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 Wild Arizona |
1500 Highway 286 38 miles south of Three Points on Highway 286 Tucson, AZ 85601 United States +1 520 823 4251 x116 |
This grassy valley, just north of the Mexican border around Bobaquivari Peak (sacred mountain of the Tohono O'odham people), is home to a multitude of deer, antelope, javelina and many species of birds. Workshops on nature photography are offered at the visitors' center, as are guided tours. It's also a great place for mountain biking. There are some services available at the town of Arivaca, but be advised to bring your own picnic lunch. To get there, take Highway 86 from Tucson to Three Points, then AZ Highway 286 south for 38 miles to the turnoff, marked with the refuge sign. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: sternotherus124 |
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Retreat to Coronado National Forest |
37 South COD Ranch Road Tucson, AZ 85623 United States +1 520 615 3211 / +1 800 868 5617 http://www.codranch.com |
Located in the northern foothills of the Catalinas, just off the Mount Lemmon exit in the mining town of Oracle, this historic ranch offers retreats and facilities for reunions, corporate events and weddings in a beautiful nature setting. Here is a good place to experience the grandeur of Coronado National Forest hiking or riding on horseback. Stay in a casita (old-style cabin) or book the ranch for a private party. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Canyons and cliffs |
11570 Oracle Road Tucson, AZ 85740 United States +1 520 628 5798 |
Located about 12 miles north of the city on Arizona Highway 77 (Oracle Road), this park affords the best views of the canyons and domes of the Catalina Mountains. A multitude of birds, snakes and lizards inhabit the lower regions, while deer and bighorn sheep roam the high country. The park offers an interpretive trail of an ancient Hohokam village. Picnicking and camping are available. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Angela Wagner |
 Photo: Paige Laase |
 Photo: Jennifer Lorca Root |
 Photo: Laura Song |
 Photo: garibaldicu |
 Photo: Paul Steele |
 Photo: The Artist Formerly |
 Photo: Anne Canright |
 Photo: David Mintz |
 Photo: Mikhail Siskoff |
 Photo: Matt Townsend |
 Photo: Richard Oed |
 Photo: davidb8701 |
 Photo: hullraisere |
 Photo: Raquel Hirai |
 Photo: Mel Cortez, Iowa |
 Photo: emily churchill |
 Photo: Jay Shuga |
 Photo: AZ Bird-brain |
 Photo: Dora Snyder |
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Spectacular vistas |
7180 North Alvernon Way (trailhead) Tucson, AZ 85718 United States +1 520 299 1771 |
This is a pretty fair climb, but it's worth all the sweating and panting it requires: the vistas from different vantage points are simply stunning. Once you're past the trailhead on Alvernon Way, you'll encounter a fork giving you the choice between the Finger Rock and the Pontatoc Trail. The Finger Rock Trail climbs about 4,000 feet in elevation, stretched over approximately five miles. The hike takes you along the saguaros, prickly pears and ocotillos of the Sonoran Desert vegetation zone up to the jagged, pine-covered peaks of the Catalina Mountains Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Charles Miles |
 Photo: Laurie C. Switzer |
 Photo: Andrew Harris |
 Photo: Jason Meffe |
 Photo: Laird Close |
 Photo: Vimala |
 Photo: Robert C. Hutchinson  |
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Fun for the whole family |
221 East Wetmore Road Tucson, AZ 85705 United States +1 520 888 5739 |
This is definitely the place to go when the kids get hot and cranky after several hours of sightseeing. The main attraction for the teens and pre-teens is the go-kart ride, while the kiddies are more likely to enjoy the bumper boats. There are two mini golf courses, batting cages, and a huge arcade to keep a family busy and happy for hours. There is no admission fee; charges are for individual rides. Group discounts are available. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
 Bus tours, Tucson and beyond |
3520 North Melpomene Tucson, AZ 85749 United States +1 520 749 5388 |
This tour operator sells city tours to all the attractions Tucson has to offer, as well as bus/van trips to the old mining/new artisan town of Bisbee and the Mexican border town of Nogales, a popular tourist shopping destination. Three-day excursions to the Grand Canyon are available, admissions always included. Free souvenirs are distributed at the end of tours. Inquire about group rates. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Bruce Anderson |
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Family Water Fun |
3551 San Joaquin Road Tucson, AZ 85735 United States +1 520 883 8340 |
