Trip #5J. Catalina State Park (Tuscon), AZ (6 - 13 Apr 2018)

Pretty cool rest stop as we entered Arizona

Arizona state parks were vote the best, if Catiline is any indicator, it's pretty clear why. Everything is just first rate. This was my first visit to the Tuscon area. The park is located a little north of the city with shopping, grocery stores, restaurants, and other shopping in close proximity. This would be a truly desert experiences.

Catalina State Park

A vast array of desert plants, wildlife and archeological sites are located in the foothills and canyons of this 5,500-acre, high desert park north of Tucson. The environmment at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains offers great camping, picnicking and bird watching -- more than 150 species of birds call the park home. An equestrian center provides a staging area for trail riders and plenty of trailer parking is also available. Miles of equestrian, birding and hiking trails wind through the park and the adjoining Coronado National Forest, as well as an interpretive trail to a prehistoric Hohokam village.

A view from the campsite

Hiking and Mountain Biking Trails

Bridle Trail (2.25 mile out and back) - first hike after arriving on the 6th
A flat, easy trail connects the Equestrian Center with the trailhead parking area. Most of the trails in the park allowed dogs and Mtn bikes. Trail access from our campsite. We hiked from our campsite to the end of the park where the main trailhead locations.

 

Nature Trail (1.2 mile, loop) - Easy loop begins at the Trailhead parking lot, climbs a hill, then meanders through low foothills with typical desert scrub vegetation. Trailside signs feature local plants and animals, in addition to climate and geology information.

 
 


50-Year Trail (8.6 miles, one-way) - A moderate trail that is especially popular with equestrians and mountain bikers. Trail begins at the park’s Equestrian Center and follows a ridgetop 2.6 miles. A 2.2-mile Trail Link connects the 50-Year Trail with the Sutherland Trail. Or after leaving the park, trail continues for 6 miles through open desert. Terrain is up-and-down through the foothills with a few-hundred feet of elevation gain. I road a little over 7 miles. 

maybe my map

Canyon Loop Trail (2.3 miles, loop) - Easy hike through the foothills that begins and ends at the Trailhead parking lot. The loop is created by a link connecting the Romero Canyon Trail and the Sutherland Trail. The trail is relatively flat, about halfway around there is a slope with approximately 90 stairs. There is a bypass trail around the steps for horses. Plan on 90 minutes of walking time to complete the loop. The Canyon Loop Trail crosses a wash several times.

 
  

Romero Ruins Interp. Trail (0.75 mile, loop) — no bikes, no horses Easy loop which begins south of the main road across from the second pull-out. The trail crosses a seasonal wash (feet may get wet) before climbing about 80 steps to the hilltop. The Romero Ruins archaeological site includes the surface features of the remains from a Hohokam village dating back to about 500 A.D. Trailside signs address the archaeology of the site, the Hohokam culture, and the Romero homestead. Plan on 30 minutes of walking time. For the protection of cultural resources no collecting is allowed.

Birding Trail (1.0 mile, loop) - Easy loop begins at the Trailhead parking lot. The trail crosses a wash (seasonal stream flow may result in wet feet) then loops up and down the foothills. Desert scrub, mesquite bosque, and riparian vegetation are seen with trailside signs highlighting the relationships between certain bird species and their preferred habitat.

Mount Lemmon

Mount Lemmon, with a summit elevation of 9,159 feet, is the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains. It is located in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson. We decided to drive the 40 miles from Catalina SP to avoid the afternoon heat as Tuscon was seeing record breaking temps. This would give us a much needed alpine hike. Typically, the temperature can be 30 degree cooler than the desert floor.

We drove up the steep road as many road bikers were climbing the 6,000+ feet to get the top. We decided to take our hikes from Marshall Gulch parking area. For our hike, we created a loop by going out on the Aspen Trail and then taking Marshall Gulch Trail back to the trailhead for a 4.3 mile hike.