Takes months to expire, is durable in packs that might see some abuse and doesnt melt all over your hands. place Pima County, Arizona . This means at the very start (and end) you will have to wade through about 30 yards of water. Login and be the first to review! Felt more like a medium trail. Area/Length : 6.6 miles Elevation : 2,800 feet - 6,000 feet Avoid Dehydration Return to top Supervisor's Office 300 W. Congress St. Tucson, AZ 85701 (520) 388-8300 Contact Us Recreation.gov askUSDA Report Fraud on USDA Contracts Accessibility Statement WhiteHouse.gov Policies and Links Visit OIG Privacy Policy Continue for 13 miles then turn right atCatalina State Park. If you are coming from Phoenix, you can take the I-10 down into the city and then head east to the 77, or the 79 south to the 77. Your email address will not be published. Flora here is pure Arizonayoull see prickly pear cactus, ridiculously spiny cholla cactus, saguaros with arms reaching up to the sky and tall yucca plants. In 2020, we here in Arizona suffered from many devastating wildfires, including the Bighorn Fire, which burned throughout the Catalina Mountains. Grub: none of that M&M-filled stuff. First, as you traverse the hills on your way towards the mountains, you will notice some of the charismatic plants that everyone envisions of when they think about the Sonoran Desert- like the saguaro. The hike begins at Romero Canyon Trailhead. Great hike to Romero Pools today. Crossed 1st Romero pool on rocks. HAZ uses cookies . I love finding water in these remote areas. Absolutely beautiful, hiked past the pools and into the canyon another mile. The Romero Trailhead is located within the park- follow the signs. Bring a map of where you are going. Kicking off fromthe trailhead, the Romero Hiking Trailcrosses Sutherland wash a wide sandy expanse, with convenient stepping stones, that flows seasonally. On the ascent, hikers are treated to breathtaking views of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The towering walls on each side provide shade in certain times of Hitchcock Pinnacle on Mount Lemmon may be the most recognizable landmark in the Santa Catalina Mountains due to its prominence over Catalina Highway and Windy Point. A scenic hike with lots of rocky areas. Rugged Ocotillo, with their branches covered in thorns, claim the sun and the rocks while the majestic Saguaros dominate the north and east slopes that provide just a little relief from the blazing sun. width: 0; Day three of a through hike, from AZT Section 11 to Romero Canyon Trail. Cheers! This was a hard hike. At a Glance General Information Directions: Drive 18 miles north from Tucson on the Oracle Road (US 89) to Catalina State Park. Petrified Forest National Part and North Eastern AZ, Granite Mountain (McDowell Sonoran Preserve), Box Canyon (Christopher Creek- *Technical), San Tan Regional Park - San Tan trail loops, Petrified Forest National Park and North Eastern AZ. There is just a trickle. Every view is amazing on this trail, and for any hiker, local or visiting, this should be on your bucketlist. min-width: 0; We're a husband and wife team documenting our part-time explorations of the outdoors and historical sites of America (and sometimes outside of America). We love hearing from our readers. April 2018 is a dry year. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Here at Coleman Concierge, we encourage everyone to travel responsibly and believe there is potential for tremendous good for the world following that ethos. If you hike another 0.3 miles, you will encounter another set of pools. Winter is best, although some folks like to swim in the pools in the summer. I loved it! right: 100%; Windows create a light filled interior with well placed neutral accents. } When you reach the final pool, turn around and go back the way you came. Ive never been to Arizona but if I go Ill check out the Catalina Mountains and this hike. .main-inner .fauxcolumn-center-outer { Water was flowing great at the end. AZ is one of the most biodiverse states in the US! Making the final descent, acascade of small waterfalls and shallow poolsbegin to spread out below the trail, while the high peaks ofthe Santa Catalinas peerdown from above. Bear Mountain, Sedona. max-width: 930px; We ran out of water on a hot day, so make sure to bring lots. Only attempt this trail if you know that you can do so safely, and turn around immediately if the hike becomes dangerous for any reason, at any time. The best times to visit this trail are September through May. This is after about an hour long drive up a 25 mile paved, winding road. Hiking poles HIGHLY recommended except those who have strong legs, great knees. . Be sure to pack a bathing suit as the trail leads to a refreshing swimming pool at the base of a waterfall. The wonder grass for Arizonas ranching days is something that we ecologists call fire-adapted. The pools are full and water is running. Along the way, you see fields of 200-year-old saguaros and jagged rock outcroppings. This is a challenging day hiking up into the Catalina Mountains to a beautiful oasis. One of the most accessible major peaks in the Catalinas. There are few hikes in the country with this level of biodiversity that also offer a glimpse of the pernicious and hidden Sonoran landscape. This is the source for everything you need to know about Arizona Hiking. To enter the Catalina State Park costs $7 per vehicle with up to four adults. These invasive plants cover ground previously open, allowing fires to spread further, faster, and hotter. The hike takes about 3 hours round trip and it is recommended to bring at least 1 quart of water per person. Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norn, (2) Always Let Someone Know Where You Are Hiking, Romero Pools Trail: A Hiking Guide from an Arizona Local, Two Classic Short Hikes in Tucson, AZ: Tanque Verde and Tumamoc Hill, Two Challenging Grand Canyon South Rim Day Hikes. And it is here, that you will begin to see the pools for which this trail is named. You might even run into a ressssident. Join a community with a zest for living life to its fullest. You can download the trail layer to your GPS, or navigate right off your phone. Our much older blog posts can still be found here. Wasson Peak. I wouldnt have expected a place like this amidst the desert. Bring snacks. The hike takes you to a beautiful desert oasis set in a canyon with water that flows most, if not all of the year. Edit Sights to See Sutherland Trailhead Montrose Pools Add a Report donnasitesrealtor 1 week, 6 days ago dudic.gary 1 year, 10 months ago _width: expression(this.parentNode.offsetWidth - It takes 10 years for a baby saguaro to reach one inch tall. It can be very breezy and cold at times. We hope our family-friendly adventures help you discover new places. I hope you can make it out! Here the pathbecomes rocky and rugged, enveloped in incredible canyonviews. Don't expect much solitude here. The elevation gain ought to get your heart rate up, but in the hottest part of the day you are asking for trouble. Was in and out in four hours. Climb to the highest peak in the Tucson Mountain. Ample parking is available as are bathrooms. If It doesnt load the first time, hit your reset button . You then drive to the trailhead parking lot. This post may contain affiliate links. And chill for awhile. Below, Ive listed the five things I always keep in my Camelback (other than water, duh). Romero Pools Here is the track recorded by my Garmin GPS-III: Trail is initially sandy and flat Looking to the left, seems quite verdant for southern Arizona Climbing a little, looking back down towards the entrance Trail gets a bit rocky towards the top of the first ridge Higher still, peeking back through a gap Looking up towards the second ridge The vast majority of fires that get out of hand, here in AZ and elsewhere, are human-caused. First aid supplies can be helpful in dire situations or in the case of an accident, however, they come in handy quite often even on hikes that go basically without a hitch. The exposed geology makes Tucson trekking timeless. Up from the wash is an alluvial plain of slowly shifting soil eroding from the mountains above. And then eventually, eventually, youll hear running water. We had lunch at some pools and had spectacular views along the way. Youll look dumb but feel ridiculously smart. (LogOut/ This means that buffelgrass thrives after wildfires; it grows back quickly, its seeds benefit from the fire, and in Arizona, fires also wipe out competitive species, making more room for buffelgrass. Romero Canyon Trail takes you to Romero Pools with amazing views of the state park below. It took us two and a half hours for the out and back to the Romero pools. Youve paid your seven bucks to get in. 91 votes, 17 comments. After 0.3 miles, Main Avenue turns into Oracle Road or SR 77. They are worth taking the short side trek down to see. Most people stop as soon as they get to the water. Keep your eyes peeled, as they sometimes show up alongside the trail. It really is! min-width: 0; Catalina state park is very popular. Gave 5 stars based on memory of post rain or snowmelt falls. Crossed it by taking off our shoes (not waterproof). Fromthe highest pointon the Romero Hiking Trail, sounds of the stream raging below precede incredible views over 50 waterfalls and rapids. Once we realize that we are only an observer, we could see the true beauty and diversity of life here. The well worn trail is easy to follow for it's entire length to the Romero Pools. Google Maps should be able to direct you to the park, and you can ask the rangers for directions to the trail when you arrive. Mature saguaros 120 root span sucks a lot of valuable water out of the ground, which keeps other plants from growing, but it also stabilizes a considerable amount of soil from washing away in the monsoon floods. The fire sounds devastating but nature is resilient! The Canyon Loop trail crosses a wash several times, so seasonal stream flow could impact travel. From there, we walked a little more than 3 miles. People frequently