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Sabino Canyon

4.6 (340 reviews)

Sabino Canyon Photos

Recommended Reviews - Sabino Canyon

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Trevor C.

Absolutely breathtaking! The trails, scenery, and wildlife make every visit unforgettable. Well-maintained paths and helpful staff make exploring easy and enjoyable. A must-see for nature lovers and anyone seeking a peaceful escape.

Growth
Mercedes C.

Walking on Sabino's packed dirt+sand+pebbles (or something) was far easier and required less effort than walking on loose sand like in Saguaro National Park in Tucson. Plus, my kid and I felt the surface was more stable+packed and had way better traction. We actually hit the trail on our own but you can certainly request a tour guide with a group- but do inquire about tour fees if any. We paid $0 to park. We felt relaxed being here and walking here- especially getting away from NY's winter. The sun, exposure to nature and just being away gave us a calming effect on the mind.

Sahuaro blossoming
Mark S.

This place is a, "must see" location if you visit Tucson. And, for that matter, if you happen to live in Tucson and haven't been up there in a minute... you really need make plans to go. Sabino Canyon is an amazing place and definitely one of the Sleepy Pueblo's treasures. While there, you will experience the best of what the Sonoran desert can offer. You are gonna see rock formations that are almost unbelievably beautiful. You will likely see a vast variety of wildlife, and the place is filled with plants that are unique and fascinating. The trails that you will hike upon will reveal a variety surprises that include waterfalls, cooling pools to swim or splash around in, and high canyon walls that stand out against the deepest blue skies. Many of the trails are lined by cottonwood, sycamore, and Oak shade trees. l very much enjoy the spectacle of how light and shadows interplay with each other and blend and mix colors on the canyon walls. I first visited Sabino Canyon when I was 13 years old. At that age my interpretation of being cool was expressed by NOT showing too much excitement or emotion. But I do recall getting super excited as we hiked on trails through the canyon. This place has an affect on people and even then I felt that being there was good for the soul. I grew up near the canyon, so spent a lot of time goofing-around amongst the rock formations, cascading waters and wildlife. I ran track for Sabino High school and we had many brutal work outs on the hills there. I later would teach and coach track at a middle school that sits next to the park, and loved taking my kids on runs through the area so that they too could discover the treasures that this beloved place holds. I conclude now by saying that you will likely spot coyotes, Javalina, deer, slithering snake and crawling scaly reptiles. Not to mention, a variety of feathered creatures. Despite spending untold hours in the canyon in my youth, I never spotted Coatimundi, but apparently a troop of them has taken up residence in the area. In addition to the critters that make Sabino their home, it is also likely that you will be greeted by friendly hikers and joggers. Because the topography of the place is hilly you will probably find your heart working a little harder than it is used to. But embrace it and love it... as a visit to Sabino is good for mind, body and soul. . I can also almost guarantee that, if you visit you will come away with your spirits lifted.

Rattlesnake friend
Rachel C.

Beautiful!! Stunning! All the happy spots to explore. Great walking trail that connects to a maximum amount of side trails. Super location right outside of Tucson. I'd go here a million times over.

Blackett's Ridge Trail
Kristina K.

I have been to Sabino Canyon countless times now and love it every time! There are so many good hikes to travel and take on. From smaller hikes, like parts of the Phoneline trail, to long hikes, like Seven Falls, and challenging hikes, like Blackett's Ridge, there is something for everyone! The trails are well marked and there are large signs at the front and by tram stops to take a picture of if that is helpful to you. All the trails are well traveled and you will certainly run into other friendly hikers along the way. I highly recommend trying out a trail at Sabino Canyon if you are looking for a local hike!

Short walks near the visitor center
Alex K.

