Came here on a night walk early June. The park is well maintained and the guides were amazing. We…read moredid ice breakers to start and really enjoyed that each guide has their own expertise. We learned about the unique wildlife, rock formations, insects and constellations! I highly recommend.

I went here for a night walk in June and had an amazing time with friends! The Rangers were so…read moreknowledgeable and friendly. I thought it was pretty cool the way they reflected pictures onto the ground of the animals they discussed. They taught us not just about the animals of the desert, but also about the rock formations, and constellations as well . They did an introduction before we set out on the trail and an icebreaker, which I also thought was a cool little activity to help us all feel more comfortable. I would definitely do this again, and recommend it for anyone who's never done it. This would be a great activity to bring an out-of-town friend on. FYI- the hell when you first start, the trail is pretty steep.. I was huffing and puffing a bit lol. If you have any knee injuries or struggle with steep land, you might want to sit this one out. The rest of the trail is flat after however the hill is needed to start and end the trail (it probably took like 1-2 minutes to scale it). Also to find the area where the hike starts, you'll want to drive all the way through the park until you get to the parking lot on the left. For some reason, I thought it would be pretty close to when you enter the park, however, it is a little drive.

Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve. Oro Valley, AZ. Dec, 2025. We were staying at a resort in the Oro…read moreValley, and checking out various places to take our daily walk. My husband stumbled upon this preserve, and what a find it was! On the site of a former golf course, the preserve boosts a 6.2 mile, eight-foot-wide concrete path that winds through the property providing visitors with views of the Catalina and Tortolita mountains, examples of varied Sonoran Desert vegetation, and the opportunity to view wildlife. The Preserve is surrounded by residential neighborhoods, and we could see homes around the edges. We walked a bit over three miles, and saw a fair number of walkers and bicyclists. Virtually everyone greeted us as we passed. Based on their website, it seems that there are active efforts to protect this valuable resource. The Preserve is open from dawn to dusk and temporary parking, with a well-maintained port-a-potty is located at 945 W. Vistoso Highlands Dr.

This location used to be a golf course which closed in 2018. Once it closed, residents of Oro…read moreValley fought to keep it as a nature preserve instead of letting developers turn it into more housing. The reisdents won and there's plans to completely redo the area into a preserve. In the meantime though, it's open to the public as a walking, hiking or biking trail. You can see the remnants of the old golf course while taking in some stunning views. The pathways are nice and wide as they used to be for the golf carts. Such a hidden gem in Oro Valley....I hope however that folks will come and explore this place. It's beautiful and absolutely deserves to stay as it is.

Honeybee Canyon Loop Trail. Oro Valley, AZ. Late Nov, 2025. We wanted to do an easy morning hike,…read moreand the Honeybee Canyon Park was close to our resort. This family-friendly park offers about three miles of hiking trails, and we decided to do the Honeybee Canyon Loop Trail. Being mostly flat, most of the trails are rated "easy", but there are a few short areas where the slope is a bit steep and you need to ascend/descend on slippery sand or gravel. Entrance to the park and parking are free; there are about 20 parking spaces. Per my AllTrails app, we walked about 1.6 miles on a route that included the rock dam, but turned back without completing the loop as it was starting to get hot, there was limited shade in the desert, and, most importantly, there's limited signage on the trail (or anywhere in the park for that matter) so we kept going off-trail. This would've been a 5-star review if the signage was better to keep us on trail.

Lovely trail and park. Open low bush shrubs for popular backyard birding. And a paved path to…read morerestrooms, but hard packed gravel the rest of the trails.

