Trails abound at Tucson Mountain Park

Bowen House via Camino de Oeste

Hiking trails abound at Tucson Mountain Park, which protects around 62,000 acres of Sonoran Desert near Arizona’s second largest metro area.

The park sits southwest of Tucson and south of Saguaro National Park’s west district. More than 40 trails or trail combinations can be hiked.

Here a few of the more popular hikes…

Gates Pass Trail
The 2.8-mile round trip hike runs close to a road, campground, and Old Tucson, a former movie production area turned theme park. Gates Pass Trail is a popular choice for outdoor enthusiasts looking to experience the area’s spectacular desert scenery. From W. Gates Pass Road, turn right to Gates Pass Trailhead parking area, where there are plenty of spaces.

Bittersweet, Camaro and Sunset Pass Loop Trail
Nice views of mountains and numerous saguaros await on this 3.9-mile loop. Desert wildflowers typically start to bloom in mid-March. The path is rocky in stretches. Trailhead is off of West Irvington Road west of South Cardinal Avenue.

Bobcat Ridge and Starr Pass Trail Loop
Great vistas await atop the ridge on this 4.1-mile hike. The first half of the trail is steep and rocky, but the second half is downhill then flat. Watch for cholla cacti hitchhiking on your socks or pants legs. Trailhead with paved parking lot is at the end of South Sarasota Boulevard, north of South Kinney Road.

Bowen House via Camino de Oeste
An easy trail ideal for children, the 2.6-miles round trip hike heads to the ruins of a ruins of a 1930s ranch house. Wildflowers, especially poppies early in the season, bloom late March through early May. Mule deer often can be spotted amid the cacti and mesquite trees. Trailhead is off of North Camino de Oeste south of West Gates Pass Road.

Bowen Trail
This 1.5-mile round trip hike is the main route to the Bowen ranch house ruins. It’s a fairly flat trail that’s great for kids. Wildflowers bloom here in late March through April. Trailhead is off of West Starr Pass Boulevard west of South Players Club Drive.

Brown Mountain Loop via Brown Mountain Picnic Area
This 4.2-mile loop heads across 3064-foot high Brown Mountain through several saguaro-lined stretches. The ridgeline is great for watching sunsets. The trail also connects to Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. If you walk it in the afternoon, the last portion of the trail will be shaded. Trailhead is on Kinney Road north of West Gates Pass Road.

Camaro Loop
This fairly flat, family-friendly hike through a saguaro forest with great desert views runs 2.1 miles round trip. Large staghorn cactus can be seen along the way. Wildflowers bloom in April. Trailhead is at end of West Irvington Place west of South Jamaica Way.

David Yetman Trail
This 12.1-mile round trip hike heads through the Tucson Mountain Range’s southern peaks. The ascent to the Golden Gate Mountain summit is steep, boasting 1,160 feet of vertical gain over 0.66 miles, but the view at the top is spectacular. The trail is named for David Yetman, host of PBS’s long-running show “The Desert Speaks.” West trailhead is off of West Gates Pass Road west of North Camino de Oeste. East trailhead is off of North Camino de Oeste south of West Gates Pass Road.

David Yetman and Rock Wren Trail
This 6.2-mile route heads past the Bowen house ruins and plenty of saguaro. Poppies usually bloom here in late March. You stand a good chance of seeing mule deer, rabbits and various birds. A cave is about 0.5 miles past the Bowen house on Yetman. Loose rock and thick sand covers portions of the route. Trailhead is off of North Camino de Oeste south of West Gates Pass Road.

Hidden Canyon Bowen Loop
Great desert views and plenty of saguaros await on this 2.2-mile hike. You have a good chance of spotting mule deer, and wildflowers usually are in bloom mid-April. It’s a wonderful trail at sunrise but will be unbearably hot in summer. No dogs are allowed, and sections of the trail are rocky. Trailhead is near end of West Starr Pass Boulevard near resort.

Rock Wren, 5th Avenue, Yetman and Starr Pass Trail Loop
This 4.8-mile lollipop trail offers a chance to see javelina and mule deer. Wildflowers usually bloom in April. Expect a rocky stem trail. Trailhead is at end of Clearwell Road west of West Starr Pass Boulevard.