Winter time is a good time to visit with respect to temperature but it is dry with no water during this time. Come back in the spring and there will be water. Just an amazing place. The visitors center has trail information, snacks, drinks, a gift shop, and a museum with the history. Parking is $8 and by day it $10 for a week or you can get an annual parking pass. If you have an Interagency Pass or several of the passes that the NPS offers, you can use that to cover parking as well. Just outside the visitor center is great little coffee and snack cart too. If it's your first time here like mine, take a tram tour which takes you 4 miles up into the beautiful canyon. Make sure to grab the included headphones to listen to the audio portion of the tour in English or Spanish. Note that it is GPS driven. The tram runs every 30 min but fills up quickly so get there early or make a reservation online. Look at both sides as you go up on the tram to enjoy the stunning beauty. Once at the top you can get out and stroll the area for 10 minutes. You will be guaranteed your seats on the tram. You can also choose to either walk back from here, or ride partway and get dropped off at one of the stop you passed on the way up or go all the way back to the visitors center. Bring a water bottle and some snacks with you. You can even have a picnic as some stops have some picnic tables. A couple of stops have a bathroom and water filling stations. If you stop between stops 4-6, it is about 2 to 2.5 miles walk to the visitors center. That's what we did. If you are going off the paved road for awhile, make sure you have hiking poles, good sturdy shoes, water, snacks, a small backpack, first aid kit, sunblock, and a hat. If you don't want to take the tram, there is a small 1/2 mile loop just outside the visitor's center that gives you a look at the vegetation. You also can just hike the paved path the tram goes on to the different stops. A full out and back hike on the paved path is 8 miles. All-in-all a great way to relax and explore the canyon. I'll be back again soon.

Kirsten D.

Always a great place to get some more miles in. Get there early if you want a quiet cruise. Lots of beautiful scenery!

Bloom
Vicky K.

What a gem! My husband cannot walk far at all. This park has electric trams that take you to the top from the Visitor's Center. Allows you 5 or so minutes to look around and then will take you back down to the Visitor's Center. You have all sorts of options as to how you can visit. Combination ride/hike, ride totally, or just hike. Saw a couple roadrunners, blooms and birds. Oh! And the tram ride narrates the geology, landscape and ecosystem of the area. Would definitely like to go back. Go early as it does get busy. Even locals like this place.

Ann L.

This is a beautiful area but extremely crowded on a nice weekend in the winter. We parked in the overflow lot and paid via the envelope in the lock box method. There are a few trails near the lot but many are 3-4 miles or so from the parking lot which means a 6-8 mile walk in addition to whatever hike you're planning. There is a narrated shuttle for $15 a person as an option to avoid the walk to the trailheads but the shuttle was sold out. So...we stuck to the trailheads within a mile or so of the parking lot. The hikes were nice with some pretty views, birds and cacti. My recommendation would be to come during the week vs the weekend and arrive early to avoid crowds. A nice bonus is that if you do buy the week long permit, it is also good at other forest service properties.

Snow in Sabino Canyon
Amanda H.

One of my favorite places to hike/walk when it's not 90+ outside. It's so beautiful!! So many trials ranging from easy to you better know what you're doing or you might need a helicopter or hope giant eagles come and save you...jk but truly try to know your limits. They have a cute little gift shop and a tram that runs up and back for those who can't or don't want to walk which is a great way to see Sabino. They do have restrooms along the main road and a couple have a drinking fountain to refill your water bottles. Bring water always or a cup of coffee for your short morning walk :) along with a breakfast bagel then find one of the many picnic tables. Breakfast, coffee and beautiful scenery..what's not to like.

View from the tram ride up the canyon
Weston A.

Went with the family visiting us from Phoenix, sadly it was the drier than dry part of the year, but the gift shop was even open on a Sunday and the tour of the canyon on the open tram was beautiful and majestic. It is definitely worth a visit. I would really like to return when the water is back. Likewise we hope to be back for a bloom event!

Bee and flower
Laura W.

This is a Tucson Diamond. A absolute must! If you want to see water in The desert, even in scorching June, this is the place. If you want to hear the canyons history, buy a shuttle pass( in advance ) online. Tip: If you want to go on a Sat\Sun morning book at least a week in advance. There are 9 shuttle stops and each area has its own topography. For exploring the dam stop 1,Exploring the garnets in the creek, stop 6. Swimming in deep pools, stop 8. You can't go wrong (as long as you bring plenty of water) with any beautiful spot. We like to park in the additional parking (all parking $8) hike up to stop 8 and we buy the shuttle pass online for a ride back. Best of everything! This really is the Diamond of Tucson.

