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  1. #1

    Default Tucson Area Day Hikes

    Any recommendations for your favorite day hikes in the Tucson area? Nothing huge mileage wise - perhaps around 5-10 miles round trip.

  2. #2

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    We just got back from a few weeks in AZ and did several excellent day hikes in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Beautiful area - bring lots of water. Seven Falls in Sabino Canyon Recreation Area is an excellent day hike approximately 7-8 miles. Blackett's Ridge in Sabino Canyon is also a great day hike with awesome views of the Tucson area. Romero Pools in Catalina State Park is another great hike to waterfalls/pools. Have fun and enjoy the sunshine.

  3. #3
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    I only know the Phoenix area. When we lived there we went to South Mountain practically every week.

  4. #4
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    Catalina State Park is a nice facility. Romero Pools is a decent hike. No dogs on most of it.

    Sabino Canyon is very nice, also could be crowded at the TH.

    All the trails up Pusch Ridge are challenging, no dogs allowed.

    Saguaro NP east unit has long trails, including up Mica Mt, and hopefully it remains open. The west unit has shorter, easier trails.

    Mt Wrightson is one of the better hikes in the area, but longer than your spec, closer to 15 miles.
    "Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning

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    most of the present day users of this site won't know who I am talking about, but mentioning hiking in southern AZ makes me wonder if WIAPilot (i think that was it?) ever hiked the AT.

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    Was that the guy that was hike the AT in 30 days?

    Just got back from Tucson about a week ago. Did some hiking in Saguaro NP west, and other state forest trails. I was with relatives that live there so i can't remember the names of the trails. I'm sure some are better than others, but from what I saw that whole area is amazing.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pony View Post
    Was that the guy that was hike the AT in 30 days?

    Just got back from Tucson about a week ago. Did some hiking in Saguaro NP west, and other state forest trails. I was with relatives that live there so i can't remember the names of the trails. I'm sure some are better than others, but from what I saw that whole area is amazing.
    no, that was someone (i dont think M or F was ever specified, though for some reason in my head i imagined female) who appeared one day in 2012 asking lots of questions supposedly planning for a future thru hike (in like 2014 or 15 or something)

    posted constantly, all sorts of crazy questions, everything under the sun. then eventually began answering everyone's questions and acting like a wise and seasoned trail sage. myself and a few others were like "wait a second, havent you never even set foot on the AT?"

    i remember tuscon cause at one point, i suggested in all seriousness, that if youre preparing for an AT thru hike perhaps more time hiking and less time in front of a keyboard might be more helpful. the response was "no way, its too hot here." seriously. this persons location was tucson.

    after about 3-4 months of this he or she vanished.

  8. #8

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    Rincon's, Saguaro NP East

  9. #9
    LT '79; AT '73-'14 in sections; Donating Member Kerosene's Avatar
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    What are the odds? I haven't logged into Whiteblaze for a month. Here I am sitting in a Tucson Starbucks trying to get caught up, after a Sabino Canyon dayhike shortened by flood conditions on many trails due to the snow they got on Friday (which still ices the top few thousand feet of the ridges as I glance out the window). We only had 3 hours available due to a dinner commitment after we drove down from Phoenix that morning. The early morning temps were near freezing, but it was in the high 40's and sunny with no wind when we started up the canyon to the Esperero Trail. The ranger said the trail was closed at Bird Canyon due to flooding, but it was an easy crossing. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to tackle Cardiac Trail (and my date didn't want to work that hard), so we headed back towards the canyon road by way of Rattlesnake Trail. The river was flooded that we couldn't get over to the Telephone Pole or Bluff Trails, so we endured the pavement back to the visitor's center. I got some great pictures of the desert and cacti with snow on the peaks overhead.

    Check out AllTrails.com and enter Tucson to get a list and ranking of trails, although you will have to register to get additional info. I use the AllTrails app to find places to hike wherever I'm traveling.
    GA←↕→ME: 1973 to 2014

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    Quote Originally Posted by royalusa View Post
    Any recommendations for your favorite day hikes in the Tucson area? Nothing huge mileage wise - perhaps around 5-10 miles round trip.
    For a short and challenging hike:

    https://azstateparks.com/picacho/things-to-do/trails

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