Gilbert Travel Guide

Welcome to Gilbert!

Situated 26 mi (42 km) southeast of Phoenix, Gilbert is a rapidly growing town with its origins in farming. Named after one of the area’s earliest homesteaders from the 1890s, William (Bobby) M. Gilbert, the Arizona town first became known for its quality hay, which supplied the US Army’s horses during World War I and earned the title “Hay Capital of the World” until the mid 1900s. More recently, Gilbert has left its agricultural roots behind and has seen its population swell, making it one of the Phoenix valley’s largest metro areas.

Today, Gilbert describes itself as a young, affluent community with an active, outdoor lifestyle. Canals that were originally built to aid land irrigation and transportation are now part of the Central Trail System, which offers 135 mi (217 km) of trails for walking, running, biking and horseback riding. In similar fashion, Water Ranch in north Gilbert has become home to the Riparian Institute and Preserve, a 110-acre (45-ha) reserve that is open to the public and regularly visited by over 200 species of birds, making it a popular spot for birdwatchers and wildlife photographers. Visitors, meanwhile, can find the heart of the town in its downtown historic district. The Gilbert Historical Museum, housed in a former schoolhouse, works to preserve Gilbert’s early history while a collection of unique restaurants and shops, as well as the Hale Centre Theatre, represent the town’s growing and flourishing future.