It can be accessed by bicycle. We have had a lot of snow in our mountains so we are experiencing a lot of water in our wash systems. For as much as she loves hiking, Truffles isn’t a huge fan of the sun. The East Fork Trail follows Sabino Creek 2.1 miles to the junction with Sabino Canyon Trail. If you’ll be hiking the Canyon Loop Trail, I’d recommend taking your lunch with you as there’s a nice spot to stop for a picnic on the trail. Both the Canyon Loop Trail and Nature Trail are fairly easy trails that provide lovely views of the Santa Catalina Mountains and saguaro cacti. Hiking along this flat area you will notice a … Canyon Loop Trail: Beginning at the park trailhead, this 2.3 mile loop crosses a wash several times and takes about an hour to complete. Adopt a Saguaro Canyon Loop Trail Cacti Available on the Canyon Loop Trail Grand Daddy Saguaro C-8 Canyon Loop Trail… Location: North side of trail… Height: 30’… Number of arms: 4+… GPS coordinates: N 32.43095 W -110.90092 Grand Daddy Saguaro… The trail takes you across a creek bed. There are also multiple extensions ( Badlands Trail and Tortolita Pass Trail), with the Tortolita Pass Trail linking up to the Dove Mountain trail system that is usually accessed at the Wild Burro Trail . At a Glance This is the perfect spot to stop for some lunch as there are a few trees providing some shade, so Truffles and I did just that on one of our hikes. Romero Canyon Trail to Romero Pools [CLOSED], Golder Ranch, 50 Year Trail, and Middlegate Loop, Nature, Catalina, 50-Year and Bridle Trail Loop, Sutherland, Trail Link, and Nature Trail Loop, Rams Canyon Trail Loop [PRIVATE PROPERTY], Dripping Springs Loop from Catalina State Park Back Entrance, Cargodera Spring via the Sutherland Trail. To get to the start of that trail, cross over the road to where you see the below mural. The first two months of the year were spent in Mississippi and Louisiana which aren’t states conducive to great hiking, so I was looking forward to getting to Arizona in March. Disclosure: We don’t write sponsored posts or have credit card affiliate links. We spent the first couple of weeks in Tucson and I ended up visiting nearby Catalina State Park several times as it’s such a beautiful park at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. This is a very fun loop trail that offers a shorter 12.1-mile loop option too if you cut over to the left (west) at the 5.35-mile junction where you'll link up with the last part of the hike. Catalina State Park Running. The Canyon Loop Trail is a 2.3-mile loop through the foothills that begins and ends at the trailhead parking lot. This 1.7-mile long single trail climbs some 1,200 feet to a junction with East Road (a fire road straddling the divide at the southern end of Catalina Island). This trail provided several water crossings, flowers, cactus, and even some … Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail. If you want to take in the majestic views for a little longer on the hike, at the top of the hill there are a couple of benches to sit and enjoy them. I am moving to Arizona so will add this for sure. There’s no soap or hand sanitizer though, so you’ll want to bring that with you. It offers fantastic views of the ridges and peaks of the Santa Catalina Mountains and is easy to navigate. From the 1,200-foot climb out of Avalon Canyon on Hermit Gulch Trail to the 1,500-foot, 2-mile trek up Silver Peak, the Trans-Catalina Trail challenges you with nearly 10,000 feet of total elevation gain, so whether you’re planning a 3, 4 or even 5-day Trans-Catalina Trail adventure, you should be in decent shape to truly enjoy the experience. (End of the road when you enter Catalina State Park from Oracle Rd - entrance fee required) The loop is relatively flat, although starts with a short uphill burst before leveling off. I would like to return when we can actually go up into the hills. All Content © Copyright 2017-20, Stephen & Shae Pepper, No Home Just Roam, despite not always having the greatest sense of direction when hiking, Hotel Review: Hyatt Place Tucson-Central, Arizona - No Home Just Roam, Visiting Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park In Maryland, Hotel Review: Hyatt Place Ocean City Oceanfront, MD, Visiting The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum In Ocean City, MD, 1 Month In Ocean City, MD – Here’s What We Did, Hiking The Chimney Rock & Wolf Rock Trails At Catoctin Mountain Park, MD. One of my favorite things to do on our 5 year road trip is to go hiking. Honey Bee Canyon Loop is a 17.7 mile loop trail located near Catalina, Arizona that offers the chance to see wildlife. There are some basic restrooms, with a faucet off to the left. The store also has information about the