A Disney-type theme park around water... bring the kids, let them fly down those water slides till they get real tired (they won't have any trouble falling asleep that night) while you relax at the picnic table. And don't forget to bring plenty of suntan lotion; there's no shelter from the blazing Arizona sun once you get into the water. Go to the spacious ramada for shade and food services. Admission: $8.95. Inquire about group rates on weekends. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Birds, bears and bobcats |
Exit 63 off Interstate 10 End of 16-mile paved road Tucson, AZ 85747 United States |
This riparian area in the Santa Rita Mountains 38 miles south of Tucson is a bird watcher's paradise. More than 200 species of birds have been spotted here, sharing their habitat with such unusual animals as javelinas, coatamundis and mountain lions. An 11-mile round trip hike takes you from sparse desert vegetation at the bottom of the canyon to green pinion and juniper forests near the top of Mt. Wrightson. Bring plenty of food and water, as there are no services along the trail. The lower portion of the canyon offers a popular picnic spot for Mexican-Americans and large families. Take the Continental (63) exit from I-19, then follow the signs. Access is free. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Holly H |
 Photo: Jordan |
 Photo: ccantor |
 Photo: Michael Frans |
 Photo: Bill Brymer |
 Photo: jworley |
 Photo: Mick Jeffries |
 Photo: Kristina |
 Photo: Dell Thornhill |
 Photo: Andrew Goss |
 Photo: R. S. Walker |
 Photo: Greta Polo |
 Photo: Tom Merigan |
 Photo: forsmanchloe |
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A desert canyon gem |
End of Magee Road Tucson, AZ 85737 United States |
Pima Canyon rivals Sabino Canyon in grandeur, and it just never gets as crowded. From the parking lot at the end of Magee Road, the trail takes you into a pristine high-desert canyon that seems to be hundreds of miles from any urban area. You're likely to see most of the birds common to the Sonoran Desert such as cardinals, rock wrens and band verdins, but the real treat for any hiker is to watch the silhouette of a golden eagle soaring above the cliffs; if you're really lucky, you might even spot some Bighorn Sheep high on the rocks above you. You can turn around anytime, or decide to continue the strenuous hike all the way up to Mt. Lemmon. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Gary Tenen |
 Photo: Maggieness |
 Photo: Andrew Young |
 Photo: Christopher Moran © |
 Photo: David Boswell |
 Photo: John Togasaki |
 Photo: Laura Hulse |
 Photo: Larry Sloma |
 Photo: Kathrine Bamfield |
 Photo: Candace Glass |
 Photo: Carsten Horz |
 Photo: Gary Freiburger |
 Photo: Angela Hoover Dorton |
 Photo: Dana Underwood |
 Photo: beloron |
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Hiking with goats |
11505 East Camino del Desierto Tucson, AZ 85747 United States +1 520 886 7721 http://members.aol.com/azpackgoat |
Go hiking with goats carrying your bags. Owner/guide Tom DiMaggio keeps a herd of pack goats to accompany hikers on trips into the mountains of Southern Arizona. The goats are all gentle wethers lacking the typical musty goat smell. A former chef, Tom also cooks the delicious lunches served on his tours. Day hikes are customized according to group size and physical abilities. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Marian E. Haggard |
 A family outing |
100 Country Club Road 22nd Street and Country Club Tucson, AZ 85716 United States |
Reid Park is definitely the best place in town for a family picnic. There are lots of places to roast your weenies, spread the blankets and open those jars of potato salad to the sound of the zoo animals nearby. Playgrounds with more and improved play equipment, party ramadas and public artworks are all around you. With good timing, you may even catch one of the popular DeMeester Outdoor Concerts. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Linda Doughty |
 Photo: Holly B. Brown |
 Photo: Megan Morris |
 Photo: Kenn Critton |
 Photo: John |
 Photo: Mikey Lutmerding |
 Photo: Holly Brown |
 Photo: Sharlene Shappart |
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A park in the desert |
2700 North Kinney Road (Westside) Heidi Schewel 3693 South Old Spanish Trail (Eastside) Tucson, AZ 85743 United States +1 520 749 7720 http://www.saguaro.national-pa... |
Designated in 1994 and covers Tucson from two sides, Saguaro National Park gives protection to native and animals and plants, most prominently the stately Saguaro cactus is a well-known icon of the Arizonan and Mexican deserts. Both locations have loop roads for driving and cycling, visitor's centers, bookstores, hiking trails, picnic areas and exhibit centers. The Westside park also has a remarkable ancient petroglyph site. Rangers offer special interpretative hikes on request. There is no admission fee for the Westside; however, the Eastside park charges for per car. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Marc Shandro |