Mount Lemmon and the Catalina Highway, AZ. Early Dec, 2025. Mount Lemmon, the highest peak…read more(9,175') in the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson, is managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service as part of the Coronado National Forest. (Fun Fact: Mt. Lemmon is named after Sara Plummer Lemmon, an amateur botanist and the first white woman to climb to the summit in 1881. It is one of the few peaks in the U.S. named after a woman). Our objective was to drive the Catalina Highway Scenic Drive (27 miles) to the Mount Lemmon summit. This is the only paved road that leads to the upper reaches of the Santa Catalina Range, and is one of the most scenic highways in the southwest. Because the road starts in the lower Sonoran vegetative life zone and climbs to high forests, it offers the biological equivalent of driving from the deserts of Mexico to the forests of Canada in only 27 miles. Before proceeding on the drive, we downloaded a free app entitled "Mt. Lemmon Science Tour" by the University of Arizona, which provided excellent commentary on the Sky islands, rocks, life zones, water, forest, and fire, that was well-synced with our drive up the mountain as it evolved. This is a windy, slow drive with the posted speed limit of 35 MPH or less on most sections. Plus, you're sharing the road with bicyclists riding in both directions. The road is paved, and is well-designed with frequent pull-offs and stops that allow for vista views or just to take a rest. A few of our favorite and recommended stops include: *Babad Do'ag for its excellent vistas of the desert environment and saguaros. *Gordon Hirabayashi Campground (and Historical Recreation Area). I've reviewed this separately on Yelp. *The Palisades Visitor Center, with family-friendly exhibits, brochures and general information, and a small gift shop. *Windy Point Vista, for sweeping views. *High-elevation picnic areas at Box Elder, Alder, Loma Linda, or Inspiration Rock. *Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley, where there is a restaurant and ski lift rides ($). We were disappointed that the entrance road to Rose Canyon Lake was closed on the day that we visited. This is a Forest Service fee area. A day-use pass is $8 per vehicle, and can be purchased on-line or at the Palisades Visitors Center on-route. We didn't have time to hike on the day that we visited but there are miles and miles of trails of varying length and difficulty. While there are restrooms with pit toilets at multiple sites, but there is no potable water nor service stations. I've posted a handout about the area that I picked up at the Visitors Center. Only Spanish-language brochures were available.

Nice to take a break from the heat. The views are amazing definitely worth the drive from Tucsonread more

Late Nov, 2025. Honey Bee Canyon Park, Oro Valley, AZ. We wanted to do an easy morning hike, and…read morethis park was in close proximity to our resort. This family-friendly park, in the Sonoran Desert, features petroglyphs, a historic rock dam, three miles of hiking trails, rentable ramadas (covered open shelters with picnic tables), and a few benches and grills. It is open dawn to dusk. Being mostly flat, most of the trails are rated as "easy", but there are a few limited areas where the slope is a bit steep and you need to ascend/descend on slippery sand or gravel/small stone. Entrance to the park and parking are free. The parking lot has about 20 spaces, and was half-full during our visit on a Saturday morning. The Oro Valley, AZ webpage has two maps, one of the park and the other of trails. Per our AllTrails app, we walked a total of about 1.6 miles on a route that included the rock dam, but turned back as it was starting to get hot, we were having trouble staying on trail because of lack of signage, and there was limited shade in the desert. This is a very nice park, that would've merited a 5-star rating had there been better signage. There is NO informational sign near the parking lot (or anywhere else in the park for that matter) with a map of the trails and amenities in the park. We parked in the lot on the side near the exit, and started our walk through an arch on a path that descended down to the flat area, but it seemed somewhat washed out and sand-slippery. Upon returning later, we found that there were two PAVED paths up to the parking area but on the entrance side that we hadn't seen earlier. In fact, one of these paths was accessible. Also, while hiking, we found that there were a lot of potential paths that we could follow. My husband, who is an avid hiker, kept going in directions other than where my AllTrails app said that we should go to stay on the loop trail we intended to take. There were some signs there, but they were missing at critical junction points. We also overheard another group of six turn around because they weren't sure how to continue the loop. This is also a comment made by many on AllTrails.

Easy parking at the start of a modern trail. The trail is…read morepoorly marked, mainly from the worn out signs that are up but most of them are on the ground in pieces or simply not there. Vandals are usually the suspect but it's time to get them repaired. Semi clean bathrooms with spectacular views.

Such a beautiful experience! So many different sites on the hour and a half up to the top of the…read moremountain. This is perfect for those who want to see the World and the different terrain of Arizona. It changes so frequently it's unbelievable!

