March 10, 2021

Tucson area hikes - the Tucson Mountains

Many hikes in the Tucson Mountains, but by no means all, are inside the west district of the Saguaro National Park, which may imply fees and certainly rules and restrictions. Much of the rest of the Tucson Mountains lie within the Tucson Mountain Park, which is administered by Pima County. These hikes are in general, best done in cooler months (or at least not mid-day in the summer). In hot weather all the usual desert hiking in hot weather advice applies: take plenty of water, wear a hat, and use sunscreen. Better yet, just stay home and wait for more sensible weather.

Bushmaster Peak

I thought this was going to be of no great consequence, but I have to say that it is the most interesting peak I have been up in the Tucson Mountains. Quite a contrast from "cairn frenzy" on Golden Gate Mountain. There were few cairns on the way to Bushmaster Peak, and there are fewer now since I destroyed virtually every one I encountered.

I parked at Gates Pass proper and took about 5 hours round trip. I hadn't intended to, but I ended up doing a clockwise loop. from Gates Pass, hike through the mess and confusion of multiple trails past various sunset viewing spots. After perhaps 1/2 mile a distinct trail develops and you just follow it along until you get to a saddle with views of the houses down in Trails End. Here a trail continues to Tower Peak, but you turn right and head on a good trail to Bushmaster. Ultimately this trail fades and then contours around the left side of the mountain. Once you get to where you suddenly get a view of most of Tucson it is time to start making your way to the summit. By this point the trail has all but disappeared.

I decided to be adventurous and headed east a short distance, dropping into a saddle visible just below the summit, and then dropped right into a gully and pretty much just headed straight south towards where I could see my car parked. This was steep and loose and probably would not be enjoyable to many people, but with care it was possible to avoid any real difficulties.

Golden Gate Mountain

This is really a good peak, much better than I thought. It is much higher than any other peak in the south end of the range, and to my surprise offers views of much of the city.

Getting up the peak is a bit "ghetto" because of the absurd number of cairns on the route. It is clearly cairned with the mentally impaired in mind. No brain cells required to find the route, just keep on plodding uphill. If you don't see cairns everywhere, you must be off route.

You park at the big parking area below and west of Gates Pass. This is actually one end of the Yetman Trail (though the trail at this end is kind of a ragged relic of an old road. Whatever the case, follow the trail to the saddle where another trail branches right and goes around the mountain. Ignore this and keep on (and downhill) for a few hundred yards and watch for cairns (lots of them) on the right. The trail is quite well established and most if not all of the cairns could be done away with.

Wasson Peak

This is the high point of the Tucson Mountains and is an excellent hike for the cooler half of the year. This hike can be done in at least 4 ways. For your information, I have this link to a map of the Tucson Mountain portion of Saguaro National Park (from the park website), stashed here for your convenience.

via the Kings Canyon trail (7 miles, 1800 feet)

My favorite is to park just north of the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and hike the Kings Canyon trail. This hike enters Saguaro Park immediately beyond the parking area. The trailhead is at 2900 feet, and the summit of Wasson peak is 4687 feet, so the climb is not quite 2000 feet. The round trip is 7.0 miles, so this makes an easy day hike (or a fine trail run).

A nice variation is to go up Wasson Peak via the Kings Canyon trail, then descend via the Hugh Norris and Sendero Esperanza trail. Sendero Esperanza trail for the return trip. Doing this adds exactly 1 mile, as well as some variety to the trip.

On 2-13-2010, Tom did the 7 mile loop in 3 hours and 16 minutes, moving at a "nice cruising speed" with only a few short stops. The ascent took 1:40 and the descent took 1:35 confirming that Tom moves at equal speeds uphill or downhill, except when he gets tired and slows down.

On 2-25-2010, Tom did the 8 mile loop in exactly 3 hours, proving I guess that he is getting in better shape. The ascent was done in 1.5 hours, moving along (without stopping) at a nice cruising speed. The descent, although 1 mile longer was done in the same time, since Tom was feeling strong and confident on the downhill (when he is not in such good shape, he tends to slow down and protect knees and ankles from abuse.).

via the Sweetwater trail (9.2 miles, 1900 feet)

This starts on the Tucson side of the Tucson mountains (at the west end of Camino Del Cerro). This is a 9.2 mile loop starting at about 2800 feet elevation, making it the longest option. To get to this trailhead, drive to the west end of Ruthrauff - Camino Del Cerro Road.

via the Sendero Esperanza trail (7.8 miles, 1500 feet)

The first part of the hike is through pristine Sonoran desert on flat terrain. I often use part of this trail as a loop when hiking from the Kings Canyon trailhead. This scheme should be clear if you look at a map. This trailhead is at 3200 feet, and within Saguaro National Park, so you may need to pay an entrance fee.

Circumnavigate the mountain (13.5 miles, 1900 feet)

I did this 1-31-2023 in 9 hours with a pace (according to my GPS) of 1.9 miles per hour. You will perhaps do it in much less time.

I started at 9AM at the Del Cerro trailhead, but after hiking 0.3 miles to the T-junction with the defunct sign-in station I turned left onto the Thunderbird trail. I followed various trails and non-trails to the Sendero Esperanza trailhead, then it was up to the top of Wasson Peak, and down the Sweetwater trail on the east side, arriving at my car at 6PM. An interesting and worthwhile adventure.

via the Hugh Norris trail

Another way (that I have yet to do) is to do the hike from the Hugh Norris trailhead, which will join the Sendero Esperanza trail This also starts from within Saguaro National Park.

Peak 4236 (and 4121)

On November 18 (a 93 degree day), my son Paul and I hiked up the Sweetwater trail to the saddle and then headed south up and along the Tucson Mountain crest to the summit of peak 4236. This is a fairly easy cross country hike amid cactus and thin brush. You enter state land just south of the saddle, a fact that not many are aware of, so cross country hiking is entirely legal. If you do continue on to peak 4121, you will exit state land for the last few hundred yards to the peak. Technically you need a state land permit (we had one), but you are unlikely to be confronted by anyone and asked to produce it.

The David Yetman Trail

There is a great network of trails south of Gates Pass in the Tucson Mountains. They are very popular with mountain bikers, but are also great for hiking, and especially trail running. The trailhead at the south end of Camino de Oeste is the closest trailhead to where I live and gives access to some superb desert within Tucson Mountain Park.

The following map (from 2az.us gives some idea of what is going on. The Yetman Trail proper, if I understand it right, is kind of a "U" shape from the Camino de Oeste trailhead to the Golden Gate trailhead (on the west side of Gates Pass). The Starr Pass Trail roams further to the south. The Golden Gate Trail is something else to check out.

The stone house trail

1.25 miles one way. A nice 2.5 mile out and back hike to do at the end of a day. A popular hike, ending at the ruins of the Bowden house. No roof, but all the walls are up and it is interesting to study the floor plan. You can hike beyond to a numnber of places.

The hidden canyon loop

This starts at the north end of the David Yetman Trail, the trailhead most people use to go to the stone house. You hike to the big sign after the wash crossing and turn left, heading to Starr Pass resort. After you cross a low saddle, you watch for a trail forking off to the left. Take this and it climbs steeply up to a pass, then wanders east, eventually descending hidden canyon to Starr Pass resort. Turn right (south) along the road and walk a ways to another trail on the right. Take this back to the junction where you turned left for the steep climb.

This is 4.4 miles total with 950 feet of elevation gain. I hiked it in 1:44 hours on 2-27-2023 with an average pace of 2.6 miles per hour. It makes a pleasant 2 hour workout.


Have any comments? Questions? Drop me a line!

Tom's hiking pages / tom@mmto.org