The 13.8-mile round trail is in the Rincon Mountain (East) district. If you’ve driven in Tucson, you’ve certainly seen this prominent ridge to the east. It dominates the park district and provides a major hiking route into the high elevation backcountry.
To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 10 in Tucson exit onto East Speedway Boulevard and head east. Turn right/south onto Freeman Road then left/south onto Old Spanish Road. Next, enter the park by turning left/east onto Cactus Forest Drive. Turn into the Javelina Picnic Area and park at the lot at the road’s end. The trail leaves from the lot’s southwest side.
After curling around the ridge to an accessible point, the trail heads up it. Though undulating terrain, you’re mainly ascending the ridge, a major arm of the Rincon Mountain that heads all the way to Mica Mountain.
Desert scrub
The Rincon Mountain district consists of five distinct environments. They shift by elevation. Desert scrub, such as fourwing saltbush and brittlebrush, sits at the lowest elevations. Go a little higher, and the scrub gives way to a desert grassland. Just above that is an oak woodland. Beyond that is a pine-oak woodland, a transition to the environment at the park’s highest elevations, the pine forest.
Most of the trail runs through the park’s low desert elevations. Expect to see Arizona fishhook cactus, beavertail cactus, Engelmann prickly pear, hedgehog cactus of various varieties, jumping cholla, opuntia, pancake prickly pear, saguaro, staghorn cholla, and teddy bear cholla. The higher you go, the more agave, nolina, ocotillo, sotol and yucca you’ll see.
During one section of the trail, the ridgetop narrows so that you can look both north and south.
Near this section at about 4 miles from the trailhead is a cristate or crested saguaro.
Cristate saguaros are thought to be caused by a genetic mutation. Some are only a few feet tall, while others can reach heights of over 20 feet. The crests themselves can be very large, sometimes measuring up to 10 feet across. This location is near the upper edge of the saguaro belt, which is about 4,000 feet elevation.
Desert grassland
As the trail enters the desert grassland at 4.5 miles, the surroundings take on a new look. The hillsides are sparsely vegetated; short grass and scattered bushes dominate the landscape.
But the real show-stealer is the view to the south: a deep valley that borders the ridge, known as Box Canyon. As you continue hiking, the valley gradually narrows and becomes more shallow. Toward the upper end of the valley, the path drops about 150 feet then climbs again on the far side. The surroundings become flatter, and before long, you’ll spot pine and oak trees around you.
As the hike continues, the route descends slightly once more, leading down into the drainage that feeds Box Canyon. You’ll come across the Juniper Basin primitive campsite, where you can take a break and rest your feet, after a bit of a descent. At this point, you’ll also be right around 5500 feet, surrounded by the beautiful pinyon-juniper forest.
You’ve come 6.9 miles, most of it uphill, so this marks a good turnaround spot for an ambitious day hike.
Forested peak
You can keep going up, of course. If you do, you’ll enter a mixed conifer forest consisting of Douglas-fir, Gambel oak, ponderosa pine, white fir. The higher you hike, the more the pine dominates.
At that elevation, black bear and mountain lions are a possibility, so keep an eye for their paw prints, scat, and other signs to avoid an encounter. You’re much more likely to see mule deer or a coyote, however.
At 8.9 miles, take the 0.1 mile (one-way) spur to Tanque Verde Peak, which tops out at 7040 feet. The metamorphic rock peak is rich in quartz so resists erosion. The summit offers some excellent views of the Tucson basin.
Until reaching the pine-oak forest, the trail is entirely exposed to the sun, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat. Bring plenty of water as well.
TOPO MAP
Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.
