The Sun City Hikers is an age 55 and over hiking club composed of mostly Sun City Arizona residents, but we do have a number of members from other surrounding communities. We currently have more than 200 members.
Advantages to Joining Us
We hike as a group to ensure safety for everyone. The hike leaders have scouted the trail so that they are familiar with the route and are aware of any safety concerns.
We encourage carpooling as it saves money, helps the environment, and provides an opportunity to get acquainted with others while on the road. At the assembly point, participants make their own arrangements with members who are willing to drive to the trailhead.
Hiking in an experienced group opens up trails to an individual that they probably wouldn't have found on their own.
Please refer to our Bylaws and Policies pages for specific requirements and recommendations on our hikes.
Basic Information
No special skills are required to belong to our club, however you should be able to walk a minimum of four miles. We schedule A, B, and C hikes to accommodate members' various hiking abilities. Terrain and trail conditions are among the factors that determine the pace and level of individual hikes.
“A” hikes are generally more than 7 miles with no limit on elevation gain at a brisk pace.
“B” hikes are generally 4 to 8 miles with up to 1400’ accumulated elevation gain at a moderate pace.
“C” hikes are generally no more than 6 miles with up to 750' accumulated elevation gain at a relaxed pace.
Our hiking season runs from October through April. Hikes are done on weekdays when trails are rarely congested. A couple of times a year we schedule overnight trips to various locations that are too distant to hike as day trips. Overnight trips in the past have been held in Payson, Tucson, Sedona, Prescott, Palm Springs, Moab, and the Chiricahua Mountains.
If you want to see the Arizona desert up close plus experience the advantages of hiking with a club, please join us. Membership is $8 per person per year. All incoming members are required to go on a 4 mile introduction hike where we will explain our policies and procedures as well as provide useful hiking tips.
For information about joining us, and signing up for a required introductory hike, click on "Want to Join?" to the left, then send an e-mail to our Membership Chair, Nancy Andersen, at hikelady@yahoo.com (use SC Hikers in the Subject Line).
Location of Assembly Places
Bell Recreation Center: 16820 N. 99th Avenue, Sun City
Meet in the southeast corner of the parking lot. Please arrive 15 minutes ahead of departure time to receive trail and driving information.
Mountain View Recreation Center: 9749 N. 107th Avenue, Sun City
Meet in the back parking lot, on Mountain View Road near the putt putt area parking. Please arrive 15 minutes ahead of departure time to receive trail and driving information.
Club Communications
We update hike information on our website as follows: October through January hikes are posted during September. February through April hikes are posted during January.
Members also receive notices by email such as changes to planned hikes, overnight trips, and club events.