It is a state park, about $10 for a day visit. It is about 45 minutes or so south of Tucson, but mostly freeway until you get off on the road that leads to the entrance. There are plenty of trails for all skill levels, and some are partially paved, concrete walkways, etc. Plenty of signage and you can check all trails for skill level, elevation gain, etc. Plenty of lots so plenty of parking, and there are some nice covered picnic areas as well. Great views of the area, surrounding mountains, etc. We saw at least 8 deer all huddled by each other, birds, small animals, etc. Check out my pics for some of the highlights. read more

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First time visiting and it won't be my last! Between some beautiful hiking opportunities, bird watching fin, picnicking or a getaway .. you are in the midst of beautiful Mother Nature! Since it is at a higher elevation, you have increased biodiversity of plants and animals and the temperature can be a good10-15 degree difference from the desert floor. I got to see some amazing birds there... and it's a known birding paradise!! There is a privately run lodge, B&B, and camping options plus a nearby lodge run by US Forest Service if you want a getaway. There hasn't been much rain and so the creek beds were dry... but I hear when there is water .. it's a whole other ecosystem with a mini waterfalls included. The picnic spaces are through out the park and several accessible by wheelchair. The park is excellently maintained with good signage (thanks to the world of many dedicated federal employees of Interior/ forest services who have cared in protecting and maintaining the land for us to enjoy). Looking forward to exploring this area even more! read more

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Madera Canyon is a beautiful place to visit - but what makes it 5 stars is the wonderful Rangers that watch over the area. My family accidentally left behind cooling towels near a picnic area, and had come back the next day to look for it, to have the Ranger "Nora" stop when she saw us looking around for something and it turns out she had found them, kept them safe, and well, I was really happy to get the towels back. Thank you, Ranger "Nora"! She also gave my kids stickers and we got a photo in front of her park vehicle, which the kids were really happy to take a picture with. It was really a great experience and visit. Would definitely recommend Madera Canyon and the rangers that work here! read more

One of the more beautiful canyons in the Southern Arizona area. We had to drive over from Sierra Vista which is about an hour and thirty minutes but, it is well worth the drive. There is a modest entry fee of $5 to use any of the activity areas and there are many activities to take part in such as hiking trails, biking trails and picnic areas. If you choose to stay at the Lodge or the B & B's there is no fee. One of our favorite things to do is visit Santa Rita Lodge. They have an area next to their gift shop where there are bird feeders filled with seed to attract all the various species in the area. They also have numerous Hummingbird feeders that attract large numbers of birds during the season. If you like birds this is a Gold Mine. read more

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I love love love love love love Madera Canyon. As a child we'd have family picnics and outings with friends. So many memories. Just Bout an hour and a bit del Tucson this place is true retreat. Higher elevation , cooler air, stunning views, tons of picnic spots, running water, hiking and a telescope at the top of Mount Wrightson. This area is popular for bird watching too. It's One of my favorite places in Southern Arizona. read more

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My favorite place on earth! Great hiking, wonderful birds, amazing creek. An oasis in the desert.

Love Madera, always a nice drive and beautiful scenery. There are a lot of different hikes to take, places to camp,cabins and a bnb. Watch the hummingbirds and take in the mountain air! Also a great place to take family pics. You can see all kinds of wildlife such as turkeys, deer and javalina! read more

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I know this borders on sacrilege, but every once in a while we grow weary of saguaros, mesquite trees and desert creepy crawlies and crave lush vegetation, running water and the animals it attracts. Time to head to Madera Canyon on the northwestern face of the Santa Ritas where woodland plants - oaks, juniper and bunchgrasses - abound! We've also spotted several white-tailed deer, squirrels and even bats. My kids and I use the paved trails in the Procter area, which yields substantially less whining than some of our other outdoor adventures. There are also miles of hiking trails for the more abled bodied and intrepid, at least one of which will purportedly take you to the top of 9,500 foot Mt. Wrightson. Did I mention that there is a creek that runs through the canyon that actually has a trickle of water in it? Year round, I'm told. Sure, the Catalinas are closer but they are more crowded, littered and the outdoor toilets definitely smell worse. Speaking of toilets - and you knew I would - the restrooms at Madera Canyon are immaculate! read more

Madera Canyon provides a great, different taste of Southern Arizona - a place where you expect it to be hot all the time. The Canyon is at a higher elevation, more mountain-side and thus it's cooler - you may need a jacket if you're coming up early. The canyon does fill up quickly - so if you're going for a cookout (our favorite) or a hiking adventure, it's best to get there early, start in the cool and quiet and work into the day (Though even at our 630 start, we still didn't have the canyon to ourselves!!) It makes for a nice start of the morning if you find a great picnic area, and plan for a breakfast cookout. It's pretty much a tradition when visiting the Tucson-area. I'm hoping to include a hiking venture at some point as well, but who can complain about a delicious canyon-cooked morning meal? It is important to be cognizant of your surroundings here as well, because if we remember, we ARE in Arizona, and snakes can be prevalent (though less so in this cooler area) but we have seen a family of bears here in the past. Lock up your garbage in the bear-proof trash containers (I finally learned the trick to no longer being a bear when it comes to them) and enjoy a cooler part of Arizona before driving back into the hot hot heat of the summer. read more

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I came here to do Mt Wrightson a Wednesday morning, arriving to the parking lot around 7:30AM. It was pretty empty but there were a few cars parked at the Super Trail, otherwise no cars. I started the hike around 7:45AM and went up Super Trail to Josephine Saddle and continued on that trail around the mountain, then to Old Baldy Saddle, then down Old Baldy Trail, totaling about 13.5 miles.The hike up was quite moderate and not really too steep, even to the summit. The views at the top were really great, as I could see all around the mountain - mountains in the distance as well as cities. The weather was amazing as well, warm and not windy. It was really awesome! It took me 3 hrs 45 mins to summit with the opposite direction of the map (Super Trail to the top), and a bit under 2 hours to get back down via Old Baldy Trail. The beginning when I started was pretty cold as it was in the shade as was the end - basically anything before the Josephine Saddle was cold and everything afterward was less cold. Pretty great hike, would recommend! read more

