I guarantee that the outdoor adventures in Tucson Mountain Park will keep you coming back – time and again! Crazy close to the city of Tucson, Arizona, this regional park is a veritable playground for anyone who loves nature and the outdoors mixed with a smattering of history. Read on for details on where to go and what to see and do and where to camp in this magnificent microcosm of the Sonoran Desert.
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Adventures in Tucson Mountain Park
Watch a sunset from a pass. Wander through a desert museum. Lace up your boots and hit the trails. Check out historic stone buildings. Pull out the binos and start checking off bird species on your life list. There are so many things to do in Tucson Mountain Park – especially if you enjoy nature and active travel.
Questions about Tucson Mountain Park?
If you’ve never been before, you’re bound to have a few basic questions about Tucson Mountain Park. Don’t worry, we’ve got answers!
- Where is Tucson Mountain Park located?
It’s approximately 8 miles (12.8 km) from downtown Tucson, Arizona to Tucson Mountain Park. - How big is the park?
It covers around 20,000 acres (8,093 ha) – that’s almost four times the size of Catalina State Park (5,493 acres/2,223 ha) across the valley in northern Tucson. Tucson Mountain Park is one of the largest natural resource areas owned and managed by a local – not state or federal – government in the United States. - What hours is the Tucson Mountain Park open?
The park is open daily from dawn to dusk. - Is there a fee to enter the park?
Nope. The park is free. There is no cost to enter. - Can I camp in Tucson Mountain Park?
Yes, in Gilbert Ray Campground. - When was the park established – and why?
Long story; see Tucson Mountain Park history below for full version.
Long story short – Tucson Mountain Park was established in 1928 for recreation and conservation.
Things to Do in Tucson Mountain Park
Start with a scenic drive to get your bearings. One of the most popular access routes from the city is via Gates Pass Road. The scenic outlook – with structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s – is a great way to start.
Along the main road through the park, you will pass a gun range and an archery range and Old Tucson (backdrop for many of John Wayne’s western movies and now open as an “Old West” attraction), but the rest of the park is devoted more to picnicking, hiking, biking and nature-watching.
The park is full of desert plants and animals adapted to thrive in a land of extremes – no rain to monsoons, extreme highs and below freezing. Throughout the Sonoran Desert you can find everything from mule deer to coyote, javelina to Gila monsters, roadrunners to rattlesnakes.
There are rocky mountain slopes, wide valleys, and many washes. Sunsets never fail to deliver in this varied landscape. And if you happen to be at the Gates Pass Scenic Overlook at sunset – well, you’ll know without a doubt that you are in the right place!
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
More wildlife park and botanical garden than quiet museum, this showcase is primarily an outdoor walking experience with more to see at every turn. We spend at least two hours investigating every nook and cranny each time we visit.
This gem is a must-see – especially if you only have a short amount of time in the Sonoran Desert. Where else can you wander into the land of hummingbirds, watch the javelinas bask in the sun, see a mountain lion up on a cliff and learn all about cacti?
Depending on time of day, different animals are active. Plan to be around for the early afternoon free flight when raptors rules the sky! Ramadas dotting the grounds are hotspots for interpretation as volunteers and staff set up for temporary talks. On our last trip we met the invertebrate keeper. She was releasing young praying mantids.
Get Hiking
To be honest, ease of access for hiking is one of the biggest draws for us in Tucson Mountain Park. There are a wide variety of trails and routes – in different lengths and degrees of difficulty. In total there are around 62 miles (100 km) of official trails and more unofficial routes leading up to many of the area peaks.
The Camino de Oeste trailhead is the perfect place to start a hike to the Yetman trail and stunning stone house ruins – once the desert retreat for Tucson newspaper editor Sherry Bowen and family.
From the Sarasota trailhead, there’s a great loop up the Starr Pass trail to Yetman and back to the start. You can add distance by hiking the Rock Wren trail before looping back.
A nice early morning or late day hike directly from Gilbert Ray Campground is the 4.4 mile (7.1 km) loop up and around Brown Mountain.
We recently summited Cat Mountain – starting off the Ajo Highway where the Explorer trail comes to the road. Following the trail up towards the pass, we took the unofficial – but still cairned – route that climbs steeply up to the summit.
Go Biking
Most of the trails in Tucson Mountain Park are multi-use. You are just as likely to see a runner or hiker – and sometimes a horseback rider – as you are other bikers on certain trails.
Our favourite biking areas in the park are the Tucson Mountain trails such as Ironwood, Caliche, Prospector. If you ride Prickly Poppy, be sure to watch for the rare cristate (or “crested”) Saguaro cactus! The Sweetwater trails are another favourite riding area. We always snap a pic of the first trail map we find in the area for quick reference.
Tucson Mountain Park History
Tucson Mountain Park was created in 1929. The Pima County Parks Commission was established to oversee it all. C.B. Brown was appointed chairman. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) set up camps in the area. They built check dams, cattle guards, fences, and reclaimed disturbed areas.
They also constructed the Gates Pass Road and overlook, as well as other roads, picnic areas, trails, and the first buildings at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (none of which remain today). The park opened to general recreation use in the 1930s.
In 1961, the northern half of the original park was added to the Saguaro National Monument. It which became Saguaro National Park – Tucson Mountain District in 1994.
When You Go
Pick up a paper copy of the Tucson Mountain Park map (or download a digital version here) – but note that not all trails are on the map. We use AllTrails.
AllTrails helps you find your way outdoors, with detailed reviews and inspiration
from a community of trail-goers like you.
RV travelers can camp at Gilbert Ray (link above in questions section). Gilbert Ray is right in Tucson Mountain Park – but campers can only stay for one week at a time. Another option is Desert Trails RV Park. It borders the southern edge of the park. We’ve stayed here for up to a month at a time… because once you get to know Tucson Mountain Park and all it has to offer you might just find it hard to leave!
Check out nearby Ironwood Forest National Monument or Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge – if you need more to do!
Our Arizona Adventure Planning post offer a few more printable resources to help you plan your trip!
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