DOG-FRIENDLY PARKS IN SURPRISE, AZ

The Sonoran Desert's White Tank Mountains form Surprise's western backdrop, with this city of 143,000 spreading across 108 square miles northwest of Phoenix. Elevation sits at roughly 1,150 feet on the desert floor. Extreme desert climate dominates: scorching summers routinely exceed 110°F from June through August, while mild winters average in the mid-60s with virtually no rainfall. The landscape consisted entirely of desert scrubland until recent decades, when rapid suburban development transformed the area. Surprise's grid system extends in all directions, with newer master-planned communities featuring artificial lakes and extensive irrigation.