Best hiking trails (Tucson, Douglas, Catalina: campground, pools, horses)

[gallacus]

I'm looking for the absolute best hiking trail to take visitors on that would showcase saguaros and mountainous terrain, and would provide a little adventure. Preferably something a little strenuous.

I love the area right around Gate's Pass as it has saguaros and hills, but am not too familiar with the trails in that area. Can anyone give me a recommendation on a trail?

[robabeatle]

try Wasson Peak, though the trail is pretty tame. It is ~ ten miles round trip on the longer route.

personally I would prefer a hike in the Catalinas: seven falls or pima canyon

[coatimundi]

The trail just below Gates Pass on the west side of the pass is the David Yetman Trail. It's a shared bike/hike trail, so I've never liked it. I don't think the scenery is terribly good on it either because saguaros prefer an east-facing slope, and that's a west-facing slope.
If you go east of there to the south end of El Camino del Oeste (just east of the Wildlife Museum), that's where the other side of the Yetman Trail starts and you would get some nice saguaros there. I've also been told by a few people that it's one of the better spots to see a gila monster in the evening.
I haven't hiked it, but another Tucson Mountain Park trail is the Starr Pass Trail, which starts by the resort. You have to walk by the golf course at the start, but it should have some good saguaro and mountain scenery considering its location.

The Hugh Norris at Saguaro West (the one up to Wasson Peak) has the same issue, although you get some great views and there are some cacti up there. I usually prefer to get up to Wasson Peak via the east side on El Camino del Cerro Trail, but that's open to horses (just can't win) while Hugh Norris is hike only.

Most of the trails in the Catalinas are better for seeing saguaros though, I think, and I just prefer them overall. Ventana Canyon, Finger Rock Canyon and the Phone Line Trail (inside Sabino Canyon NRA) pass by some really impressive saguaros at their bases. Additionally, Douglas Spring Trail (east end of Speedway Blvd.) has some great diversity of cacti near its trailed. Douglas Spring also has a nice, tall ridge that you ascend after about a mile, but is pretty much flat from then on.

Hope that gets you started.

[azdr0710]

I'll second the Douglas Spring Trail at the east end of Speedway, within Saguaro National Park....it's a favorite of mine as it's a high-quality trail and just enough out of town to be quiet and away from the crowds at Sabino (and no fee)....excellent saguaro stands and Sonoran desert in general....after a flat 3/4 mile to warm up, the DS Trail starts climbing into the Rincons, with occasional flat stretches further on....keep going for more than three or four miles for better views and more climbing....if you can handle a 12-mile round-trip, turn around at the DS campground (outhouse available!)....

[tumamoc]

The hike to Romero Pools is a good one. It begins in Catalina State Park.