Pima Prickly Park Trail

The Desperado Loop in the Sweetwater Preserve is a great introductory mountain biking loop that is perfect for beginners, yet the Loop can also be tied into the larger Sweetwater Trail System for more advanced riders. Beginning from the parking lot, the Desperado Trail loop quickly rises to a ridge system that looks out over the alluvial plain on which the city of Tucson is built, and then lea...

Tumamoc Hill is urban adventuring at it's finest. Park on Anklam Road, directly across from St Mary's Hospital, and follow the other hikers and runners to the trailhead.Tumamoc Hill is a one-lane paved road, trafficked infrequently by University of Arizona employees who work on the Hill's ecology research center. A sign at the base asks that the public stay off the road from 9:00am to 5:00pm du...

The Tucson Mountains are home to Saguaro National Park and the Tucson Mountain Park, the latter of which is a massive 20,000 acre park that is home to huge forests of giant saguaro cacti, a wide diversity of desert wildlife, and several long-abandoned farms and ranches like the Bowen Homestead, colloquially known as the Bowen Stone House. The Bowen Stone House is most easily accessed via the Bo...

Get on E Speedway Blvd, and follow it West until it turns into W Gates Pass rd. Follow this for 3 miles and the parking lot will be at the top of the pass. There are a few viewing platforms that offer shade from the desert heat. There are numerous trails that you can follow to get whatever view you choose. It is especially stunning during sunset. You escape the heat of the day, and get to witne...

In 1910 a group of University of Arizona students took local basalt rock and constructed a 160' block "A" on the east face of Sentinel Peak overlooking Tucson, giving the prominent peak its most commonly known name. Now the area is part of the 272 acre Sentinel Peak Park, and features a great network of hiking and running trails, and massive saguaro cacti. Because of its ease of access (you can...

I really enjoyed this hike. I recommend hiking the trail as a loop hike from the Kinney Road parking area. Also, the best time to hike is just before sunset. The hike is just over 4 miles total out and back with only about 500 feet of elevation gain. It has a climb at the beginning then rolls along a ridge with beautiful views of the Tucson Mountains.  Be prepared for the trail conditions. The ...