Tag: Catalina

There is little doubt that Sabino Canyon is the most visited recreation area in southern Arizona. Surrounded by the Pusch Ridge Wilderness, Sabino Canyon is wild and spectacular, yet very easy to access from the Tucson area. Most visitors ride a commercial tram or walk the road (closed to traffic) that runs four miles along…

An hour’s drive or so out of Tucson near the top of Mt Lemmon, the Butterfly Trail has long been a popular hike. Is the Butterfly Trail nice? Well, here are quotes from the National Forest web page about the trail: “This is a delightful trail that passes through an area of such diverse biology…

Mt. Lemmon is understandably a very popular destination for outdoor recreationists of all stripes. It’s about a one hour drive from the Tucson valley to the little village of Summerhaven near the top of the mountain. Cool, accessible, beautiful! One of the best payoffs for making the trip up Mount Lemmon is a relatively short…

A trip up the Sutherland Trail from Catalina State Park to the top of Mt. Lemmon is a challenging hike! For starters, the word “trail” may not be an appropriate descriptor for the route. The first five miles are pretty easy to follow; a beautifully maintained trail leaves the parking spot at Catalina State Park,…

When it’s time to cool off, the Wilderness of Rocks is a popular destination for Tucson area hikers. At an elevation of over 7,000 feet, the Wilderness of Rocks stretches across a broad, rocky bench perched beneath the high summit ridge of Mt. Lemmon. The headwaters of Lemmon Creek gather here, and the small stream…

Milagrosa means “miraculous” in Spanish and indeed, it is a little miraculous to find such a pleasant loop hike tucked away in the far northeast corner of the Tucson valley. The hike dips in and out of both Agua Caliente Canyon and La Milagrosa and cruises ridge tops on both sides of the canyons as…

What’s not to like about the Finger Rock trailhead at the end of Alvernon Way? Quite literally at Tucson’s backdoor, this trailhead offers convenient access to one of the more spectacular portions of the “Front Range” of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Pontatoc Canyon left, Pontatoc Ridge right In addition to the popular Finger Rock Trail,…

Arizona peak baggers can be forgiven if they sometimes overlook Agua Caliente Hill. Bagging a “hill” doesn’t sound quite right, and Agua Caliente does look a little insignificant when viewed from many places in the Tucson valley. Located on the far east side of the Tucson valley, Agua Caliente Hill is the high point sandwiched…

It is popular, sometimes even crowded, but that’s only because it is so good. The Blackett’s Ridge Trail packs a great punch: it is imminently accessible, as scenic as they come, short enough that you don’t have to plan your entire day around it, and challenging enough to provide a very rewarding workout. Blackett’s Ridge…