Established in 1984, the Rincon Mountain Wilderness provides a protective buffer on three sides of Saguaro National Park East in southern Arizona. With few trails and often remote access points, this wilderness area is rugged, steep and blissfully neglected. One of the few trails in the wilderness area climbs the broad southern flanks of Rincon…
Author: Dave Baker
I'm Dave Baker, founder of Summit Hut, an independent outdoor retailer based in Tucson, Arizona since 1969. As an experienced and passionate hiker, climber and backpacker, my blog is intended to be an informative and interesting look into the outdoors and the outdoor industry.
Finger Rock Canyon and Mt Kimball
The top of Mt Kimball, a wooded summit that sits at the head of Finger Rock Canyon, is curiously non-descript considering its magnificent location. The headwaters of several rugged canyons in the Santa Catalina Mountains originate on the high slopes of Mt Kimball, including Montrose, Pima, and Finger Rock Canyons. Finger Rock Canyon is one…
Mt Lemmon’s Meadow Trail Loop
Short and sweet, this little hike is a pleasant 2.2 mile walk very near the top of Mt. Lemmon, the high point of the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson. It’s a great place to stretch the legs and enjoy a quiet walk among the cool pines after a drive up the Catalina Highway, and…
Mt Wrightson’s Old Baldy Trail
The hike up Mt Wrightson is one of the very finest outings in southern Arizona. At 9,453 feet, Mt Wrightson is the high point of the Santa Rita Mountains and also the highest of all the peaks surrounding the Tucson valley. The mountain is named in honor of William Wrightson who was killed by Apaches…
Bug Spring Trail
Relatively new, the Bug Spring Trial in the Santa Catalina Mountains follows portions of an old abandoned trail that once linked Prison Camp with upper Bear Canyon. In spite of its name, the trail does not visit Bug Spring, which was once the primary water source for the old camp. Cathedral Peak and the Mt…
Window Rock and Window Peak
Ventana Canyon is one of several beautiful and rugged canyons that penetrate the fantastic Front Range of the Santa Catalina Mountains, immediately north of Tucson. Ventana (“window” in Spanish) is aptly named for a large, natural hole punched clean through a tall cliff perched high above the head of the canyon – Window Rock. Window…
Mt Wrightson’s Quiet Side
I would guess that Mt Wrightson’s summit receives a thousand or more visits annually, and for good reason. The Mt Wrightson Wilderness is a worthy attraction with its diverse landscapes, plentiful wildlife, and rich mining history. The views from Mt Wrightson’s summit and the surrounding high ridges are some of the best in southern Arizona….
Picacho Peak
Picacho Peak is many things to many people. It has been a traveler’s landmark for thousands of years; Don Juan Bautista de Anza traveled past the peak during his trip through the area in 1775. Arizona’s one and only Civil War battle occurred around Picacho, and an annual reenactment of the skirmish is very popular….
Thimble Peak
Well named, Thimble Peak looks a lot like a giant sewing thimble placed high on the big ridge that separates Sabino and Bear Canyons in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson. Thimble occupies a prominent position, and once recognized can be seen from most places in Tucson as well as from some sections of…
Rincon Peak
Among all the high places surrounding Tucson, Rincon Peak, at the southern end of the Rincon Mountains, is on my “top three” list of the area’s most beautiful peaks (the other two are Cathedral Peak and Mt Wrightson). Rincon Peak seen from a view point near Manning Camp It is tall, massive, pleasingly shaped, and…