These Arizona cities just got a big shout-out for having the best hiking in the U.S.

Shanti Lerner, Arizona Republic
·2 min read

More love for the high quality of hiking in Arizona: A study released this week ranks Phoenix and Tucson among the top 10 U.S. cities for hiking.

According to a study conducted by LawnStarter, a company that offers lawn maintenance services nationwide, Portland, Oregon, comes in at No. 1. Tucson and Phoenix round out the top three.

LawnStarter's hiking survey looked at 13 factors including hiking access, trail difficulty, climate and natural hazards. Weighing these factors, the company ranked 200 of the biggest U.S. cities.

While Phoenix was ranked No. 3 overall, it was rated No. 1 for best hiking access. Tucson was No. 2 in this category.

More: Arizona's 10 best hikes are gorgeous. Here's where they are and how to do them

Top 10 U.S. cities for hiking in 2022

Here's how LawnStarter's ranking shaped up:

  1. Portland, Oregon.

  2. Tucson.

  3. Phoenix.

  4. Colorado Springs, Colorado.

  5. Oakland, California.

  6. Salt Lake City.

  7. Los Angeles.

  8. Boise.

  9. Las Vegas.

  10. San Diego.

Avoid the parking hassle: Ride the free Sedona shuttle to popular trailheads

Best hikes in Phoenix

Phoenix is famous for its hikes up Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak, but there are tons of other opportunities from easy to strenuous where you can see why metro Phoenix made this list. Looking to get started? We've got a roundup of five easy day hikes in metro Phoenix. Here's where to find them:

  • Lake Pleasant Regional Park.

  • McDowell Mountain Regional Park.

  • McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

  • South Mountain Park and Preserve.

  • Spur Cross Conservation Area.

Best Scottsdale hikes: McDowell Sonoran Preserve is full of possibilities

Best hikes in Tucson

Looking to adventure outside of Phoenix? Here's our guide to favorite hiking trails in Tucson where you can find waterfalls and possibly a rare crested saguaro. Here are the hikes that made our expert's list:

  • Linda Vista Trail.

  • Loma Verde Loop, Saguaro National Park.

  • Painted Hills Trails.

  • Tanque Verde Falls.

  • Yetman Trail.

More: What causes a crested saguaro cactus? Facts about these gnarled giants

You can connect with Arizona Republic Culture and Outdoors Reporter Shanti Lerner through email at shanti.lerner@gannett.com or you can also follow her on Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Why these AZ cities were named best for hiking in the U.S.