Tucson - American Southwest - page 388

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Tucson Mountain Park, at the west end of Speedway Boulevard, is adjacent to
Saguaro National Park and preserves a similar landscape. The parking area at Gates Pass,
on Speedway, is a favorite sunset spot.
Sabino Canyon (p. 356), off Sabino Canyon Road, is one of Tucson's best hiking
areas, but is also the city's most popular recreation area. A cold mountain stream here
cascades over waterfalls and forms pools that make great swimming holes. The 5-mile
round-trip Seven Falls Trail , which follows Bear Canyon deep into the mountains, is
the most popular hike in the recreation area. You can take a tram to the trail head or add
extra miles by hiking from the main parking lot.
With the city limits pushing right to the boundary of the Coronado National Forest,
there are some convenient hiking options in Tucson's northern foothills. The Ventana
Canyon Trail begins at a parking area adjacent to the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort (off
Sunrise Dr. west of Sabino Canyon Rd.) and leads into the Ventana Canyon Wilderness.
A few miles west, there's the Finger Rock Trail, which starts at the top of the section of
Alvernon Road accessed from Skyline Drive. There are actually a couple of trails starting
here, so you can hike for miles into the desert. Over near the Westward Look Resort is
the Pima Canyon Trail , which leads into the Ventana Canyon Wilderness and is
reached off Ina Road just east of Oracle Road. Both of these trails provide classic desert
canyon hikes of whatever length you feel like (a dam at 3 miles on the latter trail makes
a good turnaround point). Just south of the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf &
Tennis Resort, you'll find the Linda Vista Trail, which begins just off Oracle Road, on
Linda Vista Boulevard. This trail lies at the foot of Pusch Ridge and winds up through
dense stands of prickly-pear cactus. Higher up on the trail, there are some large saguaros.
Because this trail is shaded by Pusch Ridge in the morning, it's a good choice for a morn-
ing hike on a day that's going to be hot.
Catalina State Park, 11570 N. Oracle Rd. ( & 520/628-5798; www.azstateparks.
com/Parks/CATA/index.html), is on the rugged northwest face of the Santa Catalina
Mountains, between 2,500 and 3,000 feet in elevation. Hiking trails here lead into the
Pusch Ridge Wilderness; however, the park's best day hike is the 5.5-mile round-trip to
Romero Pools, where small natural pools of water set amid the rocks are a refreshing
destination on a hot day (expect plenty of other people on a weekend). This hike involves
about 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Admission to the park is $6 per vehicle. Adjacent to
the park are horseback-riding stables, and within the park is a Hohokam ruin.
One of the reasons Tucson is such a livable city is the presence of the cool (and, in
winter, snow-covered) pine forests of 8,250-foot Mount Lemmon. Within the Mount
Lemmon Recreation Area, at the end of the Catalina Highway, are many miles of trails,
and the hearty hiker can even set out from down in the lowland desert and hike up into
the alpine forests (although it's easier to hike from the top down). For a more leisurely
excursion, drive up onto the mountain to start your hike. However, be aware that in
winter, there can be snow atop Mount Lemmon. There is a $5-per-vehicle charge to use
most of the sites within this recreation area, so you'll need to stop at the roadside ticket
kiosk at the base of the mountain and pay your fee. For more information, contact the
Coronado National Forest Santa Catalina Ranger District, 5700 N. Sabino Canyon
Rd. ( & 520/749-8700; www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado).
HORSEBACK RIDING If you want to play cowboy or just go for a leisurely ride
through the desert, there are plenty of stables around Tucson where you can saddle up.
In addition to providing guided trail rides, some of the stables below offer sunset rides

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