Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Romero Canyon to your left, but don't be tempted to descend if you see water. Follow
the clear main trail until it reaches a minor saddle and then drops a few hundred yards
to the pools.
Here, the trail crosses the water (except in dry months) and continues climbing
4.4 miles to Romero Pass, 2,400 feet above you. Most hikers stop to explore the pools,
which stretch out for several hundred yards north and east of the crossing. Flattish
areas to the northeast can make adequate wilderness campsites. The pools are season-
al, although some of the deeper, more sheltered ones almost always have a little water.
After heavy rains you'll see waterfalls. At all times step carefully, because the rocks
are slick with algae and you can easily take a tumble.
Return the way you came until you reach the signed right turn for the
Canyon
Loop Trail.
Here, you can continue 0.6 mile to return to the trailhead, or you can
turn right and hike 1.7 miles to enjoy the alternate longer (but easy and scenic) return
route. This heads east and northeast through the mesquite bosque until a hairpin bend
takes you suddenly north and west to two benches, where you can rest and enjoy su-
perb views of the western Catalinas. Just beyond the benches, the trail forks—the left
fork is for horses, and the right fork takes hikers down a curving flight of stairs into
the canyon bottom.
Head west and then swing north, following the left bank of a seasonal creek for
several hundred yards until a crossing, 0.9 mile from where you entered the Canyon
Loop Trail. By this point the creek is more likely to be dry, depending on the season.
Immediately past the crossing, a sign indicates the Sutherland Trail to the right, while
the Canyon Loop Trail goes straight ahead. The well-signed trail swings west and then
south, crossing the increasingly dry creek a few times. To the south and southwest are
impressive views of the blocky mountains forming Pusch Ridge, the most obvious of
which are the massive cliffs of Table Mountain.
Near the end of the route, the trail intersects the Birding and Nature Trails. The
road is 20 yards beyond, and the parking area and Romero Canyon Trailhead are an-
other 100 yards along the road.
Nearby Attractions
Catalina State Park has a very comfortable campground with flush toilets and hot
showers. All sites have picnic tables and barbecue grills, but ground fires are prohib-
