width: 0; This is a very beautiful hike that leads to a really nice set of falls and pools. We would be hiking through more climate zones than if we drove from Mexico to Canada. No matter what your level of physical fitness is, you are sure to break a sweat on this climb. Up from the wash is an alluvial plain of slowly shifting soil eroding from the mountains above. However, finding a reliable and concise guide takes a lot of work. For us, it was a bit of a slug fest. Read More Download the Outbound mobile app This is a moderate hike due to the 1000 ft steady climb. From your vantage point, storm activity may not always be visible. This is why there are no dogs allowed past the first mile of the trail. Takes months to expire, is durable in packs that might see some abuse and doesnt melt all over your hands. Well maintained trail. Stay right here. Drive0.71miles on Oracle Road to the entrance toCatalina State Park. Either a Diamondback or a King Snakedidnt want to get too close! These larger fires then burn and kill more native species. Glimpses of a tenaciousmountainstream, persistentlycarvingits way through the canyon, appear and disappear along the length of this rugged trail. Every view is amazing on this trail, and for any hiker, local or visiting, this should be on your bucketlist. Never cut switchbacks as this causes major erosion that destroys the trail and the mountain. Be prepared to get wet lots of people on the trails today. The hike starts at Romero Canyon Trailhead, where it crosses a sandy wash and continues on a wide footpath. If you need tips, directions, just want to say hello or tell us about your adventures, send a message or leave a comment in a blog post! You will also find cliffs of . From Romero Pools cross Romero Pass at 6,080 feet before descending on the West Fork Trail #24 before turning south on Sabino Canyon Trail #23. Want to hike Tucsons best trails? The Romero Trailhead is located within the park- follow the signs. The views along the trail to the Romero Pools will take your breath awayif you have any breath left, that is. Loved the views and the scenery. #layout { These giants are the old growth forest of the American Southwest. There is an old (bad) joke about the trail condition in Tucson being very gneiss (pun intended). ML Marshall Gulch Loop 16.ML Meadow Trail 17. Department of Medical Imaging 1501 N. Campbell | P.O. } I loved how fiercely independent yet interdependent each plant and animal was with each other. parseInt("360px") + 'px'); I knew there was some serious fault activity in this region at some point in the past. It's one of the few Tucson hikes with water year-round; and there are plenty of trees that provide greenery in spring/summer and pretty foliage through the fall (and most of the winter). When we took this hike, it was after a few days of healthy rains, so the wash crossing was more interesting than usual. The next 1.7 miles are a steep and rocky climb to Romero Pools. However, at the end, you'll see the gorgeous pools and have views of Mt. Ready for a hike? Fire rules are meant to help prevent fires, so please respect them. Area/Length : 6.6 miles Elevation : 2,800 feet - 6,000 feet Takes about 2 hours there and back. Hike to a seasonal collection of beautiful pools and waterfalls. The desert is far more full of life than many people expect! After a while, I realized that I just liked watching the diversity of life and land. What we have on our hands, with buffelgrass and other exotic plant species that are spreading rapidly and hurting our native species (e.g. Bring plenty of water, wear sunscreen, hat/glasses as there is very little shade on this moderately strenuous trail. They are worth taking the short side trek down to see. Theres little respite from the sun on the most difficult part of the trail, so wear a hat and sunscreen and DRINK WATER (I drank my Camelback dry). The Catalina State Park is a popular destination and it's easy to see why. 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 And it is here, that you will begin to see the pools for which this trail is named. Also, follow all fire rules while camping and ensure that you know what land managers are allowing at any time. Once you reach Summerhaven, drive up Carter Canyon Rd. One of Tucsons favorite hikes, I write up my experience on a trek to the Romero Pools. We love hearing from our readers. A scenic hike with lots of rocky areas. If you look closely, you can even see a few red barked Manzanita extending their range down from the mid altitude mountains where they thrive. The nature there is beautiful! Sometimes these are mistakes or accidents that couldnt be helped, but other times, they are stupid mistakes or outright negligence. We didn't use poles and didn't miss them either. This trail goes by Montrose Pools and Sutherland Trailhead. Beautiful canyon. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 58 min to complete. Creek crossing in 1st 50 yards. . The trail now starts to gain elevation more aggressively and steadily for the remainder of the hike to the pools. Romero Canyon Trail to Romero Pools Hard 4.6 (2944) Catalina State Park Photos (3,326) Directions Print/PDF map Length 5.5 miElevation gain 1,322 ftRoute type Out & back Try this 5.5-mile out-and-back trail near Catalina, Arizona. The hike follows the north side of Romero Canyon offering great canyon views, views of the Catalinas, and a great mixture of switchbacks, rocks and level hiking all within one hike. They are fully grown at 200, reaching a height of 45 with roots growing more than 60 around in all directions. 91 votes, 17 comments. When you pause, youll hear the rustling of wildlife among tall, dry grass; calls to each other with buzzes, tweets and chirps. The Canyon Loop trail is an easy hike through the foothills that begins and ends at the Trailhead parking lot. . // See https://www.blogger.com/go/adspersonalization There's also a shuttle that will take you to the top and back for a small fee. 72K subscribers in the Tucson community. Why you should hike here: From water to cactus to mountains, you'll get a taste of everything you need to energize you for 5.5 miles of hiking and still leave with a smile on your face. Its important that you are honest with yourself if you are feeling too tired or run out of key supplies like food or water. width: 0; padding-right: 360px; } About this time, they are taking in enough water to have choked out their host plant. The trail heads down one boulder strewn slope and up another before beginning its final descent to Romero Pools. Lizards of every description dart across the trail. Hike to the Romero Pools near Tuscon, Arizona. Make sure to check in when you return to your car! This looks wonderful! As a result, so is this trail. Length: Hike as much as you would like to. Romero Pools is a full sun hike, even though we ended up in a riparian area. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your On the Trail The signed entrance to the park is at Milepost 81. Below is our interactive Romero Pools trail map. Continue east onTangerine Road for 13.91 miles, then turn right / south onto Oracle Road. Both should only be done with organizations that know how to safely carry out these activities. I could see the rose quartz crystals on the trail with the bedding plane shifted 90 degrees. #layout .region-inner { AZ is one of the most biodiverse states in the US! The Romero Pools Trail is an absolutely beautiful and rewarding hike in Catalina State Park, Tucson. It can be very breezy and cold at times. Sign up below for new hiking guides, trip reports, gear reviews, and more. The first arms come when they are over 100 years. And chill for awhile. azutopia.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. The Romero Pools section is an extremely popular portion of this scenic trail, but there's so much more after the pools! Back when I was in undergrad, I thoroughly messed up, and didnt enjoy the AMAZING hiking opportunities that abound in the Tucson area. Ample parking is available as are bathrooms. 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. after 1.1 miles, we reached the foothills. The park is open year round from5:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m. daily. Hikers, cyclists and equestrians alike share and enjoy the trail. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Is Tucson Mountain Park dog friendly? Kicking off fromthe trailhead, the Romero Hiking Trailcrosses Sutherland wash a wide sandy expanse, with convenient stepping stones, that flows seasonally. SunCloud Patrol Polarized Womens Sunglasses. The desert isnt for the meek. Brown Mountain These invasive plants cover ground previously open, allowing fires to spread further, faster, and hotter. Experience the brilliance of poppies in the springtime on the Sutherland Trail. I wondered as I wandered off of the Romero Pools trail just what it was about the Sonoran Desert that ignited my hiking spirit twenty years earlier. The hike to Romero Pools is Catalina State Parks most popular trail. Bring enough water. 2 Baths. 