Little Cat Mountain Trail
There’s no direct route to the 3310-foot butte off of Starr Pass Route. Tenacious hikers, however, can bushwhack up the steep, rocky southeast side for 2-mile round trip that starts on Starr Pass Trail. Great views await. This hike is not for children.

Tucson trail explores saguaro cactus forest

The saguaro grows only in southern Arizona and northern Sonora. NPS photo.

Deer Loop Trail map. Click for larger version.

Day hikers can walk through a forest of saguaro cactus on the Deer Valley Loop near Tucson.

The roughly 3.5 miles route at Saguaro National Park (East) consists of several connecting trails. As a number of trails crisscross this area, the route easily can be shortened or lengthened. The loop described here, however, tends to give the most scenic views.

The best season to hike the loop is March through May when temperatures are pleasant. Summer will be unbearably hot and winter potentially cool. Many desert plants bloom in April and May, making for a colorful view.

To reach the trailhead, from the junction of Interstate 10 and Speedway Boulevard in Tucson, take the latter east. This heads to the north side of Saguaro National Park East. Park in the pullout at the Wildhorse Trailhead on the road's right/south side.

Begin the loop by heading southwest on Wild Horse Canyon Trail. You'll pass the Shantz Trail on the right, an unnamed connector on the left, then the Creosote Trail on the right.

Growing up
Close to the road, you'll see small saguaro cactus still shorter than the shrubs they grow amid. The farther from the road you walk, though, and the saguaro quickly become much taller and are all around you.

An icon of the American West, these lords of the desert can grow up to 50 feet high and weigh several tons. With so little rainfall, decades are needed for the saguaro to reach its dominating size.

As approaching the Bajada Wash, one cool saguaro cactus to look for is one that's crested. Only about 1 in 10,000 saguaros are crested, biologists estimate. Near that sight, the Bajada Wash Trail comes in from the right and then after a bit departs to the left.

Saguaro cacti begin their lives by sprouting under small trees, such as the little leaf palo verde, growing only about an inch a year. They soon dwarf the tree and with taproots that reach a yard deep and almost 30 years in diameter, they kill the very tree that first sheltered them.

Saguaro flower
At 1 mile, the route reaches Garwood Trail. Go right/south onto it. You'll gradually head uphill.

The giant saguaro sometimes blooms only once every 35 years, so they must live an extremely long time for the species to survive. The typical saguaro stays on the earth for 150 years, but some at the national park are more than 200 years old.

Upon reaching the 1.5 mile mark, go right/west onto the Carrillo Trail. This will take you to a ridge overlooking a wash. Great views of Rincon Mountains to the southeast are to be had.

If hoping to visit when saguaro's pretty white flowers bloom, plan your hike for April through June. The flower opens during the night and closes in midafternoon.

Animal interactions
At 1.8 miles, the route comes to Deer Valley Trail. Go right/north onto it and continue downhill.

The saguaro's primary pollinators are honey bees, bats, and white-winged doves, but a variety of songbirds help as well. Pollination leads to ruby red fruits that ripen in June. Though each fruit has around 2000 seeds, only about 1 percent of them will germinate.

At 2.2 miles, the route reaches the ascent's bottom, where the Squeeze Pen Trail awaits. Take it right/northeast.

Several animals rely on the saguaro cactus not just for nourishment but as a home. The saguaro's sharp, regularly spaced thorns provide perfect protection for nests. Gila woodpeckers and gilded flickers will cut holes into the saguaro and upon moving in, other birds become squatters.

Horses and lizards
This leg of the trail passes the Bajada Vista Trail on the right. At 2.7 miles is the Vanover Trail junction; at it, continue straight-right/north onto the Kennedy Trail.

In addition to songbirds using saguaros, during any hike of this loop you're certain to see harmless small lizards darting about. Horse riders often will be about using the equestrian trails, giving you a feel of being in the Old West.

At 3.1 miles, the route arrives at the Shantz Trail junction. Turn right/northeast onto it and head back to the Wild Horse Canyon Trail, where you'll go left/north to the trailhead.

There's absolutely no shade along the loop, so if be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat. In addition, if caught in a storm do not stand near the saguaro, as it’s a natural lightning rod, having absorbed salt from the desert floor.

Gorgeous sunsets await on Saguaro NP trail

A sunset colors the sky on the Hugh Norris Trail at Saguaro National Park.

