Parks, Trails and Outdoor Places in Goodyear

Getting outside in Goodyear can mean a lit concrete path through a green wash a few blocks from home, or a rocky climb in the Estrella Mountains at the south end of town. The city counts 20 parks of its own and a trail network of more than 14 miles of concrete multi-use pathway and about 12 miles of unpaved path. Beyond that, Maricopa County's Estrella Mountain Regional Park sits inside Goodyear, south of the freeway. Now that November has arrived, all of it is open for long mornings again.

Estrella Mountain Regional Park

The county's first regional park, established in 1954, covers 19,840 acres of desert and mountain at 14805 W. Vineyard Avenue. Its trail system adds up to about 58 miles of multi-use routes for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, and the county rates them from easy to strenuous.

For a first visit, the Baseline Trail is a hike-only route of a little over two and a half miles round trip, and the half-mile Gila Trail is hike-only and barrier-free. Those with a full morning can take on the Pedersen Trail, the park's longest at more than eight miles, or the Gadsden Trail at six and a half. Mountain bikers come for the competitive track, a set of loops whose distances run from a 1.6-mile Junior Loop to a 9.5-mile Long Loop, with a 4.8-mile Technical Loop in between.

Stop at the Nature Center before or after. It was the first green-built nature center in the county system, with a living roof planted in native desert plants and a skylight that brings in winter warmth. The park charges a day-use entry fee, which the county waives on select days, such as National Take a Hike Day in November. If you want a goal for the season, the county's 100 Miles in 100 Days challenge runs through February 8, 2027.

The county is also planning the park's future through a new master plan for Estrella Mountain, and it posts public meetings on it, including a virtual meeting in December 2026, through its news releases.

The city's trails and paths

North of the freeway, the Bullard Wash is the backbone of Goodyear's path system. Falcon Trail, formerly called Bullard Wash I, follows the west side of the wash from Camelback Road south to Indian School Road on a 10-foot-wide lit concrete path, with a softer decomposed granite path on the east side. Two crossings about half a mile apart turn the two-mile stretch into a pair of one-mile loops, with links into the Palm Valley neighborhoods, Millennium High School and Falcon Park.

Farther south, the Bullard Wash Trail starts at Rio Paseo Park, just below the Roosevelt Canal, and runs to McDowell Road. It passes under Virginia Avenue, Monte Vista Road and McDowell through grade-separated crossings, so a walker or rider never waits at a light. Along the way it threads Bullard Wash Park's 61 acres of turf, playgrounds, an amphitheater and outdoor fitness stations.

Two east-west routes fill in the map. The Roosevelt Canal Trail runs along the north bank of the canal between Litchfield Road and PebbleCreek Parkway, with pedestrian bridges tying the north and south halves of Palm Valley together. The PebbleCreek Parkway path adds about two miles of concrete and decomposed granite from the freeway north toward Camelback Road.

Parks for every routine

Some outdoor time is closer to home. The 30-acre park at the Goodyear Recreation Campus on South Estrella Parkway has a one-mile walking path, six pickleball courts, tennis, basketball and sand volleyball courts, soccer and softball fields, and ramadas. Goodyear Community Park, at Litchfield and Thomas roads, adds a skate park, splash pad, dog park and walking trails. Foothills Community Park has a volunteer-maintained pump track, and Roscoe Dog Park on West Roeser Road gives dogs 6.5 acres with separate areas for active and calmer pups.

City parks are smoke-free and require dogs to be leashed outside the dog parks. Riders should also know that Goodyear adopted a new e-bike and e-scooter ordinance in 2026; Goodyear Police Deputy Chief Jose Gonzalez summed up its aim this way:

The reality here is mutual respect for everyone on the road and sidewalks.

Staying safe as the seasons change

The cooler months are forgiving, but the desert rules still apply. Maricopa County Parks asks hikers to carry plenty of water for themselves, children and pets, and to turn around when half the water is gone. Choose a trail that fits your ability, tell someone your plan, carry a phone and avoid hiking alone when you can. In warm weather, hike in the cooler hours, and learn the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke: a person with hot, dry skin who has stopped sweating needs a 911 call. Hot ground is hard on paws, so watch dogs closely.

The city's summer guidance is gathered in its June 2026 InFocus issue, with heat safety tips, cooling center information and sign-up for GY Alerts, the free text, email and voice alert service.

Maps and trail conditions

The city's Parks page links a downloadable map of all its parks, and its Trails page describes each path segment by segment. For Estrella Mountain, the county posts trail maps on its maps page and in its Parks, Trails and Amenities app, and its Park Alerts page lists closures. As of early November, the closures listed are on other parks' trails, not Estrella's.

After a morning at the regional park, Lakeside Grill Estrella at the Starpointe Residents' Club on West Elliot Road is open to the public, with a lakeside patio and a menu of steaks, burgers, pastas and salads.