Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [362]
Day Hikes
Desert hiking can be a killer, literally. Those planning to do any serious hiking at Saguaro National Park are strongly advised to talk with rangers about their plans before setting out, and then to carry at least a gallon of water per day per person. Rangers do not recommend hiking at all in the summer, when temperatures frequently reach a scorching 115°F (46°C). Because some of the longer trails are difficult to follow, hikers are advised to carry good topographic maps, available at the visitor centers.
TUCSON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT (SAGUARO WEST)
SHORTER TRAILS
Cactus Forest Trail
.15 mile RT. Easy. Access: Red Hills Visitor Center.
A level nature walk just outside the visitor center, this wheelchair-accessible trail is a good introduction to the park and the Sonoran Desert environment. Interpretive signs identify a variety of desert plants.
Desert Discovery Nature Trail
.5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Kinney Rd., 1 mile northwest of the Red Hills Visitor Center.
This mostly level wheelchair-accessible trail has signs describing the plants, animals, and ecology of the Sonoran Desert. It also affords panoramic views of the Tucson Mountains.
Signal Hill Petroglyph Trail
.25 mile RT. Easy. Access: North of Signal Hill picnic area, off Golden Gate Rd., 5 miles northwest of the Red Hills Visitor Center.
This trail zigzags up the side of a small hill to an area containing dozens of examples of American Indian rock art, believed to have been left by the Hohokam people between 500 and 1,300 years ago (see "Historic & Man-Made Attractions," above).
Valley View Overlook Trail
1.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Bajada Loop Dr., 3½ miles north of the Red Hills Visitor Center.
Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, this trail passes through cactus forests and two washes before climbing to a ridge for splendid views of the surrounding desert and mountains.
LONGER TRAILS
Hugh Norris Trail
4.9 miles one-way. Strenuous. Access: Bajada Loop Dr., 2½ miles north of the Red Hills Visitor Center.
The longest and most difficult in the park's Tucson Mountain District, this trail begins with a series of switchbacks that lead to a ridge overlooking a huge forest of saguaro cactus. From there it offers panoramic views and passes old mines and intriguing rock formations. The trail climbs another series of switchbacks before finally making its way to the top of Wasson Peak, at 4,687 feet, from which you generally have spectacular views of Tucson and the surrounding mountains. The trail has a total elevation gain of 2,087 feet.
King Canyon Trail
3.5 miles one-way. Moderate to strenuous. Access: On Kinney Rd., directly across from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, about 2 miles southwest of the Red Hills Visitor Center.
This trail combines with the last .3 mile of the Hugh Norris Trail to take you from 2,800 feet in elevation to the top of 4,687-foot Wasson Peak, the highest point in the Tucson Mountains. Along the trail are petroglyphs believed to have been created by the Hohokam people, some open mine shafts that you'll want to avoid, and panoramic views once you get to the higher elevations. The trail is rocky in spots, so good hiking boots are recommended.
Sendero Esperanza Trail
3.2 miles one-way. Moderate. Access: Golden Gate Rd., about 6 miles northeast of the Red Hills Visitor Center.
The trail leaves an old mining road and climbs through several steep switchbacks to a ridge, with spectacular views in all directions. It finally drops to the Mam-A-GAH Picnic Area and a junction with the King Canyon Trail. Along the way, it passes the remains of the Gould Mine, which was enthusiastically but unproductively worked in the early 1900s.
RINCON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT (SAGUARO EAST)
SHORTER TRAILS
Desert Ecology Trail
.25 mile RT. Easy. Access: Cactus Forest Dr., east of the Mica View Picnic Area.
Interpretive signs along this paved wheelchair-accessible