4 hrs This rocky trail follows yet another of the many gorgeous canyons climbing into the Catalinas. This moderate trail out of Catalina State Park will give you sweeping views of Oro Valley and cool pools you can dip your toes in at the end. Pack ALL of your trash out (including toilet paper), and stay on the trail at all times (except in cases when remaining on the trail would be dangerous). The vast majority of fires that get out of hand, here in AZ and elsewhere, are human-caused. This section of the hike gains a little elevation, but is mostly flat for about 0.6 miles until you reach the next signed trail junction (JCT_1R on the map) with the Canyon Loop trail. Great hike. The hike to Romero Pools measures 2.8 miles one-way, and the downhill return is much easier. Copyright 2019 American Expeditioners | All Rights Reserved | Photo Usage | Sitemap, 5 Free Scenic Attractions Along the Columbia River, A Day Trip Guide to Visiting Lundy Island, Driving in Great Britain: Road Trip Tips From an American Perspective, Revolutionary War Weekend, A Reenactment at George Washingtons Mount Vernon, Offroad Through Bajada Loop Drive in Saguaro National Park West, 10 Ghost Towns In Arizona That Are Actually Worth Visiting, The Ultimate Washington State Bucket List: 201 Historical & Outdoorsy Things To Do. Bear Mountain is one of the best hikes in Arizona, . This 13-day luxury Jordan itinerary takes you from the green hills of the north, Berry Creek Falls Loop at Big Basin Redwoods State Park- A Hiking Guide. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. [CDATA[ window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId : '1666689300261983', xfbml : true, version : 'v2.5' }); }; (function(d, s, id){ var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;} js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); // ]]> Crisp, clear pools and waterfalls are splash perfect, on Romero Hiking Trail. .main-inner .fauxcolumn-center-outer { As an added bonus, the Pools themselves are a unique sight in the desert. Remember that grass I mentioned earlier, buffelgrass? You can download the trail layer to your GPS, or navigate right off your phone. 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. Hiking and Inspiration from Arizonas great outdoors, $7 Day use (or Arizona State Parks Annual Pass). After 1.7 miles from the Montrose pools, the trail will drop into a canyon and cross the wash again. From the well signed trailhead, the first thing you'll need to do is cross a normally dry wash. To enter the Catalina State Park costs $7 per vehicle with up to four adults. Not hard but moderate difficulty. Tucson has SO many amazing hikes! The fire sounds devastating but nature is resilient! Busy area even on Wednesday. // Supply ads personalization default for EEA readers Change). Romero Pools. Catalina State Park Romero Canyon Trail to Romero Pools Romero Canyon Trail to Romero Pools Dont show up underprepared for this one. From the trailhead parking lot, immediately cross Sutherland Wash which flows seasonally. Bring water and snacks. March 2015. Here, the trail will bring you across cliffs that stretch over narrow valleys. if (typeof adsbygoogle.requestNonPersonalizedAds === 'undefined') { "All county trails and parks that allow dogs require dogs to be on a leash at all times. Thus, for your sake and the sake of the local community, go prepared. Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. The trail then slowly climbs up-canyon 4.4 miles to Romero Pass at 6,000 feet elevation. CF Pontatoc Ridge Trail 10. Id estimate 1.8 of those were pure elevation gains, baby. We are Jenn and Ed Coleman aka Coleman Concierge. This is the source for everything you need to know about Arizona Hiking. It takes 10 years for a baby saguaro to reach one inch tall. Romero Canyon Trail to Romero Pools. 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. When you start out from the parking lot at the trailhead for the Romero Pools Trail, you will cross a creek bed and get a nice little warm up on your first hill. ML Incinerator Ridge Trail 15. Also, no dogs on the second part of the trail due to bighorn sheep. During the summer time be sure to watch out for rattle snakes! Gave 5 stars based on memory of post rain or snowmelt falls. Don't expect much solitude here. Each mountain, like Mt Lemmon, is a sky island that is an isolated biosphere from other sky islands hundreds of miles away. Length: 5.5 miles (round trip) Elevation change: 1,300 feet; Time (including travel): 4 to . Join me now for this guide of the Romero Pools Trail- if you are visiting Tucson post-2020, this is a must-add for any hikers bucketlist. During our hike, it had a ton of water in it! Im sure there are things to be cautious of, but especially if its hot and closer to the summer. Here, you will find that the plants become more green, more lush. Romero Pools offers hikers the chance to cool off on a hot day with a refreshing swim in a gorgeous canyon.