According to http://phoenix.gov/PARKS/hikcmgud.html there are actually 4 trails at Camelback. Two of them are so short and easy that I will not discuss. The two that are of main concern and of public interest are the Summit Trail (Echo Canyon) and Cholla Trail. Each of these two trails has its own blog post related to the specifics of its hike and photos from trips up the trails.
Camelback is billed as one of the most strenuous city hikes in the Valley of the Sun. There are meetup.com groups that specifically congregate around this particular city mountain. If you want to try to climb 1200 feet over 1.2 miles in less than 30 minutes or even 25 minutes give these people a chance.
http://www.meetup.com/Camelback-Mountain-30-Minute-Under-Club/ http://www.meetup.com/Hardcore-Camelback-Mountain-Hikers-Under-25-Minutes/
Personally I prefer to hike at my own pace and without competition. And in doing so I typically summit in 45-55 minutes depending on which side I'm hiking, how many people are also hiking, and what the day's temperature happens to be.
If you intend to hike on a Saturday or Sunday in the Winter or Spring, good luck. Parking is very limited and the trails are packed with hikers of all levels, you are bound to hit a traffic jam of both automobile and human origin.
The hike is open to your furry footed friends of the canine type (aka dogs), I have seen bulldogs, boxers, and Jack Russels tear up the Echo Canyon side of the mountain.
You will need to use your hands to get up half the mountain, so I don't recommend hiking poles unless you have a backpack you can stuff them into. Also, it would do you good to have grippy shoes as some of the rocks can be slippery for footholds-- it's not advised to hike in the rain.
Water is a necessity. This is a tough workout and you're in the desert. I don't care what you say, you need at least 2 quarts and if you're going in the summer you need more.
Also bring a headlamp and a cell phone. It might be a city hike but you need to be prepared. Seriously don't end up like these people:
So you might be wondering which trail you should decide to hike up. A few key points are: Cholla does not have a trailhead to park at, you have to find street parking off Invergorden. The Cholla trail is also more exposed, so if you or your hiking buddy are afraid of heights take this into consideration. Both trails are 3 miles or less in total mileage and although Cholla is technically the longer trail they both take about the same amount of time to hike up. Don't plan to hike up one side and down the other unless you want to walk another 3-5 miles along the street back to your car. Go up and down the same trail both ways.
No matter how many warnings I can give you, the hike is completely worth it and you'll want to go back once you've seen the views from the top from your own eyes.
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