5 Tucson Hikes That Will Challenge Your Toughness
Tucson, Arizona, is an excellent place to get outdoors. No matter which direction you look, there are mountains just beyond the city. To the east and west is Saguaro (pronounced suh-waa-row) National Park, while to the north and south is Coronado National Forest.
We spent the month of December there, fleeing cold weather and avoiding the pandemic by spending our free time on the trails. To us, the city is a hiker’s paradise. We love pushing our bodies to their limits, all in the name of a great view. So, we searched in all directions, sometimes past the dominant mountains in the skyline, to find the most challenging day hikes in the area.
Below are 5 treks that left us breathless in more ways than one that we highly recommend. We’ve organized this list with what we thought was the most challenging and ended with the one that we found was the most accessible. Be sure to check out other reviews and tips on the AllTrails app.
Wrightson via Old Baldy Trail
Located in Coronado National Forest in the Santa Rita Mountains, this trek is a constant steady climb through various terrain. Mt. Wrightson is a prominent peak with a height of 9543 feet and has more than one trail leading to the summit. The Old Baldy Trail is a total of 9 miles and has an elevation gain of 4050 feet.
Taking the Old Baldy trail up Mt. Wrightson was the most elevation gain we’ve ever had on a hike and the highest peak we’ve ever been to. The journey left us feeling extremely accomplished and ready to take on (almost) any mountain.
We started off in the desert, but the sand below our feet quickly became dirt, and the cacti that surrounded us were replaced with trees. It was the first time we had seen real trees for a long time, so we were very excited! As we switchbacked up the beautiful mountains, the wind started whipping, and we added more and more layers. By the time we reached the top, there was even a nice layer of snow. We were amazed that we were still in Arizona!
On our way back down the mountain, we took more time to take in the gorgeous rocky peaks and breathe the fresh mountain air. But once we hit the last two miles, the trail got busier and seemed to last forever. We were absolutely wiped out by the time we got back to the car.
Our advice for this trail is mostly the basics- start early, pack plenty of water and snacks, and bring layers. You may also want to grab your crampons for the snow at the top. It got pretty icy in some spots.
Picacho Peak via Hunter’s Trail
Nearly halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, Picacho Peak stands unmissable just west of the highway. Hunter’s Trail is an exciting challenge that is sometimes more mental than physical. It is a short hike, only 3.2 miles total, but it packs a big punch with its climbing cables.
We had so much fun on this trail that we did it twice! Right from the start, the path led us steeply up the front of the mountain to a saddle between two peaks. We worked up a sweat in this section, quickly needing to shed layers. Once at the saddle, the trail steeply descended on the rocky backside of the mountain. At this point, we slipped on our gloves because it is here that the cables are first useful and necessary.
At the bottom of the descent, the fun really began. We took in the cacti and views of the snaking washes below us and geared up for some pretty steep climbs. Erica is always nervous when climbing, but she uses 3 points of contact (well, sometimes more- knees, shins, butt, etc. count, too, right?) and does just fine. Some parts are a bit scary (in a fun way). There were only 3 sketchy cable sections before a short hike to the peak. We had a snack at the top and enjoyed a great view of the endless desert and, oddly, an Ostrich Ranch…
We always find the way back down to be less scary, even the technical sections, though we know not everyone agrees. However, anyone who completes this hike can agree that the climb back to the saddle is the hardest part. Once we made it to the saddle, it was smooth sailing down the mountain.
Our tips for this one are to wear some good hiking shoes, pack gloves with some grip, and go early to beat any bottlenecking at the cable sections. Another thing to note is the gas station/tourist trap on the other side of the highway has free parking. So if you are going as a group, you can all hop in one car and avoid paying two entrance fees.
Blackett’s Ridge Trail
North of Tucson in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area of Coronado National Park is Blackett’s Ridge Trail. To get there from the parking lot, follow signs for the Phoneline Trail. After about 1.3 miles, there is a fork in the path, and Blackett’s Ridge Trail will verge off to the right. It is only 1.5 miles to the end, but it is very vertical. For a total of about 6 miles, this trail is a great workout.
We did this hike on a warm Sunday and encountered many people on the easier trails on the way to Blacket’s Ridge. When we eventually got there, we followed the steep switchbacks up mountains. We were disappointed every time we realized we had hit a false peak.
Our legs and lungs were tired by the time we made it to the official summit, but as always, it was worth it. We were happy to take a seat and enjoy the canyon’s beautiful views to our left and Tucson on our right. On the hike back down, we were able to appreciate the accomplishment and the beautiful desert.
For this trail, we highly recommend going in the morning, even in the winter. It is a lung buster and not something to be done in the heat of the Arizona sun.
Hugh Norris, Sendero Esperanza, Dobbie Wash Loop
This 6.4-mile loop is located in the west section of Saguaro National Park, only 30 minutes from Tucson. Park at the Hugh Norris trailhead, and after 2.7 miles, follow signs for the Sendero Esperanza Trail. After another 0.9 miles, you will turn onto the Dobbie Wash, and finally, follow the road back to the parking area.
Saguaro was our 7th national park of 2020! It was also probably the emptiest park we’d been to. This trail was our first introduction to the Sonoran desert, and it did not disappoint. While it is less steep than the other hikes on this list, we were still challenged going up the mountain. The views along the way are great, and Andrew fell in love with barrel cacti. We had lunch at Hugh Norris and Sendero Esperanza’s intersection, hoping that rattlesnakes wouldn’t join us.
After descending, the trail became difficult again as we walked in the sandy wash for over a mile. We entertained ourselves by giving the Saguaro’s various personalities. We searched for road runners on the road back to the car but were delighted to spot some quail.
As with anywhere in the desert, be sure to hike with tweezers. If you’re with anyone like Andrew, they are bound to touch something with spines. An option to make this trail longer and more difficult is to continue all the way to Wasson peak, rather than turning at Sendero Esperanza. Lastly, get an early start as there isn’t a lot of space for parking. We saw someone get stuck on this road because a parked car was blocking the way, don’t be that person.
Bugs Spring Trail
Bugs Spring is a multi-use trail in Coronado National Forest on Mt. Lemmon, northeast of Tucson. Point to point, this trail is 4.7 miles or 9.5 out and back.
On Christmas Day, Erica and her sister, Heather, hiked up the trail, while Andrew mountain biked down. Andrew dropped the girls off at the bottom entrance of the path and drove to Bear Canyon to start his descent. This trail is totally doable for hikers as an out and back, but luckily we could do it as a point to point, making it less challenging. This trail can be part of a longer route for mountain bikers called Lemmon Drop, which Andrew did on another day. This was by far his favorite section, and he wanted to do it again.
After starting from the lower trailhead, the path led us up switchbacks into the mountains and away from the roads. As the elevation changed, the landscape changed as well. A steady climb led us to the middle of the trail, where we ended up passing Andrew. For a bit, the path becomes flat and winds through funky hoodoos with beautiful views all around.
The trail then descended for a bit to enter a pine forest, where the smells of the woods brought us back to summer camp. Amongst the trees, we followed a stream bed and marveled at some beautiful birds. We passed a few lone hikers and their dogs before encountering a short bit of steep incline. We anticipated more hills when we came to a descending staircase that led to the parking lot (Andrew’s least favorite part coming the opposite way). We were impressed to see that Andrew had beat us back to the car after biking back up the mountain. The best part was that he had the bubbly ready to go!
If you are hiking this, be aware that it is very popular with mountain bikers. Be alert, and move off the trail when you hear them coming.