Home/Phoenix homes for sale/Camelback Mountain
Preserve or park · Phoenix and Paradise Valley, Arizona
Homes near Camelback Mountain in Phoenix and Paradise Valley
Camelback Mountain is named for its resemblance to a kneeling camel, and a cave on its north side points to use as a sacred site by the Hohokam, who left the area by the 1400s.
Camelback Mountain at a glance
Camelback Mountain is named for its resemblance to a kneeling camel, and a cave on its north side points to use as a sacred site by the Hohokam, who left the area by the 1400s. In January 1879 President Rutherford B. Hayes placed the mountain inside a roughly one million acre reservation for the Pima and Maricopa, an order reversed about six months later. Maricopa County records show about 1,430 homes within about half a mile of Camelback Mountain.
Official boundary, from the City of Phoenix park boundary map.
Where Camelback Mountain is
The boundary on county street centerlines.
The City of Phoenix mountain park on Camelback Mountain, reached from the Echo Canyon Trailhead on McDonald Dr at Tatum Blvd and the Cholla Trailhead on Invergordon Rd. Only the public preserve land, not the private homes on its slopes.
Official boundary, from the City of Phoenix park boundary map.
Search homes near Camelback Mountain
Updated continuously from the MLS. Filter, save, and tour any home.
Homes near Camelback Mountain
Within about half a mile, from county records.
Source: Maricopa County Assessor residential parcel records, pulled November 3, 2026. These are county figures for every home, not MLS statistics, and recorded sale prices come from deed records.
The story of Camelback Mountain
How the area came to be.
Camelback Mountain is named for its resemblance to a kneeling camel, and a cave on its north side points to use as a sacred site by the Hohokam, who left the area by the 1400s. In January 1879 President Rutherford B. Hayes placed the mountain inside a roughly one million acre reservation for the Pima and Maricopa, an order reversed about six months later.
Homes crept up its flanks after World War II, and in 1965 Barry Goldwater chaired the Preservation of Camelback Mountain Foundation; Goldwater's fundraising plus a federal grant bought out owners of more than 350 acres of the upper mountain in the late 1960s, and the City of Phoenix treats 1968 as the year protection was secured. On December 15, 1970 Phoenix voted to acquire 91 acres of a 129 acre parcel that included Echo Canyon, and Echo Canyon Park was dedicated in 1973.
Homes around Camelback Mountain
Eras, styles, lots and home types.
No homes inside the preserve. Housing is on the surrounding slopes; see Camelback Mountain Foothills.
- School districts (county records)
- Scottsdale Unified School District (100%)
Living in and around Camelback Mountain
What is inside, what is close, and what to check.
Inside Camelback Mountain: Echo Canyon Trail (about 1.14 miles one way, extremely difficult, about 1,280 to 1,400 ft of gain to the 2,704 ft summit), Cholla Trail (about 1.4 miles, reopened September 30, 2022 with its trailhead moved to Invergordon Rd), Bobby's Rock Trail, and the Praying Monk red sandstone climbing formation on the north slope. Dogs are prohibited on all Camelback trails; trails can close 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on extreme heat days (approved 2024). Park hours are sunrise to sunset.
Nearby: Resorts on the mountain's flanks and nearby: Sanctuary Camelback Mountain (5700 E McDonald Dr), Omni Montelucia (4949 E Lincoln Dr), Mountain Shadows (5445 E Lincoln Dr), The Phoenician (south slope, City of Phoenix). Arcadia lies to the south across Camelback Rd.
Before you buy
Echo Canyon parking (4925 E McDonald Dr) fills from late morning on weekdays and often all day on weekends; police ticket idling on McDonald Dr and Tatum Blvd. Preserve land is protected under Phoenix City Charter Chapter XXVI (voter approved 1985), which limits sale or trade of preserve land. Homes next to the trailheads see hiker traffic and parking pressure; check address specific.
Related areas and communities
Keep exploring the Northeast Valley.
Camelback Mountain questions, answered
Who owns Camelback Mountain?
The public preserve on the upper mountain is City of Phoenix park land run by Phoenix Parks and Recreation. The lower slopes are private homes in Phoenix and the Town of Paradise Valley.
Where do you start the hike?
Echo Canyon Trailhead at 4925 E McDonald Dr (Tatum Blvd and McDonald Dr) or the Cholla Trailhead off Invergordon Rd on the east side.
Can you buy a home on Camelback Mountain?
Yes, on the lower slopes outside the preserve, in Paradise Valley and Phoenix. Hillside rules in both towns limit what can be built; see Camelback Mountain Foothills.
What are the exact boundaries of Camelback Mountain?
The City of Phoenix mountain park on Camelback Mountain, reached from the Echo Canyon Trailhead on McDonald Dr at Tatum Blvd and the Cholla Trailhead on Invergordon Rd. Only the public preserve land, not the private homes on its slopes.
How many homes are near Camelback Mountain?
Maricopa County Assessor records show about 1,430 homes within about half a mile of Camelback Mountain, 84% of them single-family, with a median year built of 1979.
Which school districts serve Camelback Mountain?
By county parcel records, homes near Camelback Mountain are mostly in Scottsdale Unified School District. School assignment is address specific, so confirm with the district before you buy.
How does the home search on this page work?
The search shows homes listed in the MLS within about half a mile of Camelback Mountain, using an outline drawn around it. Official boundary, from the City of Phoenix park boundary map. Listings update continuously. Housing figures on this page come from Maricopa County Assessor records pulled on November 3, 2026, not from the MLS.
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Sources
- Maricopa County Assessor parcel records (residential parcels inside the search area), pulled November 3, 2026. Recorded sale figures use each parcel's most recent recorded sale since November 1, 2024, at $50,000 or more.
- Street centerlines on the map: Maricopa County GIS. Listings: ARMLS via Flexmls.
- Camelback Mountain, accessed November 3, 2026.
- City of Phoenix Parks, Camelback Mountain, accessed November 3, 2026.
- City of Phoenix Parks, Echo Canyon Trailhead, accessed November 3, 2026.
- Phoenix New Times: Camelback Mountain combines beauty, history and adventure in one fragile Phoenix park, accessed November 3, 2026.
- Cronkite News: Camelback's Cholla Trail reopens (Oct 14, 2022), accessed November 3, 2026.
- City of Phoenix GIS, ParksOpenData MapServer layer 10 Park Boundaries, accessed November 3, 2026.
- Phoenix Mountains Preservation Council, Preserves (acreages from City GIS), accessed November 3, 2026.
- Phoenix City Charter Chapter XXVI, Mountain Preserves, accessed November 3, 2026.
- Maricopa County GIS, IndividualService/City MapServer (city limits and unincorporated areas), accessed November 3, 2026.
All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Listing information is provided by the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Area boundaries on this page are for orientation only and do not follow school, HOA or service boundaries, so confirm the city, zoning, HOA, water service and assigned schools for a specific address. Housing figures come from Maricopa County Assessor records and are not MLS statistics. This page is for general information only and is not financial, lending, legal, or tax advice. Arizona Luxury Partners | Real Estate Group at RE/MAX Fine Properties, 21020 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Office 480.766.1515. Brokerage License LC629808000. Equal Housing Opportunity.