have to get rescued from this canyon. We rested for about 20 minutes before heading back to the car. star rate star rate star rate star rate star rate (0). Rock Springs Spur Trail to Aqua Fria River Crossing. I fully admit that this hike kicked my butt, and there were several pauses where I found myself asking, Can I do this? All I can say is KEEP.GOING. Total Distance: 2.8 Miles To Romero Pools If you're into waterfalls, the Romero Pools hike is a must-do. First 1.1 miles is easy walking, smooth well-traveled trail to the Montrose pools. Continue north. I would have given 4.5 stars. .main-inner .column-left-outer { Explore more of our guides to get an inside view on the best places to visit and explore in our state. (LogOut/ Even if you cant physically explore the world, we hope that you enjoy the escape our site provides. Wear ankle hiking boots and bring plenty of water. Dont show up underprepared for this one. Don't worry about how busy it seems - most of the people you see are probably only going as far as the dam or picnic areas. Don't miss Hutch's Pools along West Fork Trail at 3.4 miles after Romero Pass. We would be hiking through more climate zones than if we drove from Mexico to Canada. Difficulty: Moderate; Distance: 5.5 miles; Elevation Gain: 1,322 feet; Romero Canyon Trail. Even though Mt Lemmon is 100 miles away, they have their own flavors of squirrels living at Summerhaven. There is a fee to enter the park: $7/veh. The Canyon Loop trail is an easy hike through the foothills that begins and ends at the Trailhead parking lot. However, best just to not be out there if a fire is out of hand, and part of the work is teaching people to stop starting the fires on accident or otherwise. Invasive fountain grass in the Catalinas (c) ABR 2019, Bathroom Facilities: Yes, at the trailhead, Entrance Fee: $7.00 per vehicle (4 people) via Catalina State Park. From the well signed trailhead, the first thing you'll need to do is cross a normally dry wash. Hike to the Romero Pools near Tuscon, Arizona. } Quick Facts Beautiful hike. Hiking in Arizona is really amazing. The scars of Bighorn will be apparent when you hike Romero Pools Trail now, and it may be quite depressing for a very long time. There is an old (bad) joke about the trail condition in Tucson being very gneiss (pun intended). Romero Pools is a full sun hike, even though we ended up in a riparian area. Id love to hike there. CF Romero Pools 11. Lemmon. What are your favorite Tucson hikes? The hike takes you to a beautiful desert oasis set in a canyon with water that flows most, if not all of the year. CF Canyon Loop Trail 6. by Paul Riedinger. He completed his first 14-mile day hike at age 7 in Zion National Park and was backpacking by age 11. From the Trailhead to Romero Pass is 7.2 miles with an elevation gain of 3,300 feet, about a five-hour hike one way. Hikers should leave ample time for a return trip from Romero Pass, which is about a five-hour one-way hike. Back when I was in undergrad, I thoroughly messed up, and didnt enjoy the AMAZING hiking opportunities that abound in the Tucson area. If you are camping, never leave your fire unattended, clear a safe area around your flames, and make sure that your fire is completely out before leaving camp. Here, the trail will bring you across cliffs that stretch over narrow valleys. All photos and maps may be freely used for non-commercial purposes when accompanied with a caption giving credit to gjhikes.com. From the trailhead, you almost immediately crosse Sutherland Wash, which flows seasonally. There's also a shuttle that will take you to the top and back for a small fee. Views were beautiful as you got farther into the mountains. Enough water at the start we had to take off our boots! Area/Length : 6.6 miles Elevation : 2,800 feet - 6,000 feet Forest Service Home| USDA.gov| recreation.gov| Recreation Customer Service Standards| USA.gov| Whitehouse.gov Plug-Ins| FOIA| Accessibility Statement| Privacy Policy| Important Notices| Information Quality Starting from the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area you'll want to follow signs for the Bear Canyon Trail. SunCloud Patrol Polarized Womens Sunglasses. This is the location of the Romero Pools and the turn around point for this hike. invasive plants), is a dangerous cycle. Its important that you are honest with yourself if you are feeling too tired or run out of key supplies like food or water. I wish Id know about the Romero Pools Trail back then! 945 Sq Ft. 816 S Langley Ave Unit 204, Tucson, AZ 85710. This is a very popular area for hiking, horse riding, and running, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. We paid $7 for a day pass (check the calendar to time your visit with an event and get the most bang for your buck) and followed the road to the trail head. The Nightborn Travel team was born and raised in Arizona. width: 0; The hike to Romero Pools measures 2.8 miles one-way, and the downhill return is much easier. Also, no dogs on the second part of the trail due to bighorn sheep. //