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| The view of Tucson at night from Wasson Peak. |
Wasson Peak is the highest point in the
park’s Tucson Mountain (West) section while
Mica Mountain is the highest point in both the Rincon Mountain (East) section and the park. While Wasson Peak is
an solid day hike, you may want to take on Mica Mountain as an overnight backpacking trip.
Wasson Peak
Day hikers can summit the highest peak in the park’s Tucson Mountain (West) 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.
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.
Wasson Peak tops out at 4639 feet. From it, you can see Tucson to the east with the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountain 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. On a clear day, you can see about 80 miles.
Mica Mountain
The highest point in the eastern Rincon Mountain section is Mica Mountain, which tops out at 8,666 feet. Getting to Mica Mountain, however, is a backpacking trip.
There are three main routes to the peak; most hikers agree the easiest one is from the southwest via the Turkey Creek Trail. It runs 16-miles round trip.
To reach the trailhead, take Interstate 10 east of Tucson. Exit north onto Mescal Road (Exit 297). You’ll drive into the Coronado National Forest. In Miller Canyon, go right/northeast onto E. Happy Valley Road (F.R. 35). Then turn left/north onto F.R. 4408, which takes you to the trailhead. You’ll need a 4WD vehicle to negotiate this last forest road.
Expect the journey to take about 5 to 7 hours one-way, which means you should be prepared to spend anywhere from 10 to 11 hours out in the wilderness, round trip. While you’ll want to dress comfortably, don’t forget to consider the temperature changes that come with elevation gain. Higher up, it can be noticeably cooler, especially in spring and fall, so make sure you’re prepared with layers.
Remember to bring plenty of water, snacks and maybe even a meal for the journey.
A good spot to stay in backpacking is Manning Camp. Its campsites feature fire rings with a pit toilet nearby.
