Beautiful canyon, brutal hike. 8 miles out and back. Steep. No, I mean really steep! Rock climbing near the top. This outcropping is the towering natural monument you see from the City as you look north toward the Catalina Mountains and Mt. Lemmon. Don’t do it if you’re not seriously … Continue reading
Mt. Wasson is the highest peak (4,687′) in the Tucson Mountains west of the city. It is located in Saguaro National Park. Take El Camino del Cerro (exit 252 from I-10) west 5 miles to the Sweetwater trailhead. From the top you will have an expansive view east of the … Continue reading
The Romero Canyon Trail is located at the end of the road in Catalina State Park. Out and back, it’s about 2 fairly easy miles. If it has rained recently, there will be falls and water in the Montrose Pools. Dog on leash OK.
Continue readingThis trail starts at Sabino Canyon Visitors Center on the east side of Tucson. Fairly easy if you’re in reasonably good physical shape. You can hike from the Visitors Center or take the tram (cash only) a couple of miles in and then hike another couple of miles more to … Continue reading
Our friends, Michael and Diane, frequently camp and hike on Mt. Lemmon. I asked them to suggest the best campsites and trails. Here is Diane’s hiking report. The Butterfly Trail is one of our favorites. A nice thing about this hike in the summer is that much of it is … Continue reading
The Coronado National Forest is big and diverse. It includes the Santa Catalina Mountains including Mt. Lemmon, Santa Ritas home to Mt. Wrightson and Madera Canyon, the Huachuca Mountains of which Ramsey and Carr Canyons are well known, the Pinaleno Mountains of which Mt. Graham is the highest peak, Chiracahua … Continue reading
For starters in Catalina State Park, we recommend Romero Canyon to Montrose Pools. The Romero Canyon Trail (7.2 mi.) is a longer, more strenuous hikes through beautiful desert terrain and riparian canyons. It climbs to cool natural pools during the wetter months and connects with other Coronado National Forest trails. … Continue reading
The Yetman Trail is an easy to moderate hike through a pretty saguaro-rich valley and up over the mountains near Gates Pass.
Continue readingMadera Canyon is a recommended side trip when you are in the I-19 corridor visiting the Missions, the Titan Missile Museum, or Tubac Village.The elevation ranges from 5,000-5,500 feet. The area is a birdwatchers paradise with over 250 species identified. This is part of the Coronado National Forest. It’s about … Continue reading
About 2 miles down the road from the Desert Museum is the Saguaro National Park Visitors Center.
I know this is odd, but there are two Saguaro National Parks – East & West. In between is Metropolitan Tucson. If you only have time to visit one, go West.