 Photo: Matt Peeples |
 Photo: JMG |
 Photo: jrrosenberg |
 Photo: Derek DeVries |
 Photo: Lee Harkness |
 Photo: Kenny Stuck |
 Photo: Theo Albers |
 Photo: Leone |
 Photo: Lyle Ford |
 Photo: Philip J. Monahan |
 Photo: spauldi1 |
 Photo: Hsien-wei Wayne Peng |
 Photo: Roxane Velozo |
 Photo: Jonathan Reinink |
 Photo: Russell Schuetz |
 Photo: Adam Delezenne |
 Photo: Candace B. Paulman |
 Photo: Gary Sanders |
 Photo: W.W. Dyall |
 Photo: phil Prehn |
 Photo: Teryn Gull |
 Photo: Curt Blanchard |
 Photo: P. Bovin - NPS |
 Photo: Kingston_Ron |
 Photo: catherine paganucci |
 Photo: Kelly Anderson |
 Photo: Pascale Saravelli |
 Photo: Wilson Hardcastle |
 Photo: alisser |
 Photo: Arlen E. Breiholz |
 Photo: Jonathan Gittins |
 Photo: 34ever |
 Photo: Scott |
 Photo: Yuko Watanabe |
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Miles of hiking trails |
Mount Lemmon Highway (Coronado National Forest) Tucson, AZ 85619 United States |
Enjoy cool air and mountain scenery at this ragged mountain range north of the city. Crowned by 9,157-foot Mount Lemmon, the range dominates the Tucson basin and offers 150 miles of hiking trails of varying difficulty. The drive up passes cliffs and canyons, lined with saguaro cactus, through pinions and junipers, to cool pine forests and lakes near the top. Some campgrounds charge a fee for overnight stays. Take Tanque Verde Road east to Catalina Highway (Mount Lemmon Highway). Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Adam Fritzler |
 Photo: D. Bryan Johnson |
 Photo: Tim Stahmer |
 Photo: Michael Stone |
 Photo: Michael Estes |
 Photo: jeremy.rmiller |
 Photo: vickigupta |
 Photo: Matt Ried |
 Photo: Eleys |
 Photo: William Bauer |
 Photo: John Gardner |
 Photo: FrozenChris |
 Photo: Brianne Ince |
 Photo: Andy12-74 |
 Photo: Micah Caudle |
 Photo: Paul Westcott |
 Photo: Jennifer Cora |
 Photo: Juliet Bresler |
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Guided tours with cowboys |
1220 South Alvernon Way 22nd Street and Alvernon Tucson, AZ 85711 United States +1 520 579 9330 |
The tour guides here dress up as cowboys, carrying guns and other indispensable western paraphernalia, to make your trip as authentic as possible. Travel to wild places on rough roads in an open jeep, while the guides explain, to the best of their knowledge, the geology and archaeology of the country. Destinations are Reddington Pass and Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains, plus Windy Point during the summer months for a first-hand experience of the monsoons that lash the area in July and August. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Daina Dajevskis |
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Cookouts and cattle drives |
8500 East Ocotillo Drive Sabino Canyon Road & Sunrise Drive Tucson, AZ 85730 United States +1 520 631 3787 http://www.spanishtrailoutfitt... |
Looking for an outdoors adventure? Check out this business. The company offers off-road rides and hikes into scenic Sabino Canyon and Bear Canyon as well as other outdoor events such as horseback rides, target shooting and cookouts at Redington Pass, between the Catalina and Rincon mountain ranges. The staff also organizes cattle drives near Colossal Cave, in the Rincon Mountains. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: eizabeth eves |
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Equipment for the great outdoors |
5045 East Speedway Boulevard (Rosemont and Speedway) Tucson, AZ 85718 United States +1 520 325 1554 |
This is the store you might want to check out before embarking on your great outdoors adventure into the mountains and deserts of Southern Arizona. The shop carries practically everything you will need for your hike or climb. It's a bit more expensive than local chain stores, but the shop does have regular sales on clothes, camping gear, tents, climbing equipment, Sahuaro walking sticks, boots, books and maps. The knowledgeable staff is the real attraction here, making the prices a bit less painful. Most of the equipment is also available for rent. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Erin Willett |
 Photo: Erin Willett |
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A day in the Tortolitas |
9040 North Oracle Road Tucson, AZ 85737 United States +1 520 742 1943 http://www.sunshinejeeptours.com |
This company takes visitors on open jeep tours into the Tortolita Mountains, northwest of Tucson to see the wildlife and archaeology of that rugged terrain. You'll be riding in a 4-wheel drive jeep on bumpy gravel roads, but that's the only way to get there. The guides will take desert critters like snakes and tarantulas on the trip for you to view and touch. Trips usually feature a barbecue at the end of the day. Such a deal! Review © 2007, Wcities |