Kym T.

The Mr and I wanted to see and learn about the Sabino Canyon. The tram was a great way to do both since neither of us were dressed or prepared to hike. We took the 9:00 tram ($15 each) and was looking forward to the commentary as well as the ride. It was a somewhat difficult to hear because the audio system was a little weak. It didn't help the people behind us, had no interest in the audio, and talked non-stop. Later we stopped in the well done Visitor's Center, and filled in the gaps we missed on the commentary. We took several pictures along the way and throughly enjoyed the magnificent scenery. I don't think I will ever tire of gazing at the saguaro cactus. It has a beauty all its own. I always love the look and sound of running water and the tram crossed many bridges giving us excellent photo ops. Sabino Canyon is beautiful and we were so glad we got to see it! Highly recommended!

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Nice place to go for a hike. Always clean and safe. It's a must if you're visiting Tucson

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Ask the Community - Sabino Canyon

Are there any good fishing spots here?

No.

Are dogs Allowed here?

Pets are not allowed in Sabino Canyon, Service Animals as defined by The Americans with Disabilities Act are authorized.

I am a widow hiking alone, do the parks offer any group hikes?

Hi there! Does anyone know if there are transportation options, outside of renting a car, to the Sabino canyon from Arizona University?

I have ridden a bicycle, and I would imagine that Uber/Lyft or a taxi would get you there. I am not aware of any bus lines hat run out there. For the sake of clarity, I hope you mean The University of Arizona (in Tucson) rather than Arizona… 

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Review Highlights - Sabino Canyon

I always love the look and sound of running water and the tram crossed many bridges giving us excellent photo ops.

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Picacho Peak State Park

Picacho Peak State Park

4.6
(87 reviews)
48.4 mi

An amazing hike! Start early, bring gloves, lunch/snacks, and water!…read more My friends and I hiked to the peak via the Sunset trail, taking the loop back down the Hunter trail (7.1 mi). The first part of the hike is very easy, just out in the open. Though, once you start climbing you are climbing! The gardening gloves we brought helped us feel more secure, so that we didn't lose our grip. Honestly, the pictures made it look more scary than doing it, but if you are afraid of heights do take caution. The cables felt very secure and I felt safe the whole time. The top is very rewarding! There are a lot of bees though, so I wouldn't recommend hanging out there too long. We ended up having our lunch at on of the campsite benches in the shade at the end of the Hunter trail, which was very nice. The last part of the hike is walking on the road, but we didn't mind it after the steep and rocky decline. The bathrooms in the park are incredibly nice for a state park and there were also water bottle fillers. This was a great hike and the Park is also very well-maintained!

I checked out Picacho Peak State Park, not to be confused with Pikachu, on a Saturday afternoon…read more Located between Phoenix and Tuscon, Picacho was a hike unlike any I've done before. After arriving, you have to pay a $10 entrance fee per person to hike (a bit annoying for a state park but o well). You're given a pamphlet about the park and then it's time for what you came for. We did Hunter's Trail and there was a good amount of parking close to the start of the trail. It's a difficult trail on Alltrails and for good reason. There are parts of the hike where it's so narrow that only one person can go through at the time. There are other parts of the hike where there are steep inclines. And not only that. You'll have to climb using the cables that have been attached to the rock formations. Pro tip: bring gloves. That also means you have to be careful on the way down as you're going down on a decline. Which will be hard on your knees. It's all worth it though, because once you climb the mountain, you'll have breathtaking views of the park. And you'll be so high up that you can see both Tucson and Phoenix in the distance. All in all, if you go at a decent pace, the hike will take you 3-4 hours. There's at least one other trail. And you can also camp in the state park. Last but not least, there's a little museum in the visitor's center. And plenty of facilities. You'll get quite the workout!

