Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mer, lizards abound and occasional snakes and Gila monsters show up on the sharp,
rocky, narrow trail.
After 15-20 minutes of climbing, watch for a flat area on the left side, which
gives you a chance to step off the trail and admire the burgeoning view of Tucson to
the west and Sabino Canyon to the north and east (your left). Above you are two or
three convenient flattish areas to break your hike, all with fine views, so don't feel
that you need to stop in the middle of the narrow trail for a drink of water.
Because this trail is short and steep, you'll find that the plant life varies both with
elevation and time of year. What you may see at 3,000 feet elevation arrives later at
4,000 feet.
Look for small blue, yellow, white, and orange desert flowers in March; palo
verde trees densely blossoming yellow in April; and ocotillos showing off red flowers
into May, when saguaros join in with their white blooms. Into the hot months of June
and July, many agaves along the trail thrust their 20-foot-high spikes into the air,
topped with dozens of tight, bowl-like clusters of yellow and orange flowers. Barrel
cacti are among the latest of the cacti to bloom, with a ring of golden flowers forming
a striking crown.
After the initial series of switchbacks, the obvious trail includes some shorter,
flatter sections, and your first views of Bear Canyon appear to the right (south). About
halfway up, the trail climbs through some rocky slabs where the route isn't always
obvious, but if you simply keep climbing, you'll find the trail within a minute or two.
If you don't, look back and around and you should see the route. You have to keep
climbing.
Next comes a clear trail heading to a peak—it's false. There are at least two, some
folks say three, false summits; I think it depends on how out of breath you feel after
this climb. When you come to a narrow ridge with exciting views of Sabino Canyon
and Bear Canyon on either side, you'll know you're near the end of the trail. By now,
you'll have noticed distinctive Thimble Peak (5,323 feet) on the horizon in front of
you, 1.5 miles away to the northeast.
Suddenly, a small marker tells you that you've arrived at the end of the trail. Bey-
ond this sign, you can scramble down a rough path for a couple of hundred feet before
it peters out in a frighteningly steep saddle; this area is called Saddleback on many
maps.