Day hikers can enjoy beautiful Arizona

sunsets on the Hugh Norris Trail at Saguaro National Park.

The 7.7-mile round trip trail sits in the park’s western Tucson Mountains district. Sunsets generally are better in the park’s western than eastern section, as mountains and city lights tend to degrade the latter’s

view of the sky.

Getting high on a ridgeline, which the Hugh Norris traverses, offers the best views. Though the trail can be taken to Wasson Peak, the highest point in the western section, the hike here describes the trail to just Amole Peak. Though the second highest summit on the ridge, the higher Wasson Peak behind you nicely blocks the glow of Tucson’s lights – and going to Amole means less walking in the dark after the sun sets.

To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 10 in Tucson, exit onto West Ina Road and head west. At North Wade Road, turn left/south. When the road veers west, it naturally becomes West Picture Rocks Road and enters the park. Next, go left/south onto North Sandario Road then left/east onto North Kinney Road and finally left/northeast onto gravel Hohokam Road. The trailhead is in about 0.8 miles. Be forewarned that the parking area is small with space for about four vehicles, but there is a nearby pull-off on the road where you can park.

From the parking lot, the trail heads due east, starting at around 2575 feet elevation, circling around the base of a hill that is the westernmost edge of the small mountain range. Barrel cacti, cholla, echinocereus, opuntia, saguaros of all sizes and Schott’s agave surround you.

Ridgeline
Next the trail drops into and crosses a ravine then ascends toward the ridgeline via a few switchbacks. As you gain elevation, you’re treated to a variety of great vistas. Avra Valley is to the west, and the Santa Catalina Mountains to the northeast.

The trail soon crests a hill and reaches a saddle that offer great desert views to the north and south.

From there, the trail ascends along the edge of the ridgeline toward its top. The route generally avoids the peaks along the ridge, as their tops are too steep,

Watch for some of the old mine shafts that appear along the way. They are fenced off, and you should not try entering them, as they are unsafe.

At 2.7 miles, the path reaches a four-way junction with Sendero-Esperanza Trail.

Amole Peak
Next, continue on toward Amole Peak, which tops out at 4387 feet. At around 3.85 miles, the trail runs along the peak’s south side, where there are plenty of great spots just below it to catch the sunset from around 4215 feet. Some faint and steep paths do climb to the rocky top, which is the best spot to catch a sunrise.

As the sun sets, it illuminates the cloud bottoms in pink, mauve and apricot colors until that fades and the saguaros are just silhouettes. Eventually even they disappear as the stars pop out in the black sky.

Rather than view the sunset from Amole, you can continue on to Wasson Peak, which at 4693 feet, offers the highest vantage on the ridge. Wasson is in 1.05 miles, making the hike 9.8 miles round trip.

The trail is named after Hugh Norris, a former Tohono O’odham Indians police officer.

There’s no shade along the way, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and hat for the way there. Do not hike the trail in summer, as the heat will be dangerous. Bring plenty of water, about 1.5 quarts per person per hour of hiking. Should thunderstorms appear on the horizon, turn back, as lightning strikes will be a hazard when hiking the ridge. You’ll want headlamps or flashlights for the hike back.

TOPO MAP

Hugh Norris Trail. Click for larger version.

Saguaro NP hike leads to century-old mine

Tailings and ruins from the abandoned 1905-12 Gould Mine sit
in Saguaro National Park.

Day hikers can head to

a relic of the early 1900s Arizona Copper Rush on the Gould Mine Trail in Saguaro National Park.

The 1.8-mile round trip hike sits in the park’s western Tucson Mountains district. It sports an elevation

gain of just 300 feet.

To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 10 in Tucson, exit onto West Ina Road and head west. At North Wade Road, turn left/south. When the road veers west, it naturally becomes West Picture Rocks Road and enters the park. Next, go left/south onto North Sandario Road then left/east onto North Kinney Road. Drive past Red Rock Visitor Center to the trailhead. The parking lot has space for about 15 vehicles so fills up quickly during the cooler months and on weekends.

Sonoran Desert flora
Of the two trails at the parking lot, head left/northwest down the ravine. Upon reaching the wash, go left/south. Look for a trail across the wash ascending the ravine, and take that.

You’ll cross the base of a foothill over gently undulating terrain.

