I came here with a friend to hike Bobcat Ridge and Starr Pass Trail Loop for an expected 3.8 miles. There was plenty of free parking in the lot at the trail head and the drive to the area was scenic. The maps appeared to be straight forward, though the trails were poorly marked, with many "trails" not actually being trails in the park. We ended up taking many wrong turns and getting turned around several times. While there were arrows long the trail, they were hard to interpret, especially when up to five trails were intersecting at one point. We did not stay on the trails we planned to hike, but still enjoyed a very beautiful hike that ended up coming out to 5.3 miles. I would recommend following along with the All Trails app if you plan to hike here to avoid going off-trail! read more

See all

Came here as a novice with an experienced hiker. It was tough! She would say it's intermediate. I needed tons of water and even an electrolyte packet. I brought 24oz water (novice mistake) but the electrolytes saved me. You'd need 32 oz for a hike like this if you didn't drink water before hand. It's 40 % incline, 30% decline and 20% flat. The flora and fauna are absolutely beautiful. Also the crowd here is very friendly and hospitable. The views were stellar. Me and my friend took our time so I could take sips of water intermittently/catch my breath. We finished in 3 hrs. It's just over 4 miles. Happy hiking! read more

Tucson Mountain Park - Dancing Saguaro - Hiking Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

Let's ride! The trails feature a variety of loose gravel, packed decomposed granite, lots of drop in and out of sandy washes and plenty of fixed rocks and rock gardens so have your mountain bike suspension tuned and ready to pop pop pop and hop hop some rock rock rock. Sonoran desert mountain biking in the Tucson Mountain Park is a Disneyland E ticket ride - fast furious fun flying rock & roll along trails packed with spines ready to spike ya limbs and booty if you lean too tight into turns. There's giant Saguaro cactus and lots of jumping cholla that hitched a ride on me - ouch, the spines penetrate the skin and are hard to pry out. I crank up my Santa Cruz Tallboy at Gilbert Ray campground and ride a network of fast furious knobby battered flow trails out to Ironwood and the paved Kinney Road used by too many motorist driving too fast - and Kinney road has no bike lanes, blind curves and a bit too dangerous - I was run off the road before. Here, you used to have to pedal the pavement 1.5 miles down to Tucson Estates entrance to ride the more aggressive and technical trails. But hold on, I spotted a new trail on my Trail Forks app. Teddy Bear (use Chaparral and Golden Gate connector trails) meanders Kinney road with lots of twist and turns, some swithcbacks and very little elevation gain over some awesome sights of the surrounding mountains. Then, it is pay-off time. Ride Yetman, Sarasota, Little Cat, Star and Rock Wren - and you'll be singing like a cactus wren. These trails are for more experienced riders in good shape cuz you'll need legs and lungs for the needed bursts of energy to navigate the more technical terrain and pop pop pop over the rock rock rock. From Gilbert Ray over to Tucson Estates and back will take 3-3.5 hours ride time for a senior citizen pedaling 20-25 miles with an elevation of gain of around 1300 feet. Sweet riding yelpers! read more

See all

Great outdoors fun of hiking, birds watching and miles of viewing the desert. We only go out during the week and it's less crowded so I can't speak of the weekends traffic/congestion. The trails are marked with signage and are usually clear of debris. As always, be prepared for any type of weather or terrain. read more

Tucson does not lack for Sonoran desert parks what with two National Park districts just outside city limits. But Tucson Mountain Park manages to be a great visit anyway. It's free, you'll find the same plants and landscape as the adjacent NP and there are plenty of hiking trails. What's not to like? read more

Absolutely stunning views. The only thing is the noise pollution from passing cars and some tagging on the rocks. Such a shame. It's a gorgeous place to bring others or have a time of solitude and enjoy the sunset. read more

Tucson Mountain Park is on the west side of the city just south of Saguaro National Park, where you'll find the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Old Tucson (known for the O.K. Corral). I drove here en route to the Desert Museum and it is SUCH a pretty drive. It's a gorgeous, classic Arizona terrain with many Saguaro cacti along the way - as far as the eye can see. It's a two lane road, but luckily there are lots of parking pullots to take photos or let a speedy driver pass you as you soak in the scenery. There are also a few "scenic vistas" with small parking lots. This is a windy road with dips and a steep incline up the mountain, but not nearly as high as Mount Lemmon on the north side of Tucson. Make sure to share the road and watch for cyclists! read more

A huge park with tons of hiking trails. The trials are mostly easy but you have to watch your step and avoid the cactus. Lots of loose gravel & rocks you have to watch out for too. There are so many variety of cacti. Be careful of the Jumping Cholla that are on the tails and can stick on your shoes or clothes. read more

This is a large free park with more hiking trails than mountains - and also three different Yelp entries (one of which is for the shooting range - but there doesn't seem to be one for archery, despite there being a designated area for this). There is one hiking area that is actually part of Saguaro National Park and technically requires a usage fee but I'm sure if/how/when anyone ever checks and enforces this. This park also has a campground; the National Park doesn't. Hiking is allowed at night - but parked cars are not (allowed). There are a few private houses and other "attractions" along the road through the park as well as on roads at its outer edges. read more

Whether your primary interest is mountain biking, running, hiking, or some combination of all three, Tucson Mountain Park is a good destination :-) There are numerous trails you'll find here in this beautiful, large park that offers free admission and a visitor's bureau that's happy to provide maps and information. Tucson Mountain itself isn't particularly high; it's covered with all manner of cactus, including saguaro cactus, prickly pear, and barrel cactus. read more

