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 city and Santa Catalina Mountains. To the west, is a grand view of the Avra Valley. In late February you may have a wonderful array of wildflowers to greet you if the rain gods have been good to us over the winter.
See our slideshow about our hike one beautiful February day.
Once you get to the top, you can turn around and head back down, or rather than coming all the way back to where you parked your car, you can pick up the trail north along the ridge down the Hugh Norris Trail to Hohokam Road on the Bajada Loop near the Sus Picnic area. You might want to pre-arrange for a friend to pick you up in a car here and take you and your hiking companions back to the city. This is an 8-10 mile hike. You can pick up maps at the Saguaro National Park Visitors Center or click here for a map of the Tucson Mountain District.
As an alternate route from the top of Wasson Peak, you can continue on the trail that heads down the west side of the mountain to the Desert Museum. This is the Kings Canyon Trail.
Here too, you can have a friend with a car meet you. If you take this route, you all might consider haviing lunch at the Desert Museum and take in the plants and critters, in what we think is the Best Desert Museum in the country.
