The 0.8-mile loop runs through the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, just south of and on the way to Saguaro National Park’s Tucson Mountain (West) district. Less a hiking trail than a walk through a gardens and small zoo, the trail is fairly flat with a slight elevation gain.
To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 10 in Tucson, exit south onto Interstate 19. Then exit onto Ariz. Hwy. 86 heading west. Turn right/north onto S. Kinney Road. The museum is on the left/west before entering Saguaro National Park.
From the parking lot, enter the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum to purchase your tickets. You’ll then need to exit the museum to its back side. Take the stem trail southwest. Go right/west at the first junction. This takes you to the first of several exhibit areas that usually can be reached via short spurs.
Ancient Arizona
The exhibits begin with the Ancient Arizona section. Of course, the area making up what is now the Sonora wasn’t always a desert. One of its ancient denizens was the sonorasaurus, a 27-foot high dino that could weigh up to 110,000 lbs. It lived in this area some 105.3 to 93.5 million years ago.
Next is an exhibit about the mountain woodland. The pine-oak woodland habitat features a mountain lion, Mexican gray wolves, a black bear, and mule deer.
After that, the trail passes a desert grassland on the left/east. There you can stroll through soap tree yuccas and a variety of desert grasses interspersed with desert shrubs and succulents. Wildlife includes prairie dogs and great blue heron.
The trail then comes to the 0.5-mile Desert Loop Trail. This can be added if you’re looking for a little longer hike.
Should you take it, you’ll head downhill then up again, passing naturalistic enclosures that house javelinas, coyotes and lizards. Along the trail, take note of the various legume trees native to the region and admire the beauty of the agave plant. Keep an eye out for the incredible blue palo verde and the majestic saguaro cactus.
Cat Canyon
Back on the main trail, after the Desert Loop Trail junction, is a spur to Cat Canyon on the right/southeast. There you can view bobcats, an ocelot, and oddly (as it’s not a cat) a gray fox. The Raptor Free Flight section is behind it to the south, so don’t be surprised if you see a raptor flying swiftly and close to the ground near you.
Next is the Labyrinth Garden on the left/east. The best time to visit the garden in spring and early summer when the desert wildflowers are in bloom, making for a colorful section of the hike.
Lastly is the Riparian Corridor on the right/west. There you can see a number of animals rarely associated with the desert – beavers, fish, river otters, and various aquatic invertebrates. Bighorn sheep are also in this exhibit.
Arriving back at the trail, go right/northeast back to museum.
A non-profit organization, the museum covers 98 acres. It is part botanical garden, part zoo, and part natural history museum.
The entire trail is unshaded, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat before walking it.
TOPO MAP
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