Meh. We were recommended to stop here for a nice and fairly simple summit hike that was 3 miles out and back (sources were word of mouth and AllTrails). We arrived and could not find that summit hike. The ones that we did find were marked appropriately at the trailheads but not on the trails. As with many trails in Arizona, the names of the trails change as they go along which is confusing. We gave up and turned around. Not worth it. read more

What a lovely place to visit and hike in. Well taken care of. Lots of birds to see. Wear good hiking shoes or boots. There is a lodge on way into Madera Canyon stop to watch the birds and stop at little shop. Watching the hummingbirds are plentiful and fun to watch. Only complaint rude tourists don't know or have the sense to pack out there garbage come on people stop being pigs read more

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Hands down, one of the best places to hike in the greater Tucson area. Sitting a few thousand feet higher than Tucson, the base of the range is even tree-covered. More often than not, there's water running somewhere. Birds and wildlife are plentiful. And while there are many people here much of the time, it isn't too hard to get away and feel the solitude that nature can offer. There are tons of options for hiking, ranging from easy strolls to the true long haul to the peak of Mt. Wrightson. Climbing to the peak, one has a couple options--the Super Trail and the Old Baldy Trail. But be warned, it is a long long hike, with a lot of elevation change. The "short" route will still require about 10 miles of hiking and over 4,000' of elevation gain. But from the top, you feel like you can see all of Southern AZ. And you're not too far off. The views are 360 degrees, and outstanding. Even if you don't go to the peak, this park is well worth the visit just for the beauty it holds from top to bottom. read more

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Tucson Mountains really are a hidden treasure in Arizona. I've been to Madera Canyon 4 times and just love it! read more

Madera Canyon - Winter Wonderland. - Public Services & Government Near Me

Breath taking views, steep and challenging trails, and family fun. Madera has it all for everyone. The trails tend to gear toward family outings- my most recent visit I saw seniors with dogs, and kids. With the abundance of camping and day use areas below, this is outstanding for the family. Trails such as Super Trail up to Josephine Saddle are rigorous but quite do-able as are Old Baldy Trail. If you are seeking something a bit more challenging and isolated, there are trails like the Agua Caliente which is quite steep, and the Super Trail up to Mt. Wrightston is a gruel- excellent for views all around, and conditioning and fun. Nice views of Mt. Hopkins and an observatory. There are all kinds of wildlife to be seen including wild turkey! And as any place be mindful of weather and changes- there is a memorial marker for three boy scouts who died in a freak snow blizzard in 1958 on top of Josephine Saddle. I am eager to see and do more of Madera. Find a good trail book or check in with the visitor center. Take $5 for a day use and look into the campgrounds. This is a beautiful place! read more

It's already heating up in Tucson and often times during the weekends, I really enjoy getting to do a lil day trip/retreat to the surrounding area. Madera Canyon was on my mind for awhile and it was about 10-15 degrees cooler than in Tucson, which was a real treat. I mostly drove around and ambled around the parking/general areas to get a sense for it. There are a number of turnoffs where you can do some of the hardest trails to the summit (at the end of the road) and the Nature Trail and the paved trail near the beginning are also options. On a Saturday afternoon, there weren't too many folks around and there's nearby Green Valley to possibly check out before/after as well. read more

I like Madera Canyon. It is beautiful. Very scenic. However, even in low season it is crowded with cars. Cars are speeding above the speed limit and parking is limited. Great spot to spot birds . read more

This is my favorite place to hike in Southern Arizona. The canyon is beautiful, and there are plenty of trails for hikers at all levels. While the parking and picnic table areas tend to get filled up fairly quickly, I hardly ever run into other people on the trails. Overall, it's a great place to go hiking or even just to go have a cookout. read more

Beautiful area for a picnic or a hike. Lots of hummingbirds! Great day trip.

I envy those who are a short drive away from this oasis in AZ. After rain one is awarded with cool hiking options. Creeks, trees, no crowds...There's even a fully paved trail along a creek for those that are much older or lack sure-footed hiking abilities. There's a plethora of animal and bird varieties. How I wish our over-populated southern CA had such quiet no-crowded options. Those in charge of maintaining the area seem to be doing a great job too. read more

This place is the bomb. You've got to hike the Super Trail to get an appreciation of the views of the Santa Cruz valley that are available to you. Super Trail is about 6 miles long, up the mountain and down, but nice and gradual. I have to hike it a minimum of 2 times a year. When I die I want my ashes spread there. read more

What a beautiful retreat from the daily grind of everyday living in Tucson. This place has trees-- Actual trees! They're tall, have leaves, and give shade! I felt like I was not in AZ, walking around the trails here. It's located about 45 mins- 1 hour away from Tucson and is definitely worth the drive, especially if you've grown tired of the desert landscape. Great place for hiking and birding if you are interested in that. There are plenty of bathrooms (although they are stinky), at least one gift shop, and even lodges you can stay at. There were also lots of benches and picnic tables throughout the area. Overall a nice place to take the family for a few hours. read more

Hiked the old baldy trail and it was a fun challenge! Although you end up at the elevation if Mt. Lennon it's easier since you start at a more usual elevation of 5,000 feet. Decent tree cover for most of the hike and easy to follow signs. Also was a lot cooler than I thought it would be. Hope to get back here soon! read more