Tucson Hiking Guide

"I was born in the summer of 1776. I started life as a minuscule seed, hidden beneath the canopy of a Palo Verde tree that shielded me from the blistering Arizona sun. Out East, a new nation was declaring its independence. But right here, my roots were just taking hold in the soil of the Tucson basin.

I grew roughly an inch a year, watching history unfold without moving an inch: In my youth, I watched the Tohono O'odham farm the river valleys, their laughter drifting on the desert wind as they harvested the bright red Bahidaj (saguaro fruit) of my elders. I watched Spanish soldiers pack mud and straw into adobe bricks to build the Tucson Presidio (1775-1776).

It took me nearly 75 years just to grow my very first arm. By the time I did, the maps were changing, and the land beneath my roots was about to become a part of the United States (The Gadsden Purchase of 1854).

I was over 100 years old when the first iron horses chugged through the valley, bringing new faces, new languages, and a bustling train station to the desert (Southern Pacific Railroad Depot in 1880).

By 1933, I was a towering giant, providing shelter to generations of nesting owls and woodpeckers, when Herbert Hoover recognized the need to protect my home as a National Monument (established March 1, 1933).

In 1962, I was reunited with my relatives as Stewart Udall worked with Juanita Ahil to amend the regulations, allowing the Tohono O’odham to resume their traditional saguaro harvests.

Today, at 250 years old, I am one of the elders of Saguaro National Park.

My stature and my scars hold the memory of droughts, monsoons, and centuries of human footsteps. If my time on this earth has taught me anything, it is that a landscape—just like a nation—is not defined by a single moment or a single voice. America, much like this desert, is a living tapestry built by the resilience of its people and the myriads of unique perspectives, cultures, and stories that have led us to this historic milestone."

Happy 4th of July from some of America’s oldest living witnesses! 🌵

A tale of two trails, and then a tale of two trails within the second trail. I hiked up Finger Rock Trail #42 from the start to Mount Kimball (turning off on #62 for the last half mile or so). On the way back down I went over to Linda Vista saddle, and then decided to take the Pontatoc Ridge #410 trail down, a first for me.

The first mile and a half or so of this trail was glorious. As opposed to the Boulder hopping of the Finger Rock Trail, Pontatoc Ridge was actually smooth, enough so that I was running instead of hiking. But then, the bottom half became pretty much like the Finger Rock Trail, and it's a extra mile to boot to get back to the parking lot.

Nonetheless, a beautiful hike and one to do before it gets much hotter.

Just summited Mount Kimball from the Finger Rock Trail #42. Beautiful view of Cathedral and Mt. Lemmon. Do this hike before it gets too hot, it's a hard one.

Let us give thanks to our park rangers keeping us safe, and heed their excellent advice! But sometimes, these things happen. Take care out there!

For any life-threatening emergency, CALL 911! Only after contact with emergency services has been made, and if you are able, then call the park visitor center to inform the desk staff. 911 and local emergency services are able to use GPS and other technologies to better track hikers and find them quicker. The phones at the visitor center cannot do that. For all emergencies, 911 first, every minute counts!

A reminder from your friendly neighborhood rangers to keep safety in mind when planning for a hike! We strongly recommend staying off the trails from 10am – 4pm during the hotter months. If you are going to go for a hike plan to start early, bring plenty of water and salty snacks, and always tell a friend where you’re going and what time you expect to be done. This time of year, during our summer monsoon season, we also recommend keeping a close eye on the weather forecast. If you see approaching storm clouds, avoid walking in dry riverbeds (flash floods can become deadly fast), and avoid ridge trails (tall cacti and lightning don’t mix well).

For non-emergency dispatch, call 520-351-4900.

Do not go hiking during times of extreme heat, which in the lower elevations of the desert can be most days between April and October. Head for the higher elevations, or just don't go hiking at all.

As always, regardless of the weather, drink plenty of fluids, dress appropriately, and let others know where you're going and when you'll be back. A satellite communication device like the Garmin Inreach is also recommended if you will be out of cell phone service.

There have been too many heat related rescues in Arizona this summer.

📸 from SARA on the Pima County page.

We love hiking in the mountains around Tucson, but sometimes we venture elsewhere, in this case the John Muir Trail in California. It was beautiful.

Don’t you just love Saguaro National Park? (East or West - both are best!)

The creeks are flowing along the Bear Canyon and Sabino Canyon trails. If you're hiking the Bear Canyon trail plan on taking your boots off and enjoying the cold water.

Peeking through the saguaro from Saguaro National Park (West) to Baboquovari Peak in the distance