Guidebook for Tucson

Parks & Nature

Saguaro National Park

Begin your trip at the Saguaro National Park West Visitor Center(3 miles away). A 15 minute video is very good at expounding on the history and Spirit of the Saguaro forest. Many hiking trailheads are only 3 miles away and span the park and adjoining Tucson Mountain Park & Gates Pass ( a favorite cyclist's training passage over the mountains) and many must see's like Native American petroglyphs...

320 locals recommend

Saguaro National Park

320 locals recommend

Begin your trip at the Saguaro National Park West Visitor Center(3 miles away). A 15 minute video is very good at expounding on the history and Spirit of the Saguaro forest. Many hiking trailheads are only 3 miles away and span the park and adjoining Tucson Mountain Park & Gates Pass ( a favorite cyclist's training passage over the mountains) and many must see's like Native American petroglyphs...

Tucson Mountain Park

At approximately 20,000 acres, the park is one of the largest natural resource areas owned and managed by a local government in the U.S. The park has approximately 62 miles of non-motorized shared-use trails. The park’s trails are open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers, and provide a wide range of outstanding experiences, including technical challenges, and breathtaking views. https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/7000581/tucson-mountain-park-loop Gates Pass overlook includes interpretive displays and historic structures. Picnicking and wildlife viewing opportunities are located throughout the park.

32 locals recommend

Tucson Mountain Park

8451 West McCain Loop

32 locals recommend

At approximately 20,000 acres, the park is one of the largest natural resource areas owned and managed by a local government in the U.S. The park has approximately 62 miles of non-motorized shared-use trails. The park’s trails are open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers, and provide a wide range of outstanding experiences, including technical challenges, and breathtaking views. https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/7000581/tucson-mountain-park-loop Gates Pass overlook includes interpretive displays and historic structures. Picnicking and wildlife viewing opportunities are located throughout the park.

Signal Hill

Just north of the Signal Hill picnic area is the largest petroglyph site in the Tucson Mountain District of Saguaro National Park The petroglyphs at Signal Hill were made by the Hohokam, a people who lived in southern and south-central Arizona from about 450 to 1450 A.D.

Signal Hill

Just north of the Signal Hill picnic area is the largest petroglyph site in the Tucson Mountain District of Saguaro National Park The petroglyphs at Signal Hill were made by the Hohokam, a people who lived in southern and south-central Arizona from about 450 to 1450 A.D.

Sendero Esperanza Trailhead

The trail starts in a very large parking lot off of Golden Gate Rd. If needed there are restrooms at the trailhead. While the first section of the trail sees quite a bit of traffic, very few continue over the ridge. Your hike will start in a large sandy wash and remains relatively flat for 1.5 miles. Much of the trail is overgrown with creosote bushes and large prickly pear cacti, but it should be easy to follow the correct path. Don't let the level grade fool you; the sand makes this portion of the hike fairly strenuous. Once you get out of the sand you're in for a steep, quick climb up a series of rocky switchbacks to reach a ridge where Sendero Esperanza intersects with Hugh Norris Trail.This will be the high point of the trail. You can see several of the surrounding mountain ranges from this point including the Santa Catalinas, Santa Ritas, and Quinlan mountains. https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7004662/sendero-esperanza

Sendero Esperanza Trailhead

The trail starts in a very large parking lot off of Golden Gate Rd. If needed there are restrooms at the trailhead. While the first section of the trail sees quite a bit of traffic, very few continue over the ridge. Your hike will start in a large sandy wash and remains relatively flat for 1.5 miles. Much of the trail is overgrown with creosote bushes and large prickly pear cacti, but it should be easy to follow the correct path. Don't let the level grade fool you; the sand makes this portion of the hike fairly strenuous. Once you get out of the sand you're in for a steep, quick climb up a series of rocky switchbacks to reach a ridge where Sendero Esperanza intersects with Hugh Norris Trail.This will be the high point of the trail. You can see several of the surrounding mountain ranges from this point including the Santa Catalinas, Santa Ritas, and Quinlan mountains. https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7004662/sendero-esperanza

Hugh Norris Trail

The 4.9 mile Hugh Norris Trail to 4,687 foot Wasson Peak, the highest point in the Tucson Mountains district of Saguaro National Park, climbs steadily through the saguaro forest to more open, rockier terrain near the summit, gaining 2,130 feet in elevation and affording immense views across 80 miles of the Sonoran Desert. https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7020808/wasson-peak-hugh-norris https://www.hikingproject.com/directory/8013449/tucson-mountain-district-west

Hugh Norris Trail

The 4.9 mile Hugh Norris Trail to 4,687 foot Wasson Peak, the highest point in the Tucson Mountains district of Saguaro National Park, climbs steadily through the saguaro forest to more open, rockier terrain near the summit, gaining 2,130 feet in elevation and affording immense views across 80 miles of the Sonoran Desert. https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7020808/wasson-peak-hugh-norris https://www.hikingproject.com/directory/8013449/tucson-mountain-district-west

King Canyon Trailhead

The King Canyon Trailhead is located directly across from the Sonoran Desert Museum in a large parking lot. From here you have two options: start up the gravel covered jeep trail or drop down into the wash. If you choose the wash expect some scrambling up old cement barriers- remnants of the days of a more developed area. After about a mile the two paths converge and Sendero Esperanza trail and Mam-A-Gah picnic area will be on your left. Mam-A-Gah is a covered area with several picnic tables. This is a great place to stop and have lunch! At this junction keep heading North-East to continue on King Canyon Trail. The trail continues to climb for another 1.5 miles before reaching the ridge that joins with Sweetwater Trail. From here head North-West up a series a steep switchbacks. During this time be on the lookout for bat sanctuaries! You can normally see bats here at dusk. A mile later the trail ends at the junction with Hugh Norris Trail and Wasson Peak Trail. https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7004660/king-canyon-trail

6 locals recommend

King Canyon Trailhead

6 locals recommend

The King Canyon Trailhead is located directly across from the Sonoran Desert Museum in a large parking lot. From here you have two options: start up the gravel covered jeep trail or drop down into the wash. If you choose the wash expect some scrambling up old cement barriers- remnants of the days of a more developed area. After about a mile the two paths converge and Sendero Esperanza trail and Mam-A-Gah picnic area will be on your left. Mam-A-Gah is a covered area with several picnic tables. This is a great place to stop and have lunch! At this junction keep heading North-East to continue on King Canyon Trail. The trail continues to climb for another 1.5 miles before reaching the ridge that joins with Sweetwater Trail. From here head North-West up a series a steep switchbacks. During this time be on the lookout for bat sanctuaries! You can normally see bats here at dusk. A mile later the trail ends at the junction with Hugh Norris Trail and Wasson Peak Trail. https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7004660/king-canyon-trail