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| A desert tortoise finds juicy fruit on the Douglas Spring Trail. |
A good adventure on the trail is a 4.6-mile round trip hike to Three Tanks Trail in the park’s Rincon Mountains (East) section. You can go up to 16.6 miles one-way on the Douglas Springs Trail, however, for a backcountry hike. The trail is best done in October through April; it can be hiked in other months but will be hot much of the way, and in the desert heat, few animals beyond lizards will be out and about.
To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 10 in Tucson take East Speedway Boulevard east. Outside of town, the road dead ends at the trailhead. As the trail is easy to access, the parking lot fills up fast, so you may need to park on the road’s wide shoulder as it approaches the trailhead. Though there’s no fee station, be sure to have your park pass, as rangers regularly patrol the area.
A picnic ramada sits near the trailhead. You’re at an elevation of 2,750 feet.
The trail heads east through mesquite trees that sport some large saguaro. Scotts Knob rises to north, topping out at 2923 feet.
Perfect environment for wildlife
The path junctions the Garwood Trail at 0.3 miles. Continue straight-left/east. In spring or after a rainfall, this area is a good spot for wildflowers with desert senna dominating.
Next the trail crosses fairly open desert then a sandy wash. While wildlife can be found throughout the national park, the Douglas Spring Trail has the advantage of several seasonal streams crossing it. The waterways along with the residual pools they leave behind, attract a variety of animals, making it ideal for spotting wildlife.
A changing landscape helps as well. The trial features slopes, ravines and flat stretches all as gaining elevation. This creates a number of niche environments for different animals.
The Converse Trail junctions from the right at 0.5 miles; continue straight-left/east. The Converse briefly runs with the Douglas Spring Trail that splits to the left/north.
Next the trail gains elevation; wood and stone steps help make traversing it easy. An overlook of a rocky canyon with an intermittent stream and leftover pools in it marks a good spot to spy wildlife.
Roadrunners and coyotes
Look for quail, roadrunner, jackrabbits, coyotes, mule deer and javelina at lower elevations.
The best time to spot the Gambel’s quail is early morning or late afternoon when the temperature is cool. The quail is easy to identify thanks to its black, comma-shaped topknot rising out of its forehead. The desert bird can grow up to 10 inches long and dines on seeds, insects and fruit of available.
Roadrunners, the iconic bird of the American Southwest, can be seen as well. 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.
About 40 medium and large mammals can be found in the park, with more of them in the Rincon Mountain (East) district than the Tucson Mountain (West) area.
Black-tailed jackrabbits are fairly common in both sections of the national park. Larger in size than a typical rabbit, they sport black-tipped ears and tail. They prefer open areas, and when a predator approaches can dash away at 35 mph. The antelope jackrabbit, which is larger than the black-tailed, is rare in the park, but sometimes is spotted in sandy washes.
Coyotes also are common here. They eat a variety of small mammals and can reach speeds of up to 40 mph when chasing jackrabbits. During summer when hunting is more difficult, coyotes will eat saguaro and prickly pear cactus fruit. Even if you never see a coyote, you probably will hear their yelps in the distance and notice their pawprints in the sand.
Javelina and scorpions
Mule deer sport large ears and usually can be seen in the park’s open areas. They generally stick to elevations below 4,500 feet, where they browse woody plants and shrubs, though after seasonal rains they enjoy broad-leaved weeds. Their numbers appear to be declining in the park, largely because of limited habitat range due to urban sprawl and thickening park vegetation, leaving less open space, which they prefer to better spot and run from predators.
Though looking like pigs, javelina – or peccaries – aren’t. Traveling in herds as large as 20 and led by an experienced, older female, they can weigh up to 65 pounds and be 40 inches long. They’re quite common in the park and can be found digging for roots, tubers or foraging for agave, cactus fruit, seeds, mesquite beans, prickly pear pads, and occasionally even carrion.
Several species of scorpions live in the park. Their lineage goes back some 425 million years. Some secrete a wax to protect themselves from the harsh sun and have chemicals beneath their exoskeleton that glow under ultraviolet light.
From the overlook, the trail ascends to a somewhat flat basin then upon reaching a small saddle junctions with the Carrillo Trail at 1.1 miles. You’re at 3120 feet elevation. In 2019, Africanized bees built a hive near the trail here; they are dangerous, so if you see any signs warning that the bees have returned, heed it and turn back.
If there are no bees, continue onward. Ocotillo becomes more dominant and the number of saguaro fewer.
Reptiles
There’s no shortage of reptiles on the trail (or elsewhere in the park for that matter). Saguaro National Park boasts 36 species of reptiles, most notably coral snakes, desert tortoises, diamondback rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, short-horned lizards, spiny lizards, and zebra-tailed lizards.
Should you spot a snake or a Gila monster, be cautious. Avoid them by watching where you step and not putting your hands or feet under rocks or in dark crevices. If you spot one, slowly back off. Snakes and Gila monsters are just as afraid of you as you are of them, so once you give them space, they’ll likely scamper off. If they don’t, turn back, as passing around them isn’t a good option.
Other wildlife you may spot along the way are bobcats, cougars, desert cottontails, elf owl (the world’s smallest owl and raptor), gray foxes, ground squirrels, Harris’s hawk, the endangered lesser long-nosed bat (which lives part of the year in Mexico), ring-tailed cats, white-nosed coatis, and white-tailed deer.
Next the trail descends into a wash. Seep monkeyflowers and Arizona centaury line the moist canyon walls.
Climbing out of the canyon, the trail crosses the top of a V-shaped valley, offering great views of Tucson’s suburbs in the west.
Urban sprawl
Unfortunately, urban sprawl has harmed the wildlife population here. Not only is the habitat range limited, but sprawl’s various pollutions – air, light, noise and water – all stress animals. Visitors in the park, whether they be from Tucson or from a distance, also affect the wildlife. Traffic alone kills about 50,000 animals a year on the park’s roads.
From the overlook, the trail climbs to slickrock that surrounds a stream. There are more pools and wildflowers here, making it another good area to spot wildlife. Palo verde, sotol and ocotillo cover the hillsides.
At 2.3 miles, the path reaches the Three Tanks Trail. You’re at 3695 feet; here there are very few tall saguaro with mostly creosote, mesquite and scrub oak dominating. The trail junction marks a great spot to turn back.
As the trail climbs to higher elevations and reaches Tanque Verde Ridge, the vegetation increases and the temperature cools, offering habitat for larger wildlife. Mountain lions, brown bear – as well as the lower elevation’s bobcats and white-tailed deer – can be found there.
As there’s no shade on the trail, be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat as well as bring water. In addition, due to easy access from populated areas, vehicle break-ins have been reported at this trailhead. Never leave valuables in your vehicle, and consider having someone drop off and pick you up following a hike.
TOPO MAP
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| Douglas Spring Trail topo map. Click for larger version. |