Photos
Going up
Going up
Looking down
Looking down
Picacho Peak State Park

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Bear Canyon Trail

Bear Canyon Trail

4.8
(10 reviews)
1.6 mi

Great 17 mile loop trial in Sabino Canyon in Tucson. Bear Canyon is located in the Sabino Canyon…read moreRecreation Area of the Coronado National Forest. The trail starts at the recreation center where either you can walk to the trailhead or take a shuttle for a fee. There is another smaller parking area off of Bear Canyon Road that you can access the trailhead from that isn't in the recreation area. Once parked, you follow an easy rocky wash to the recreation area. Accessing the trail from this parking lot makes the hike a little shorter. But finding a spot to park can be difficult because the lot only holds about 15 cars. Attractions you can visit in Bear Canyon are Seven Falls and Thimble Peak. The rest of this review is for the Seven Falls Trail portion of the Bear Canyon Loop Trail. This hike reminded me of the West Fork Trail in Northern AZ but with less shade. There is a restroom at the Bear Canyon overlook picnic area. The Seven Falls trail is 8 miles out-and-back and has seven water crossings along the way. I was able to walk across the rocks, but plan on getting your feet wet (or bring water shoes). There are lots of Saguaro and Prickly Pear Cactus along this rocky path. After the crossings, there is an incline and then downhill portion until you get to the base of the falls. The waterfall cascades down a rock face and is gorgeous. This hike is really popular and gets crowded during the middle of the day and weekends. I really enjoyed hiking it. The best way to enjoy this hike and avoid lots of people is to start early. And as always when you hike in Arizona, bring water and sunscreen.

I was in the area to hike Seven Falls which is a trail you can get off off Bear Canyon Trail. It…read moreis in in the Sabino Canyon Recreational Center and parking was $5 bucks. For Seven Falls you can start off right from the parking and work your way up to the fails or you can get tickets and a ride the tram up for 4 miles, if you take the tram, you are still hiking 8 miles so don't feel like you're not getting your distance in if that's your thing. I recommend doing the Seven Falls hike either in the early spring if the creeks aren't flowing to high or the fall, most of the hike is not shaded, but you do like 7 creek crossings and do get wet , so plan on wearing waterproof shoes. This was an Arizona bucket list hike for me so I really enjoyed it. The Seven Falls are worth it! Come early to get a parking spot . Distance (with tram ride) 8.2 Miles, but I am sure the .2 depends on where you park, elevation gain about 900ft, difficulty moderate, you don't have to scale rocks or scramble, you can easily climb. Amenities are at the center, and it's real flushing toilets. No, you can't bring your dog on this.

Photos
Small Waterfall on Seven Falls Trail
Small Waterfall on Seven Falls Trail
Bear Canyon Trail
Gorgeous hike

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Gorgeous hike
Kartchner Caverns State Park

Kartchner Caverns State Park

4.5
(324 reviews)
43.1 mi

First rule of the cave.. no pictures lol. Hence, no pictures are attached. They say it's because of…read moreaccidents reported from people not paying attention. Also, basically nothing is allowed in the cave. They had lockers that takes quarters but as far as I saw, no machine, you have to exchange with cash soooo prepare ahead. Leaving things in the car felt some what okay but not my favorite. I would appreciate if they had more security. They say they are not government funded so everything comes from public support. This was such a cool experience. You can tell the amount of work and detail they've put into the cave and preserving it. Truly different than other caves I've been to. There are two different parts of the cave you can choose from. If you can't do both my preference was the big room tour. I felt there was more to it, more things to see. Also, (sorry parents) perhaps the age limit made it more enjoyable too. Our tour guide Charles was INCREDIBLE. We did both tours back to back 0945 big room tour and 12 rotunda. Timing was perfect. Enough time to use the restroom and eat a snack. We brought our snacks, their cafe was closed. It would be an enjoyable experience to eat a packed lunch outside not sure if it's 100% allowed. Beginning of April was a GORGEOUS day. There's a McDonald about 12 min away. The big room tour is a man made/marked out, well paved easy walk/route. If you're worried about endurance or handiaccesible, it seems very accessible. The rotunda seemed a bit more incline but still well paved. You can wear white shoes and you wouldn't get dirty lol. I don't recommend open toes shoes/sandals because the Floor is very moist/wet. BOOK AHEAD. At least 2 weeks ahead to get the slots you want. If you're by yourself then a lot easier. It sells out quickly Restrooms were very clean and plentiful. As you wait for your tour guide before taking the tram to the cave there are another set of restrooms so that's appreciated. They want you to get there 30 min before. There really wasn't anything much to do ahead, it's just a simple check in. They have a mini museum that's nice to look around. You can get some good pictures outside prior or after the tour. Are both caves a must see, my bf says yes. I'm in between. If I would go back I would choose the big room tour again but that also has limited time opening due to the bats. As an AZ local or visiting this is a very enjoyable spot