The picnic areas were nice. It was fun to have a picnic in the desert. I would stop here instead of the other parks for a picnic since there are less people. read more

I came here on a Monday morning to do part of the Yetman trail, arriving around 11AM, and the parking lot was empty aside from one other car. The trail was pretty well-signed for a while and there's a map at the trailhead. A lot of the trail is rocky sand which isn't great. Also, after going about two miles in, the path was confusing and I couldn't find it. Views were pretty good at that point. read more

Took a hike here today. This park is almost 30,000 acres making it one of the largest county parks in the US. It's not busy like many of the parks close to Tucson. It's a great place to take a hike. read more

See all

First time in my life i see so tall and huge cactuses! Place is amazing for sunset! And hiking up and down hills! So many paths to takes picturesque photos! Especially on a sunset! It is fine to arrive just 30mins before sunset to enjoy a little bit of hike ,if you don't have too much time;) read more

See all

This is where I learned to mountain bike. Located near Starr Pass and the JW Marriott, the trails are rough and rugged. Cactus are a plenty and the trail cuts a path through them. At certain times of the year the foliage is so green it feels more lush than Hawaii. At other times of the year when it's hot and dry keep a keen eye out for the rattlesnakes. There are deer, roadrunners, quail and javelinas hiding about. Desert scenery at its finest. read more

I LOVE hiking the trail going up Brown Mountain. Every time I've gone, it's been serene and beautiful. It's pretty gradual and mild to get to the top. And the views are breathtaking. There's lots of loose rocks on the trail, so watch your step. I've found it helpful to carry a hiking pole to help maintain your balance. Also, watch out for the Cholla Cactus on the first part of the trail---they can definitely cling to ya. I think that the end of the day, towards sunset time is the best time to visit! read more

See all

Love to hike here, so many trails for so many levels. Not far from our park which is a plus. read more

My advice to anyone exploring a new city is to get lost at least once. After arriving in Tucson, I decided to take my own advice and see where Speedway Boulevard ended. This decision lead me to a "getting lost goldmine" in Tucson Mountain Park. This place is the embodiment of everything I expected Tucson to be. The cacti seem to be endless as they cover gorgeous mountains and the flats below. There are a few hiking trails that I have yet to explore, but as a scenic drive, I can tell you that Tucson Mountain Park is pure desert perfection. And it's FREE, y'all. read more

See all

While in Tucson this past weekend for a Thai Massage course, I camped in the Tucson Mountain Park. The setting is perfect for this time of year, 85 during the day and a cool 55 at night. There were many aspects of the Park that I would have loved to explore further, even the nearby Old Tucson attraction, but i was there to attend a class for the entire weekend. It is not easy to get beat up, literally, 4-5 hours a day. There are no showers at the Gilbert Ray Campground that I was camping at, so a good quick sink-shower had to suffice. read more

Tucson Mountain Park - Tucson Mountain Park Map - Hiking Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Tucson Mountain Park is a short drive....with stops along the way...to take in nice views of the Tucson Mountains. There's nothing really to do other than stop and take scenic pictures. It is pretty out there and if you're in Tucson, it doesn't hurt to drive and check out the mountains. read more

See all

Tucson Mountain Park in Tucson, Az. is such a picturesque setting. We did not camp out here, but we explored the area for a couple of hours while road tripping. The views from here are gorgeous and everything around is very scenic. There are boulders and rock formations, mountains and valleys and cactuses. We got some amazing photos out this way. The landscapes are magnificent. Next time we are driving through we will be stopping by again to explore the area even more. read more

See all

Great trails and quiet. Pretty sunset. Okay for bikes but need to be steady. Trails are not wide and have dips and curves and jutting rocks. One wrong move, ouch! read more

Brown Mountain Trail. About a five mile roundtrip hike. It's a subtle hike and peaceful, not too crowded and a great amount of silence. So silent and free of "city life" you understand silence is a sound too. Quite refreshing, actually. read more

The hiking in Tucson is so fantastic--and Tucson Mountain Park is no exception. I did a number of hikes in this wonderful park, and I was able to be in a totally different landscape while being just minutes away from Tucson. When I was talking with a friend of mine who had been living in the area for 16+ yrs, he said that even though he hikes a ton, he hasn't exhausted the list. I believe it. read more

Encompassing about 20,000 acres on the west side of town, Tucson Mountain Park has about 62 miles of non-motorized shared-use trials open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers. Take a picnic lunch and a camera because the views are spectacular and there's a good chance you'll spot some local wildlife. read more

Tucson Mountain Park - Hiking Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Absolutely loved it, doesn't get any better than this. Experiencing the great outdoor especially when it's a new area for you! read more

Tucson Mountain Park - Top of the ridge! - Hiking Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

You can't go wrong here. People say there's no good hiking in Tucson but I found this park beautiful and secluded. Have a great day!

A very nice local park. It has great trails for hiking and biking. We saw many horse tracks, so lots of riding for equestrians also. The scenery is very nice here, with some great views from elevation. read more

Amazing desert wilderness! The no-dog rule kinda sucks, but that's OK, it's not really that dog-friendly anyway, what with all the super spikey cacti. There's a great campground (Gilbert Ray), and awesome museum, and some great trails for hiking and bike riding. I recommend riding the McCain loop road on your bike...no traffic at all, and great scenery! read more

Gilbert Ray campground is large but geared toward RVs (most sites are all sharp gravel) but they do have a few spots for tents with dirt pads. No showers but there are waist-high spigots all over the place for washing dishes, etc, where you can easily crouch down and take a shower. read more