Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
After about a mile of easy hiking with a gentle ascent, you'll notice a couple of
large, green aspen trees to your left, indicating that there is indeed some water, some
of the time, in Finger Rock Canyon. Maps mark a spring here. In this greener area,
an unsigned trail, blocked with a row of stones, goes down to the left to explore the
water, but the Finger Rock Trail begins to climb steeply to the right.
As you climb, you'll enjoy watching the canyon open to your left into a gorgeous
bowl full of saguaros, with a lovely tan-colored wall rising vertically for about 500
feet on the opposite side of your trail. If you're here in spring, you'll see plenty of
wildflowers along the trail. The trail is clear but quite difficult, with some leg-stretch-
ing steps, loose rocks, and awkwardly placed spiny plants of all kinds, often in rather
exposed areas, so pay attention.
Eventually, you start climbing above the highest saguaros and lose sight of Finger
Rock. The flora changes into pine-oak woodlands and—yay!—the trail actually be-
comes flat for a relaxing 200 yards before climbing up through the trees. In a couple
of places, minor unmarked trails drop to your left—continue on the main trail, head-
ing generally northeast.
Almost 3 miles into the hike, the route turns east, then southeast as it contours up
through the trees. You'll come to a sharp hairpin bend with a side trail heading due
south (your right), barred from the main trail by a row of stones. If you take this fairly
flat side trail due south for about 0.2 mile, you'll reach a saddle at about 5,600 feet
elevation, with stunning views of Tucson. In fact, for many hikers this is a destina-
tion in itself, and they'll retrace their steps to the trailhead for an out-and-back hike of
about 6 miles.
Back at the hairpin bend, you find yourself swinging north and then northeast,
and as you climb you'll start noticing some strange assemblies of plants—I saw
ferns growing around prickly pears and yuccas, shadowed by pine and oak trees with
mistletoe growing on them. The trail continues to be quite clear, but there are some
sections of loose rocks here. Vistas of cliffs and spires dominate the view to the north,
while Tucson can be seen to the south.
About 4.5 miles into your hike, you'll reach the first trail sign since you
began—you're almost at your goal! The sign indicates Finger Rock Trail #42 going
right (east) for another 2 miles to its intersection with the Ventana Trail, and Pima
Canyon Trail #62 going left (north). If you're really pooped, you could take Finger
