoff is worth it.

I rate this hike highly because of 2 things, 1, if you get to the hike in the morning, you can be in the shade almost 90% of the hike. 2. This is a slightly more gradual hike to the sunrise peak than ascending it form the sunrise trailhead, albeit a bit longer. Regardless, its a lot less crowded than the other side since its longer and offers nice views. The spur climb at the top is good if you want to get your heart rate up.

The scenic beauty is breathtaking even when it's 104f. I used trekking poles but you really don't need them. There handy if you come upon a snake.