One of the most beautiful places to hike ! Summerhaven is…read morethe so much fun to shop and eat . Highly recommend.

Love this place, I just don't like giving 5 stars to much of anything. The proprietors are…read morecharming and friendly and really open up their home to you. The views and environs are stunning and remote enough to make you forget about the stress-ors of daily life without having the remoteness be a stress-or itself. The wildlife that CJ & Maryellen have attracted with their careful stewardship is stunning, particularly the birds. Birders will be gobsmacked and even non-birders will be able to spend hours just hanging out watching a never ending stream of visitors ranging from common to truly exotic. Now for the caveat: If for you a B&B must be frilly & Victorian & wait on you hand and foot, then this isn't the place for you. The atmosphere is based around comfort and community, not appearance and luxury. Likewise, if you prefer your wildlife to be in a magazine and your gardens to be tame, then this isn't your kind of place. This is somewhere to get away from suburbia and into the rough and ragged beauty that only the Southwest can offer.

C J has twice invited me to participate in nature walks at The Oasis (also known as "WOW Arizona"…read morefor Wild Outdoor World). He values my expertise about the local insects, but it is I who has been honored and overwhelmed by the hospitality he and Mary Ellen extend to all their guests. The Oasis manages to cater to a wide variety of clientele, from mountain bikers to amateur naturalists. I have never felt unwelcome for not being a more athletically-inclined guest (I don't even ride a bike of any kind). The grounds are a virtual Eden and the hosts know every resident plant and animal. The water and flowers (mostly native, some ornamental) attract an enormous diversity of wildlife from butterflies to birds and mammals, making it a great place to become familiar with Sonoran Desert flora and fauna while being as comfortable or adventurous as you would like to be. I find no fault with the interior accommodations, either. I like the cozy, "contemporary-rustic" feel of this place very much. The decor includes spectacular images of the wildlife seen and photographed on the scenic grounds. I slept like a baby, and woke up to..... The food! C J and Mary Ellen are very conscious of the differing nutritional needs of their guests. I'm lactose intolerant and they had lactose-free milk! That never happens! The entrees are delicious, a great treat for a "meat and potatoes" guy like me, yet still "gourmet," just not pretentious. Pleasing folks with your menu is a tough task, but The Oasis scores big here. I heartily recommend The Oasis to anyone visiting southern Arizona who wants to avoid crowded parks, see wildlife up close, and enjoy captivating conversations with the proprietors over a great meal.

I love this walk. It's also awesome to stop at the century cactus. I would recommend going in a…read moregroup or with people. I have found deer legs on the trail.

From the owner: Outdoor great guided hikes on Tucson area trails. Together we trek across the wilderness of the…read moregreat Sonoran Desert exploring the land, its history, flora and fauna. Learning about the desert and the ancient peoples who lived here long ago is not only interesting, it's awe-inspiring. To know we are standing in front of rock carvings called petroglyphs, is breathtaking. Some are thousands of years old. To date, unlike the Egyptian Hieroglyphics, no one knows quite yet what the meanings are of the stories they tell. The unusual iconic giant Saguaro cacti majestically stand to welcome you, literally, with open arms. At times javelina, coyotes, cactus wren, roadrunners will pass us by. To top it all, you'll enjoy a southwestern activity second to none in Tucson, also known as The Old Pueblo. So come, join your trail guide and get as close to nature as you can get. Schedules include sunset, moonlit & themed guided hikes. Book yours today. We also serve the Phoenix area.

The Mount Bigelow campsite is located just a few miles from Summerhaven, Mount Lemmon. As you're…read moredriving up General Hitchcock highway, you can turn right onto Bigelow Rd....which is mostly a dirt road. Campsites can be found along the road. As far as I know, Mount Bigelow is open year round. Spring camping can still be pretty chilly up on the mountain, so pack layers and check the weather for Mount Lemmon if you're planning an overnight stay, elevation is well over 8,000 feet, after all. The well know Butterfly Hiking trail also connects to Mount Bigelow, so it's really a win win in terms of location and access.