Eventually the trail descends in another ravine and runs along then parallels the usually dry streambed.

Standard Sonoran Desert plant life can be found along the trail – buckhorn cholla, creosote, ferocactus, hedgehog cactus, ironwood, jumping cholla, mammillaria, mesquite, ocotillo, saguaro, and teddy bear cholla.

The trail soon gains elevation, and the red and gray tailings of the mining operation come into view. After passing below the tailings, the trail curls back into the mine site by going left/west on the Sendero Esperanza Trail at the 0.8-mile mark.

Gould Mine
The colorful tailing pile – that is the rock the miners tossed while mining – stand out just for their size. You can walk atop the pile, but stay away from the edges as they can give.

A small stone cabin beside the trail also is interesting. This was an old powder house where dynamite was stored.

The 300-foot deep mine shaft is fenced-off and covered by an iron grille. A second gated shaft is downhill from the site. Don’t try to enter either shaft.

There also are pieces of wood and ironwork scattered across the site.

The Gould Mine opened in 1905 and was promoted as one of the richest copper strikes in the then Arizona Territory. It produced a mere 1500 tons of ore, though, and closed after only seven years.

Once you’ve taken in the sights, retrace your steps back to the parking lot. Some hikers include this in a loop with the Sendero Esperanza Trail (go right/east on it) and either the King Canyon Wash or the King Canyon trails (go south on them). This adds 0.3 miles if taking King Canyon Wash, and 0.2 miles if taking the King Canyon Trail to the hike.

There’s no shade along the trail, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. Due to the aridity, bring at least 1.5 quarts of drinking water per person.

TOPO MAP

Gould Mine Trail. Click for larger version.

Trail heads to west Saguaro NP’s high point

Wasson Peak is the highest peak in Saguaro National Park's western
Tucson Mountains district.

Day hikers can summit the highest peak in Saguaro National

Park's western Tucson Mountain section via

the King Canyon Trail.

The 7-mile round trip King Canyon Trail

climbs to Wasson Peak, where you can enjoy great views of the park and Tucson. It's not the highest peak in the park; that honor goes to Mica Mountain in the eastern Rincon Mountain district. Getting to Mica Mountain, however, is more than a day hike for all but the hardiest of trail runners.

Multiple routes lead to Wasson Peak, but the King Canyon Trail is the most direct. You'll gain about 1833 feet of elevation. As the summer heat is intense, only do this trail October through April.

To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 10 in Tucson, exit onto West Ina Road and head west. At North Wade Road, turn left/south. When the road veers west, it naturally becomes West Picture Rocks Road and enters the park. Next, go left/south onto North Sandario Road then left/east onto North Kinney Road. Drive past Red Rock Visitor Center to the trailhead. The parking lot has space for about 15 vehicles so fills up quickly during the cooler months and on weekends.

Old mining trail
The hike starts an old mining road past ocotillo, prickly pear cactus and saguaro. Wasson Peak towers ahead.

In a mile, King Canyon Wash Trail and then the Sendero-Esperanza Trail join your trail. This is a good spot to rest, as the Mam-A-Gah picnic area is on the left.

Continuing northeast on the King Canyon Trail, you'll next pass a stone building constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. It served as a restroom back then, but the waste pit has been sealed off.

The trail climbs as curling around the foothills. Barrel cactus, cholla, palo verde, and mature saguaros abound. If hiking in spring, so do wildflowers following a rain.

Plenty of harmless lizards abound on the trail, some of so well camouflaged that they almost blend into the stone. You'll probably also spot mule deer.

In the saddle
At 2.5 miles, the trail reaches the crest of a saddle. There, you can enjoy expansive views to both the east and west with Tucson spreading out below you in the former.

At the Sweetwater Trail junction, stay on the King Canyon, heading left/northwest up steep and tight switchbacks. You'll gain some 600 feet along the way.

Sites to see in this stretch include two mineshafts, both of which are sealed off, and small holes to caves that are bat sanctuaries. Usually you can see the bats at dusk as they leave the caves to hunt insects.

At 3.2 miles, take the spur to the summit. Be aware that the top can be windy.

Summit
You reach the summit at 3.5 miles, near the junction with the Hugh Norris and Wasson Peak trails.

