The Yetman Trail is an easy to moderate hike through a pretty saguaro-rich valley and up over the mountains near Gates Pass and part of the Tucson Mountain Park system. From the east you can start at either the Starr Pass Resort or from the parking lot at the southern end Camino de Oeste after it crosses Speedway.
From the west you can start at the trail head in the parking lot at the bottom of Gates Pass on the Desert Museum side of the mountain. For details and a map of Trails in Tucson Mountain Park, visit the Pima County website.
The Yetman Trail was named for David Yetman, Ph.D, (research social science) former City Councilman and now host of a fine local Public TV program called The Desert Speaks. Out and back, the trail is about 5 miles. Plan on 3 hours. Take water. In the summer, start at first light.
One of the sights along the way is the ruins of the Bowen House, built by an East Coast newspaper guy who started a ranch here in the 1930’s. A couple of Christmases ago, I created a treasure hunt for our grandchildren and hid the treasure in the foundation of this stone structure. Great fun!
You can follow the trail on further as it will take you to the west side of the Yetman Trail. have someone pick you up, or hike back.
