3 Best Hiking Trails in Tucson, AZ

“Sabino Canyon Recreation Area ensures various hiking trails with a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. The Sonoran desert within Sabino Canyon has a powerful summer monsoon, two cold seasons, and gentle winter rainfall. The Santa Catalina mountain range started its formation more than twelve million years ago and seven million years before the first known human walked the natural area. Visitors arrive by foot, bicycle, or tram to Upper Sabino Canyon. The trail has a 45-minute, 2.3-mile guided educational tour into the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The trail's elevation gain is 144 feet, and the trail is loop-type. The nature trail at the visitor's center offers a variety of interpretive knowledge about wildlife and the trails. Hiking trails and tram rides through picturesque desert canyons are accessible in this vast national forest area.”

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“Saguaro National Park is divided into two different regions, one on the east of Tucson and the West. The trail is generally considered an easy to moderately challenging trail route. The elevation gain of the trail is 9 feet to 13546 feet. Cactus Forest Drive is a loop road in the eastern Rincon Mountain District that provides striking views of the desert landscape. Signal Hill Trail in the western Tucson Mountain District will lead to petroglyphs of the ancient Hohokam people. Visitors can explore the scenic views, hiking trails, and picnic areas. Saguaro National Park is home to the country's largest cacti. Take a hike to the top of the valley to overlook and see how many trees are actually in that area.”

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“Catalina State Park is an ideal hiking destination which sits at the base of the majestic Santa Catalina Mountains. The trail is a sanctuary for plants and animals from the desert and almost 5,000 saguaros. The 5,500 acres of mountains, canyons, and streams welcome more than 150 bird species to camp, picnic, and bird watching. This scenic desert park also offers horse-riding courses, and an equestrian center provides trail riders with plenty of trailer parking. The total length of the trail is 19.6 miles. The elevation gain of the trail is 4005 feet. The trail is a point-to-point type. Tourists can walk or hike through the stunning background of the mountains, desert meadows, cacti, and wildlife. It contains a court for the ball and the historic Romero Ranch. Nature lovers can enjoy the views and explore the distinct flora and fauna of the desert. The planned development included several housing units accommodating 17,000 residents surrounding golf courses.”

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