Wasson Peak tops out at 4639 feet. From it, you can see Tucson to the east with the Santa Catalina and Rincon mountains beyond. Mt. Wrightson in the Santa Rita mountains and Kitt Peak are to the south. Amole Peak, the nearest tall summit, at 4387 feet, is to the west.

Once you've taken in the sights, retrace your steps back to your vehicle.

None of the trail is unshaded, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat, as well as bring plenty of water.

TOPO MAP

Click for larger version.

Short hike leads to vista of saguaro forest

The Valley View Overlook Trail heads up a ridge in a dense saguaro forest.

Day hikers can head

to a vista of one of Arizona’s densest populations of saguaro cactus on the Valley

View Overlook Trail

near Tucson.

The 0.8-mile round trip trail sits in Saguaro National Park’s

western Tucson

Mountain District. It’s

flat and can easily be traversed by children.

To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 10 in Tucson, exit onto West Ina Road and head west. At North Wade Road, turn left/south. When the road veers west, it naturally becomes West Picture Rocks Road and enters the park. Next, go left/south onto North Sandario Road then left/east onto North Kinney Road and finally left/east into Hohokam Road. A small parking lot is on the left.

The trail heads northwest form the lot with a slight descent into a wash. The Bajada Wash Trail uses the usually dry streambed for its track.

Continue straight/north on a gradual ascent to a ridge via stone steps.

Several desert plants can be spotted along the trail, including brittlebush, and buckhorn cholla, Engelmann’s prickly pear, hedgehog cacti, ocotillo, and the pencil cholla, to name just a few. And, of course, there are plenty of Saguaro cacti – probably more than you’ve ever seen before. Signs along the way point out the different flora.

At the next trail junction, go left/west. Heading straight/northeast puts you on the Wild Dog Trail, which runs along the ridge’s bottom.

The Valley View ascends up the side of the ridge in a fairly straight line.

Hikers can get close to the saguaros, many of which are right at the trail’s edge. You’ll feel small next to them, as dozens reach the height of three grown men.

At the ridge’s top is a bench from where you can enjoy fantastic views – a sea of saguaro in the views of Avra Valley to the south and Picacho Peak beyond it. You’re at about 2660 feet above sea level.

The summit also is fantastic spot for watching sunsets. Unlike the taller peaks, getting back to your vehicle in the dark will be much easier as well.

As the entire trail is unshaded, be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat when hiking it.

TOPO MAP

Valley View Overlook Trail. Click for larger version.

Short trail great for seeing Saguaro NP birds

Several birds nest in saguaros in south-central Arizona.

Day hikers can see

some of Saguaro National Park’s most famous birds on the Desert Ecology Trail.

The short 0.3-mile

lollipop trail sits in the park’s eastern Rincon Mountain District just

off of popular Cactus Forest Drive. It’s a 

perfect walk for young children to experience and learn about desert ecology.

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. The park’s eight-mile road eventually becomes a one-way. A parking pullout for the trail is on the right/west. After parking, cross the road to the trailhead.

The wide, paved trail loops through the desert, following the Javelina Wash part of the way. Barrel cactus, chain fruit cactus, creosote, mesquite, palo verde, prickly pear cactus, teddy bear cholla, and of course the saguaro line the route.

Apartment building
The saguaro is a good place to focus your attention if looking for birds. The plant is like an apartment building for native wildlife, providing homes to a variety of birds, such as the Harris’s hawk, Gila woodpecker, and the tiny elf owl.

With a chocolate brown bottom and head and bright brown wings, the Harris's hawk resides throughout the saguaro forest. It can reach up to 20 inches long. Unlike most other hawk species, it lives and hunts in groups. Several non-breeding adults help feed and defend the breeding pair’s young. During a hunt, some in the group will flush prey out of brush so another may catch it in the open. The Harris’s hawk dines on lizards, rabbits, rodents, snakes and other birds.

The Gila woodpecker, with a red stripe atop its forehead, nests inside saguaros. Pecking a cavity between the cactus’ skin and inner rub, this hole serves as excellent protection from predators while also remaining cool. Abandoned holes often are taken over by kestrels, purple martins, and elf owls. The Gila woodpecker eats berries, cactus fruit, and insects.

