Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
At this point you could decide upon your own trail end and head back, because
you'll have seen all the best views. But if you find it somehow unsatisfying to turn
around without having reached some kind of destination, you'll certainly enjoy push-
ing on along the rough trail. Few people hike up here; I saw no one on my last two
hikes. As long as you keep your eyes open for cairns where needed, you'll have no
problem in reaching the signpost for the Juniper Basin campsite, just a few feet short
of the 6,000-foot-elevation mark. There are no views here, except for the surrounding
junipers; the three simple campsites (which require free permits from the visitor cen-
ter) share a couple of metal bearproof boxes for food storage and have fire rings. The
signed toilet is no longer here—perhaps it will be reconstructed someday.
As you enter the campsite, a small seep provides unreliable water in wetter
months but dries out for much of the year. A sign indicates that it's 2.1 miles farther
to Tanque Verde Peak, the highest point on the ridge at 7,049 feet. Strong hikers could
continue to the peak and return for an 18-mile out-and-back trip. The trail to the peak
is no more difficult than it has been thus far. The return along the way you came
seems easier, not only because you're descending but also because you can see the
trail crossing the bare rocky patches, more clearly looking down than looking up.
Nearby Attractions
The
Pima Air and Space Museum
(6000 E. Valencia Rd., Tucson; 520-574-0462;
pimaair.org
) exhibits more than 300 aircraft (and a few rockets) in a mainly outdoor
setting. Exhibits range from WWII planes to JFK's
Air Force One
(which can be
entered). Open daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; admission is $15.50, with many discounts avail-
able. Adjoining the museum,
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
is home to the 4,200
moth-balled military aircraft locally known as “The Boneyard.” Guided bus tours are
offered for $7, Monday-Friday; call the museum for hours. Drive along Kolb Road
between Escalante and Valencia Roads to appreciate this strange sight for free.
miles away.