park’s activities, including a print-off with a list of times and dates for you to take with you. Really enjoyed this post. Much of this area has been burned from a lightning fire. I can imagine that if you visit in the summer there’ll be less water – if any at all. After crossing La Milagrosa Canyon the trail climbs to the top of the ridge between Agua Caliente and La Milagrosa Canyons. We took the one … We had an inordinate amount of rain during our time in Tucson, so there was still some shallow water there. If you still have some energy in your legs and aren’t feeling too hot, I recommend taking a diversion off to the right to walk along the Nature Trail. My three Chihuahuas are so glad we are home. A chance to see fire damage up close. It has eight trails available of differing lengths and difficulty levels. The trail follows Alamo Canyon drainage down to where it joins the road--between the ranger station and the Romero Ruins parking lot and picnic area. The Canyon Loop in Catalina State Park loops around 2 ½ miles (around 1 ½ hours) of desert landscape, where hikers are blessed with views of mountains and open fields of desert life. The Canyon Loop trail is an easy hike through the foothills that begins and ends at the Trailhead parking lot. We're Stephen & Shae Pepper and this is our dog Truffles. This is a long, hot, steep loop hike that has fantastic views with a refreshing surprise to end the 22 mile loop. If hiking outside of Avalon, you'll need a hiking permit. You can get a trail map there, at the interpretive center on the way to the botanical garden or at the airport. Although there’s not much shade for people, the shorter trees and shrubs did afford some shade for small pups like her, so she liked to stop and sniff around whenever we came across any shade. Trail is open. Catalina State Park is right outside of Tucson Arizona. From this point it is 2.5 miles back to the end of the road where hikers can catch a shuttle bus ride (for a fee) or walk back to your car to complete a 13.4 mile loop. We decided to follow the rankings and do the number one rated hike in the park. Keep your eyes open and you will be fine, and remember to drink lots of water!! As nice as these photos look, seeing it in person is even better. It was a nice way to get out for a hike on Thanksgiving day before going back to eat a great meal. Trail Type: Loop; Trailhead Elevation: 2,800 ft. Gain/Loss: +2700 ft. It wasn’t a problem crossing the creek though as it was still pretty shallow, plus there were stepping stones placed across it. Once you reach the end of the road, you’ll arrive at the parking lot. The trail will curve due south and there will be one connecting trail coming in from the left, but you'll go straight past it. Truffles decided to take advantage of the cold water by quenching her thirst at this early stage. This involves taking almost 100 steps down which is the reason I recommended going counter-clockwise around the trail. 47 Miles. While sitting and enjoying the view, look at the Grand Canyon with intruded igneous rock, visible due to uplift and erosion. It costs $7 per vehicle to enter Catalina State Park and $3 for individuals and bikes. I therefore encouraged her to wade in the water and then covered her with more water to help keep her cool. the photo below was taken on a different visit which is why she doesn’t look filthy!). Disappointed, scheduled to open today but still closed until May 2021??????? When entering the park, you’re provided with a leaflet giving more information about the park, including a map of the different hiking trails. Even when it was busy, there were still spaces available. The beginning part of the Romero Canyon trail provides the first leg of a nice, short loop hike that wanders through the foothills of Catalina State Park and avoids much of the crowds. Trail was open on 11/08/2020! 76 Kilometers. This area was hit heavily by the fires this summer and it is interesting to see how much can really burn in the desert. I couldn’t be mad at her for long though because seriously – how cute is she?! What a beautiful park! Catalina State Park is a popular place here in Tucson, the vast majority come to hike to Romero Pools. You should see a sign for the park. Trail Run Project is built by runners like you. There are also multiple extensions ( Badlands Trail and Tortolita Pass Trail), with the Tortolita Pass Trail linking up to the Dove Mountain trail system that is usually accessed at the Wild Burro Trail . Truffles is actually a little less excited than normal as we’re going out less now – she’s already used to being us around all the time, so she’s a little spoiled . Continue 2.0 miles to a signed junction with the Phoneline Trail and a view of the Sabino Canyon Road end (16.3). Apr 11, 2019 near Catalina, AZ. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from September until May. The worst thing about this is that she was still wet, so the (thankfully mostly grassy) poop just clung to her fur. Romero was still closed. No description for Canyon Loop trail has been added yet! The Canyon Loop Trail doesn’t offer much shade for humans, so be aware of that if you’re visiting in the summer and bring water with you. The park also provides a ton of activities each week to learn more about the area and enhance your experience there. It’s a nice, easy trail, with the most difficult part being the ascent up a short hill to get to the loop trail. Along the trail are many different desert plants, la cholla, prickly pear, sahauro, and desert shrubs. Great way to spend an afternoon. Sep 1, 2015 near Catalina, AZ. The trail roughly parallels the creek which lies several hundred feet below you to the right. There are lots of saguaro to see along the way. Canyon Loop Trail in Catalina State Park, Tucson AZ 2.2 miles round trip Dogs allowed Great for kids Trail crosses the wash multiple times. Easy 1.5hr hike! Either way, they look pretty cool. This is a very fun loop trail that offers a shorter 12.1-mile loop option too if you cut over to the left (west) at the 5.35-mile junction where you'll link up with the last part of the run. On average it takes 29 minutes to complete this trail. Lots of saguaros. Along the last section you’ll pass through these trees; I don’t know what kind they are, so I don’t know if they always lack leaves, or if they provide shade at other times of the year when their branches aren’t bare. Sad too see what the fire did but still so beautiful! Canyon Loop is a 2 mile less popular blue singletrack trail located near Oro Valley Arizona. AZ STATE PARK Ranger Service 520-628-5798. Easy and well marked trail, beautiful views but mostly still burnt. Oct 25, 2015 near ... Added Badlands Trail and Window Rock Loop. although the Trail was scheduled to be open Nov 1st - it was still closed. Path leading up to the Nature Trail. Make it a 1.4-mile loop … Discover trails like Canyon Loop Trail - Catalina State Park Arizona, find information like trail length, elevation, difficulty, activities, and nearby businesses. This is a fun, moderate hike that has a well-defined trail. While I’m not much of a camper, if you are then Catalina State Park would be a beautiful place to stay. Catalina Canyon Loop Trail is a 2.3 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Tucson, Arizona that features a river and is good for all skill levels. Turn right staying on the Sabino Canyon Trail and begin a … The first is that it gives you a different – and equally beautiful – vantage point of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Here’s more about both trails and why Catalina State Park is well worth a visit if you’ll be in Tucson. It’s a perfect option for somebody looking to get a good dose of nature without venturing into a strenuous and time consuming hike. As you come to the end of the Canyon Loop Trail, you’ll see the parking lot in the distance. Catalina State Park is on the north side of Tucson. There are a couple of reasons I’d recommend also hiking the Nature Trail at Catalina State Park. What a great day for a Canyon Loop Trail hike the weather is perfect. A mesquite bosque with desert desert shrubs creates a unique bird habitat for various local and migrating species of birds. As mentioned earlier, the Canyon Loop Trail is 2.3 miles, but the Nature Trail is only 1 mile long. Dog friendly and easy to complete! There are a couple of reasons I’d recommend also hiking the Nature Trail at Catalina State Park. The Esperero Canyon Loop Trail is located in the Santa Catalina Mountain Range in Tucson. Canyon Loop is a 1.5 mile trail through Catalina State Park. We're on a 5 year, 50 state road trip... and beyond. Lots of wildlife, birds and javelins! Bathtub Tank itself is found in the canyon just below a junction where your trail makes a … Catalina Canyon Loop Trail is a 2.3 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Tucson, Arizona that features a river and is good for all skill levels. 6 Easy Trails. 