The world’s smallest owl – the elf owl – measures a mere 5.75 inches long. Its diet likewise consists of small creatures, specifically insects and arthropods, that it hunts at night. Because of their nocturnal lives, they can be difficult to spot. Further, they’re only in the park from March to October, as they winter in Mexico.

Additional favorite pads
Watch the cholla for cactus wrens. They build their nests on the cholla, as few predators are willing to risk being stabbed by the cactus’ needles for a meal of young chicks.

Arizona’s state bird, the cactus wren likely will seek you out. It possesses a curious nature and boasts a rough, abrasive call that is difficult to miss. Stretching up to 8.5 inches long, the mottled brown bird with white stripe over its eyes and long beak, raises several broods a year. For meals, it prefers arthropods, fruit, insects and seeds.

Look for plants with the parasite desert mistletoe on it to spot phainopepla.

Phainopepla will be easy to identify. The male is a shiny black with a crest and red eyes; the female is brown but also has red eyes. The mistletoe provides shelter and its berries food for the small songbird. Phainopepla plays a key role is spreading mistletoe as the seeds are dispersed by passing through the bird’s digestive system. The bird also eats insects.

Roadrunners, the iconic bird of the American Southwest, also live along the trail. They rarely fly but are fast runners, hitting speeds of 15 mph as they use their tail as a rudder. Adults can stretch up to 23 inches in length with almost as wide of a wingspan. A predator, they eat lizards, small birds, small mammals, and snakes, but also will gobble down fruit and seeds if available.

Other common birds...
Three other species you might spot on the Desert Ecology Trail are rufous-winged sparrows, verdins, and Cooper’s hawks.

Rufous-winged sparrows usually can be spotted around mesquite and desert hackberry or areas with good grass cover. Rusty brown to gray with dark streaks and pale gray underneath, it’s small for a sparrow but has a long tail. In the United States, they live only in south-central Arizona, as most of its range is in north-central Mexico. They mainly eat caterpillars and grasshoppers during the summer than switch to mainly eating seeds in the winter.

The tiny verdin measures a mere 4.5 inches at most with a wingspan that’s just slightly longer. The male builds several spherical nests with the female selecting one to lay her eggs. Its light gray body sports a yellow face with a red spot on the wing. Verdins are only distantly related to other Western Hemisphere birds, so they are believed to have hitchhiked their way here from Europe or Asia, where they are common.

Cooper’s hawks are about the size of a crow. Adults sport tan barring on the breast and a dark cap on the head; several dark lines cross their long, rounded, long tail with a white band on the tip. Their dark red-orange eyes see differently than human eyes; browns and grays – the color of their prey – stand out while green hues are filtered out. They are incredibly strong; their large yellow talons carry the punch of 150-200 pounds per square inch; in comparison, an average healthy man has a PSI of 110. Their favorite meals are squirrels and rabbits.

...and a couple of rarities
A total of 107 bird species call Saguaro National Park home. Among them are two species found in only a few other locations across the United States – the vermilion flycatcher and the whiskered screech owl. One threatened species, the Mexican spotted owl, also calls the national park home.

Other common birds found throughout the park include Gambel’s quail, great horned owls, hummingbirds, kestrels, ravens, and turkey vultures. Mexican jays, Northern goshawks, yellow-eyed juncos, typically can be seen at the park’s higher elevations.

The best time for bird sightings is usually early morning and early evening.

There’s no shade on the short trail, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat. Leashed dogs are allowed.

TOPO MAP

Click for larger version.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.

Trails head over half-billion-year-old rocks

The largest outcropping at Javelina Rocks.

Day hikers can scramble over boulders more than a half-billion years old at Javelina Rocks in Arizona’s Saguaro National Park.

There’s no official trail

at the rock formation,

but several narrow paths circle and head into the five rock outcroppings. You easily can put on a half-mile of walking at

the sight in the park’s eastern Rincon Mountain District.

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. The park’s eight-mile road eventually becomes a one-way. A parking pullout for Javelina Rocks is between the six and seven mile markers. Expect the lot to be full on spring weekends.

The trail heads northwest from the parking lot toward the largest of the five outcroppings. Saguaros, cholla cacti, and desert wildflowers surround the rocks.

The outcroppings are Santa Catalina gneiss, formed some 541 million years ago when a tectonic plate begin to split apart. As it did, land heading in one direction slipped downward at an angle against the land moving in the other direction, This friction resulted in high temperatures and pressures that created the gneiss.

