Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ning trees, some of which show evidence of past forest fires. Just over a mile beyond
the intersection with the Super Trail, the trail flattens and you'll pass Bellows Spring
to your right, at 8,170 feet elevation. A small, verdant cliff above the trail shines with
water seeps, which are collected in a little stone and concrete basin right by the trail.
This water should be filtered or boiled before drinking.
After Bellows Spring, the trail continues switchbacking through a mixture of pine
trees and bare, colorful rock cliffs, some of which are rusty with iron ore. Another 0.7
mile of climbing takes you to the 8,780-foot Baldy Saddle, where expansive views
open of distant mountain ranges to the east and Gardner Canyon below. Back to the
west-southwest, you're now looking down on observatory-topped Mount Hopkins; to
the south, the bald cliffs of Mount Wrightson appear an impossibly steep 0.9 mile
away. You can see how the mountain got its original name of Old Baldy.
About 100 yards south of Baldy Saddle, a metal sign points to Gardner Canyon
down to the left (southeast)—this is the descent via the Super Trail. Both the Super
and Old Baldy Trails now follow the same route to the summit, climbing gently south
and contouring around the northeast side of the mountain through pine forest. The fi-
nal push to the top begins suddenly, with a long series of rocky switchbacks that end
equally suddenly at the summit.
There used to be a fire lookout perched on the top, but only foundations remain,
accompanied by a couple of waterproof ammo boxes that hold trail registers. An in-
formative plaque tells the history of the lookout. The views can be awesome on a clear
day. Unfortunately, there is an increasing number of hazy days when the horizon is
totally obscured by smog or smoke—hopefully, you'll be here on a pristine day with
jaw-dropping vistas.
Nearby Attractions
Directions
From Tucson, follow the directions to the Visitor Information Station and Proctor