As much as I love going underground and at this point have about 15 caves explored in AZ under my…read morebelt, I only finally made it to this one this weekend. Our caving group was having our winter conference here and it was really nice to use the visitor center's auditorium for our all day presentations. I learned about the invertebrates that live in caves, herpetology, bats and lots of other really fun topics about caves! Auditorium was very comfortable and all the IT worked great and the projector and acoustics were perfect. Seats also very comfortable. Later that day, some of us signed up for the headlamp tour of the Big Room that started at 5:30pm, which is only offered on Saturdays in the fall/winter. I was able to use my own headlamp and helmet. This tour is $50 and the price is higher than their regular tours, which is $30 for adults and all the lights in the cavern are on. The tour was good and I'm glad the proceeds of my ticket go to support this park. Phones aren't allowed into the cavern, so I took no pics. We also stayed in one of the 4 cabins on the campgrounds and it was fabulous. Cabin was super cozy and can sleep 6, one bed and two bunk beds. Cabins also come with a dining table, microwave and small fridge. Bathrooms right across from the cabin. Porch on the front and also a picnic table available. Fire pit also available. I had firewood but we could not make a fire because of rain. This was definitely glamping! And it was lovely. I would definitely do this again. Saw some fun turkeys too! A few things to note here, there is a Bat Cave Cafe on site open 11am - 2pm, however, it was difficult to get anything here as there was only one person working and a lot of us here. I brought my lunch from home. Night headlamp tour was fun but for $50, not sure how it differs from the day tours. But, do know that AZ state taxes don't go to supoort this park, so your tour ticket supports this park, so I can be OK with that. Its pretty amazing that two college students crawled their way thru a 10-12 inch sinkhole and then found this place! I am still in awe of this amazing discovery! And this is well before all the fancy equipment was available like lidar to help with uncovering new caves. And, once these guys, Tufts and Tenen found this cavern in 1974, they kept it a secret for awhile to protect against vandalism and damage. And in 1999, the cavern was open to the public. As someone who deeply loves caves, seeing this place was like one of the best sojourns for me! Im so glad I came to see this show cave! And please, let's all do our part to make sure caves are conserved so we can all enjoy them for a long time to come.

Photos
Kartchner Caverns State Park
Kartchner Caverns State Park
Kartchner Caverns State Park

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Mount Lemmon

Mount Lemmon

4.5
(118 reviews)
8.8 mi

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.

This place has always been my go to place. I love the absolutely scenery and the view when you get…read moreto the top. This place has also some parking spots where they have a nice view and you can also walk as well to the rock place.. been coming over 4 yrs now and love when it's sunset it's a beautiful view of it. All the way to the top it's a resort when winter comes you can ski, also camping place or walking trail and picnic area as well. Pets is allowed as well. It's a must go...

Photos
Peak of Mount Lemmon Ski valley
Peak of Mount Lemmon Ski valley
Aspen Draw Trail
Aspen Draw Trail
Trailheads upper Hitchcock Hwy

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Trailheads upper Hitchcock Hwy
Catalina State Park

Catalina State Park

4.5
(142 reviews)
9.8 mi

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.

Photos
Camp site A-8, Catalina State Park, Az May 27, 2023
Camp site A-8, Catalina State Park, Az May 27, 2023
Alamo Loop wildflowers
Alamo Loop wildflowers
Catalina State Park May 27, 2023

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Catalina State Park May 27, 2023

Sabino Canyon - parks - Updated July 2026

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