Five minerals – quartz, feldspar, mica, magnetite, and garnet – make up the gneiss. They are quite resistant to erosion, which has exposed the outcroppings by blowing and washing away the weaker soil surrounding them.

The three smaller outcroppings are perfect for kids to scramble upon and make a great spot to watch sunsets. The larger two outcroppings offer a great challenge to those who wish to test their scrambling skills, and because of that you’ll also enjoy more solitude there.

The trails between them offer great views of the Catalina Mountains to the north. During winter, they’re typically snow-capped.

If lucky, you may spot the rock’s namesake, the javelina. The pig-like creatures like to congregate at the rocks, which provide shade and shelter.

Other small animals can be found at the rocks as well. There will be plenty of small, harmless lizards, and sometimes a curve-billed thrasher can be spotted perched on the ocotillo.

Be sure to bring some lunch or a snack with you. After clambering around the rocks, drive to the nearby Javelina Picnic Area, where the outcroppings make a great backdrop to a meal.

AERIAL MAP OF SITE

Click for larger version.

Short Saguaro NP trail leads to petroglyphs

About 200 petroglyphs have been etched onto the Signal Hill Rock
at Saguaro National Park in Arizona.

Day hikers can see

more than 200 ancient petroglyphs on the

Signal Hill Trail in Saguaro National Park.

The 0.3-mile round trip

is less a hike than a

stroll into prehistory. Petroglyphs of spirals, circles and a variety of other geometric shapes were created by Native American groups that resided in the desert between 500-1100 A.D. The trail sits in the park’s Tucson Mountain District.

To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 10 in Tucson, exit west onto West Ina Road. Turn left/south onto Wade Road, which when it curves west naturally becomes West Picture Rock Road. You’ll soon enter the park’s western portion. Go left/south onto Golden Gate Road, which is a gravel road. Turn right/northwest onto Signal Hills Road, which also is gravel. The road ends in a turnaround which you can park.

Signal Hills Trail leaves from the first parking lot, heading roughly northeast. The narrow dirt path runs besides cacti and other desert fauna. Stone slabs serve as steps, as the trail ascends.

Along the way, two connector trails lead back to the parking lot and picnic area. These also can be walked to add about 0.1 miles to the hike.

Cholla, ocotillo and opuntia dominate the landscape. Saguaros also are aplenty here.

Next, the route junctions the Manville Trail from the left. Continue straight-right/north.

Signal Hill petroglyphs
You’ll gain elevation as passing palo verde trees into a collection of large boulders sticking out from the ground. Petroglyphs can be found on many of the rocks now that you’ve reached Signal Hill’s base.

The boulders are granodiorite, a rock similar to granite. The dark gray and brown stones here are a perfect background for the ancient images to stand out against.

Most of the designs are animals, geometric shapes (especially spirals), human-like figures, and plants. While identifying what the designs are is easy enough, their purpose remains a mystery. Did they serve a spiritual purpose? Were they illustrations from a story? Possibly markers for hunts and migrations? Art to be enjoyed for their beauty? Something else?

As petroglyphs, the images were etched into the rock (pictographs are painted images). Weathering has faded some of the designs, but others remain crisp and legible, as if made yesterday.

Don’t leave the path, however, to get a closer look at them. Staying on the path not only preserves the petroglyphs but may help preserve you too, as rattlesnakes sometimes like to curl in the crevices between the boulders to remain cool.

Hohokam culture
An ancient farming people called the Hohokam made the petroglyphs. The Hohokam lived in the river valleys of southern Arizona, northern Sonora, and western New Mexico. They constructed sophisticated irrigation systems that allowed them to occupy many of their villages for up to 1500 years.

The trail heads to then up the backside of Signal Hill. The Cactus Wren Trail junctions the route from the right, heading north.

Signal Hill rises about 50 feet above the plain, offering great views of the surrounding Avra Valley. On a clear day, you can see up to 20 miles.

After taking in the sites, retrace your steps back to the parking lot. There, you can enjoy a picnic at any one of several shaded tables, called ramadas.

There’s no shade on the trail, though, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat. Also, be forewarned that some maps label the walk to the petroglyphs as the Cactus Wren Trail.

TRAIL MAP

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