2.4 miles, 3590′: At an unsigned junction stay right to leave the La Milagrosa Canyon Trail and continue down into Agua Caliente Canyon [Waypoint lmg-acc-e] – pass a gate at approximately 2.5 miles [Waypoint acc06]. I’d been hoping to hike the Romero Canyon Trail up to Montrose Pools and Romero Pools, but those parts of the trail aren’t pet-friendly and I had Truffles with me. (n.b. It’s quiet here in Oklahoma city. This is a reasonable fee considering how nice the park is and the wide range of activities they run there. Truffles is ,of course, as adorable as ever!! Many visitors enjoy exploring the 37.2-mile Trans Catalina Trail. Mostly open des but also around a small canyon if you take Canyon Loop Trail to connect on either end of the hike. Mountain biking Nature trips … Stay safe. 7 Intermediate Trails. Now I have a one speed in front. I visited the park a couple of times without Shae (once while she was relaxing and another time when she went to Biosphere 2) and I didn’t have any problem with getting lost despite not always having the greatest sense of direction when hiking. Length 17.7 miElevation gain 915 ftRoute type Loop. We were having a hard time deciding this morning which trail we should take because there are do many options at Catalina State Park. The trail was heavily trafficked but it is a very wide trail that can handle people walking in both directions at the same time most of the way. It’s a wide, flat trail, so there’s plenty of space even if the park is busy with other hikers. The best hike I did there was the easy 2.6-mile Canyon Loop trail. We’d love for you to follow our journey and get some inspiration for your own travels, so click here to get our updates and we’ll be in touch. Very wide gravel trail. From parking area we will take the Canyon Loop Trail then pick up the Sutherland trail to the Big Rock. We do have some referral & affiliate links, but only for products or services we use. Hermit Gulch Trail is the steepest part of the hike. Thanks! Bing Maps has a collection of great trails with directions to trail heads as well as photos. Would be lovely when the creek is flowing! During the summer months the best time to hike, would be in the morning hours. There are two spots you can start the hike, one closest to the parking lot, and the other is left of that where the road loops. We've quit our jobs and are on a 5 year, 50 state road trip. We added a little spur to get a closer look up the canyon, even though the trail is closed off (until May 1st) just before entering the canyon because of the fire damage on the Big Horn sheep birthing this spring. The saguaro aren’t the only eye-catching feature as the views of the Santa Catalina Mountains are pretty stunning too. Submit one here. An assortment of loop trails give day hikers a great glimpse at a variety of Island locales, returing them to where they started. The path up to this point is fairly gradual, whereas taking the ~100 steps up in the opposite direction would probably be a little more of an intensive workout. Nice clean trail, lots of damage from wild fires, but still beautiful. It’s a nice, easy trail, with the most difficult part being the ascent up a short hill to get to the loop trail. Thank you! Having said that, the stairs are fairly gradual too. Truffles was due to be groomed, so I was a little concerned she might be too warm with her longer-than-normal fur. Once you’ve crossed the creek, you’ll walk up a steady slope. The Canyon Loop Trail is only 2.3 miles long, but it can be thirsty work in the heat of the day. For example, when we visited in March they had a Music In The Mountains concert series, bird walks, geology walks, ‘Save a Saguaro’ projects and much more. The way we went you start up with a steep uphill right off the bat, where the other direction walks you up the wash for a ways before it treats you to some steps. Depending on when you visit, their gift shop might be open. The loop starts and ends in slightly different locations (only about 100 yards from each other); I’d recommend walking it counter-clockwise as I think it’s probably a little easier that way. This multi-use trail can be used both directions and has a moderate overall physical rating with a 168 ft blue climb. Sutherland Trail immediately climbs to a plateau and levels off. Head east until you come to the Ranger Station, there is a $6.00 daily fee. If you’re a camper or RVer, they have 120 campsites available. That means you’ll start off on the Romero Canyon Trail. In addition to all the fun activities they organize, one of the great features of Catalina State Park is how well-marked the trails are. Not much going on….always love to hear of your adventures. Planning for a Catalina Island Hike . Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail. The trail takes you across the creek a couple of times. The trail is wide to be suitable for hikers, bikers and horses. The second half of the hike will drop you down and right along a wash/creek bed that you will cross four times. Filed Under: Things To Do Tagged With: Arizona, Hiking, Pet-Friendly Things To Do, State Parks, Tucson AZ. of Trail. Beautiful easy hike. Difficulty: Difficult; Dog Friendly: No; Trail Description. 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