Rose Mofford Sports Complex
Rating
Family of 4
Free to walk in, free to park, and free to use open space, which makes a morning here cost only gas and whatever you pack.
Duration
1 to 2 hours for a single game, and 3 or more hours if your child's team lands in a weekend tournament block
Best Ages
Roughly 5 to 17 for kids playing on the fields, with toddlers and preschoolers workable because the complex is large and open enough to walk a stroller and let a little one run somewhere away from active play. It is a spectator setting for the youngest, not a playground destination.
About
Rose Mofford Sports Complex on North 25th Avenue is one of the busiest city sports campuses in Phoenix, and the numbers show it.
The name comes from Rose Mofford, who served as Arizona's governor and was the first woman to hold the office. She was also an accomplished softball player, which makes a sports complex an unusually fitting tribute. It is a small piece of Arizona history worth telling a kid on the drive over, especially a kid who is about to play on one of the fields.
What you get here is scale. This is a large, open, lighted complex, and space is the feature. Kids get room to run in a part of town where most parks are small, and a 7 p.m. game under the lights has a different energy than an afternoon practice.
What you do not get is a playground-style destination. Families come because a game is scheduled or because they want somewhere open. Younger siblings need something to do, so a ball and a blanket go in the car with the chairs.
Phoenix heat drives every decision at any outdoor complex, and this one is no exception. From November through March, midday is pleasant and you can settle in for a doubleheader. From May through September, the usable windows are early morning before the sun climbs and after sunset when the lights come on.
Shade is limited, so a pop-up canopy earns its trunk space, and packing more water than seems necessary is the correct instinct rather than an overreaction.
Strollers roll fine on paved lots and walkways, while grass and dirt field edges are rougher, so larger wheels beat an umbrella stroller. Restrooms exist, but confirmed changing tables and nursing space are not something we can verify from a public source, so call (602) 261-8011 first if that determines whether you go. That same number, along with phoenix.gov/parks/sports, is your source for current hours, field availability, seasonal closures, and reservation or league rates, none of which are usefully posted on site.
One practical advantage over most Phoenix complexes: the location just off I-17 near Dunlap Avenue makes this easy to reach from almost anywhere in the metro and easy to pair with other stops in north-central Phoenix on the same trip. Freeway construction in this stretch is frequent on weekends, so check your route before a Saturday morning game time.
Age Suitability
Parent Logistics
Stroller-Friendly
Yes
Nursing / Changing
Unknown
Kid Meals
Limited
Setting
Outdoor
Rainy Day
Not ideal
Plan Your Visit
Best Time to Visit
October through April is prime, and midday is comfortable in those months. May through September, come early morning or after sunset when the field lights are on. Weekday evenings are noticeably calmer than Saturday mornings, when league and tournament play claims the complex.
Wait Times
No admission line. On a tournament Saturday, allow 15 to 20 minutes to park and find the right field, since this is a large complex and the lots fill. Weeknights, about 5 minutes.
Nearby Food
You are near 25th Avenue and Dunlap in north-central Phoenix, minutes from I-17, which means the Dunlap and Peoria Avenue corridors nearby carry fast food, pizza, sandwich shops, taquerias, and casual sit-down spots in every direction. Concessions at the complex depend on whether a league or tournament is running them, so pack for the visit itself and treat the restaurant stop as the drive home. The I-17 access makes it easy to head north or south to whatever your family actually wants.
Why Kids Love It
It is big, and kids notice that immediately. There is real room to sprint, lighted fields that make a 7 p.m. game feel like an event, and enough space that even the kids not playing can find a patch of grass and a ball.
Pro Tips from Parents
- Verify your field assignment before you leave home. This is a large multi-field complex, and walking the wrong direction with chairs, a cooler, and a kid in cleats is a fifteen minute mistake.
- Shade is the constraint, not space. Bring a pop-up canopy or a large umbrella if you are staying more than an hour between May and September, and claim your spot early on a busy Saturday.
- Call (602) 261-8011 or check phoenix.gov/parks/sports for current hours, field availability, and seasonal closures. City complexes rotate fields out for maintenance and overseeding, and the schedule is not posted anywhere useful on site.
- The location near I-17 and Dunlap Avenue makes this easy to pair with other north-central Phoenix stops on the same trip, and I-17 access means you are rarely more than a few minutes from a freeway on-ramp. Weekend freeway construction closures in this stretch are common, so check before you drive.
- Bring far more water than feels reasonable. Drinking fountain availability at outdoor Phoenix complexes varies by season and maintenance status, and discovering a dry fountain at 10 a.m. in June is a real problem with a kid in tow.
What to Bring
- More water than you think you need, in insulated bottles
- A pop-up canopy or umbrella, plus hats and sunscreen
- Folding camp chairs for spectators
- A cooler with lunch and snacks, since on-site food is not dependable
- A ball or frisbee to keep younger siblings busy through a long game
- Diapering supplies and a changing pad, since restroom amenities here are not confirmed
Cost Info
Partially free — some areas or times are free
Estimated Cost (Family of 4)
Free to walk in, free to park, and free to use open space, which makes a morning here cost only gas and whatever you pack.
Spending starts with league registration, tournament entry, and field or facility reservations, which the City of Phoenix sets by season and by use.
Call (602) 261-8011 or check phoenix.
gov for current rates before committing to a season.
Tips to Save
- Pack a cooler with water, sandwiches, and fruit.
- On-site concessions at city complexes run only when a league or tournament operates them, and the fallback is a drive-through that turns a free morning into a paid one.
- Price City of Phoenix youth programs against private club leagues before you register, since the city route is usually meaningfully cheaper.
- If you are looking at the paid attractions near I-17 and Dunlap after a game, decide before you leave the house whether that is in the budget, because a yes in the parking lot is expensive.
Hours & Contact
Contact
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Frequently Asked Questions
Tickets & Booking
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