A couple of suggestions:

1) drive east on the freeway from Phoenix out to the Superstition Mountains.
Good hiking and vistas, but will squeeze your time a bit,

2) several mountains in the greater Phoenix area you might try: Squaw Peak
( very popular with locals and visitors, well established trails, Camelback
Mountain, and there are a few other trails/hikes in the Phoenix Mountain
Preserve, plus South Mountain with many trails and a wonderful view from the
top),

3) Boyce-Thompson Arboretum ( timing an issue? ),

4) Papago Buttes ( hiking trails and a small easy climb ) and the Phoenix
Zoo ( almost in mid-town ).

HTH.
LH




"Ian Andlewin" wrote in message
...
Greetings. I am travelling to Phoenix for a few days, and after work is
done I will have about 6 hours on Sunday to drive somewhere scenic and
back. Not much time I know. Ideally I'd like to see some of the desert
(I've never been to that part of the States) and get out and hike around
or scramble up something for fun. Any ideas on what to visit will be
greatly appreciated --I'd very much like to keep the drive time down to no
more than 3, 3-and-a-half hours so as to get outside a bit (it's cold
where I live, I want to feel the warm sun!)

Bye --Ian