Tucson is filled with beautiful places to explore and discover. Even with the scorching summer right around the corner, you can get above the heat and still enjoy the outdoors without packing a suitcase.
Tucson is home to four mountain ranges: the Tucson Mountains, the Santa Ritas, the Rincon Mountains and the Santa Catalinas. Even though they are in the same place geographically, they have some stark differences.
The Tucson Mountains, located on the west side, were formed around 70 million years ago and are composed of volcanic rock. Much of the mountain range is located in Saguaro National Park West.
There are several well-known hiking trails in the Tucson Mountains, including Tumamoc Hill, Sweetwater Trail and Starr Pass Trail.
Aruna Sreenivasan is a UA sophomore and has hiked Tumamoc Hill.
“The hike was fully uphill until the summit, so there was no respite from the brutal incline! It was worth it when I got to the top — the view is stunning,” she said.
The Santa Rita Mountains on the south side were also formed around 70 million years ago and are composed of sedimentary and igneous rocks. The mountain range is mainly in Coronado National Forest.
Madera Canyon is world-famous for bird watching. There are also several trails, like the Old Baldy Trail near Green Valley, that leads to the summit of Mount Wrightson, the highest point in the range.
The Rincon Mountains, located on the east side, were formed about 30 million years ago and are composed of metamorphic rocks. The mountain range is in Saguaro National Park East and Colossal Cave Mountain Park.
There are several trails in Colossal Cave Mountain Park, a system of dry caves, multiple trails in Saguaro National Park and the Tanque Verde Ridge Trail, an 18-mile trek with phenomenal vistas.
The Santa Catalina Mountains, located on the north side, are similar to the Rincons. They were formed 30 million years ago and are made of metamorphic rocks. The mountain range is located in the Coronado National Forest.
Mount Lemmon is the southernmost ski destination in the U.S. Several trails offer beautiful views of Tucson and Oro Valley. Sabino Canyon is also one of the most visited trails in Tucson.
Mount Lemmon is the highest peak in the Santa Catalina Mountains at 9,157 feet in elevation.
Dave Kohnke is a Southern Arizona Hiking Club member who hikes several times weekly. He says several trails in the Santa Catalina Mountains, like the Romero Canyon Trail and the West Fork Trail, have access to water.
Tips for hiking in the summer
- Bring a lot of water and electrolytes.
- Apply sunscreen
- Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing
- Hike during the early or later parts of the day.
- Hike with friends or family.
- Know the signs of heat exhaustion.
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
