Sheer red sandstone cliffs and its telltale hump draw thousands of hikers to Camelback Mountain each year. Hiking to the top is not for beginning hikers -- the two summit trails are strenuous climbs over sometimes-tricky trails. Some easier trails allow close-up exploration around Camelback's base. Trailheads are open from sunrise to sunset.

Highest Point
The summit of Camelback Mountain is at 2,704 feet above sea level. Elevation gain from the two summit trails is approximately 1,200 feet.
History
During the late 1800s, the federal government reserved Camelback Mountain for an Indian reservation.
By the 1940s, however, almost the entire mountain fell into private hands and remained so for most of the next two decades. Efforts on the county, state and federal level to restrict development above the 1,600-feet level largely were unsuccessful, including failed efforts in 1963-64 in the state Legislature to arrange land exchanges.
In 1965, the Preservation of Camelback Mountain Foundation led by Barry Goldwater, spearheaded community efforts to save as much of the summit as possible. This effort ultimately succeeded and was capped of by a ceremony in 1968 marking a land exchange that President Lyndon Johnson and Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall attended.

Geology, flora and fauna
The “head” of Camelback Mountain, which comprises the area of Echo Canyon Recreation Area, is made up of layered sandstone. The hump primarily is composed of granite that, in geologic terms, is much older than the sedimentary rock that makes up the head section of the mountain.
Because of urban encroachment, large mammals are not normally found in the park. Smaller animals typical of the Sonoran Desert populate the park including cottontail rabbits, snakes, lizards, Harris antelope squirrels as well as a variety of birds. Rattlesnakes are common on the trail. If you see one, allow it space and time to escape.
Plant species are typical of those found in the lower Sonoran Desert and include saguaro, barrel, hedgehog, pincushion, jumping cholla, christmas, staghorn, cholla and prickly pear cactoi. Tree species include palo verde, mesquite and ironwood, along with the ocotillo plant.