For those of you who do not live in Tucson, the rodeo is basically considered a holiday. The trail above the waterfall is nudist friendly, not this one. When I was in Tucson in 2013, for a couple months I went on hikes every other day. Image: Paul Verdugo. A beautiful day an. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "uppertanqueverdefalls" Flickr tag. Our group met up at the first parking lot. (The upper trailhead provides access to a nude beach area.) I especially enjoyed the various ponds the river formed. Discover this 1.8-km loop trail near Vail, Arizona. Had I stayed on the beaten (paved) path, I would have never known it was there. A lot of the trial is washed out, lots of water flowing. If you make your way back to the paved trail and head upstream (right) youll be treated to one of the most scenic interpretive trails Ive come across in Arizona. You can stop here to access the lower falls or continue up a bit further (past the information area) to access the upper falls. This hike started out with some fun knowledge that there is nudist in the area and it is possible to encounter naked people on the trail. $275,000. Over its 1,902 square miles, youll find hiking and biking trails, river trips, ranger programs, and all kinds of tours. Tanque Verde Falls trail was about a 30-minute drive from Sarah's sisters house. Otherwise absolutely beautiful. If there is water running when you reach the wash at the bottom then the falls will definitely be flowing. The AllTrails trail it suggests literally has you walking through waterfalls. Ample parking is available as are bathrooms. Thanks to his dad and the Boy Scouts, he was able to spend a lot of time hiking at an early age. Or extra grippy shoes. The water was ice cold, but invigorating! Tanque Verde Falls is a beautiful and popular hike on the far east side of Tucson. Nothing very steep until the last 20 feet before you drop into "the beach". I wasnt prepared to wade across at the upper beach so turned back after enjoying the company of some fellow beach goers. Once at the trailhead, signs will lead you into Bear Canyon and eventually to 7 Falls. If you check out my katelontjeffereys.wordpress.com blog, I did blog posts of many of them. October 6, 2019Updated: December 31, 2020by Max Karren. A 3 rattler wouldnt let us go down the path. ***This trail can be dangerous - and even deadly - during and after storms. The hike upstream had various little pools and sandy beaches, but the wash is planked by rocks and boulders. While this is a short hike if water levels are high enough, you will have to exert a good . And the big waterfalls at the end we're amazing. Was worth overcoming the fear! Important: The waterfall doesnt flow year-round. Lower Tanque Verde Falls Trail is one of the most popular trails in the Tucson area. However, for folks who don't have much time in the park, are with friends and family who aren't hikers, or are literally just driving through, the Cactus Forest Loop is the perfect activity. December 11, 2020Updated: December 31, 2020, January 14, 2019Updated: December 31, 2020, Your email address will not be published. This article is part of a two part hiking guide on Upper and Lower Tanque Verde Falls. Change). Water was high at certain spots and easier if you walk in the water! Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. Looking Down on Upper Tanque Verde Falls (color), near Tucson, AZ (16x32), Looking Down on Upper Tanque Verde Falls (B&W), near Tucson, AZ (16x32). View from the Balcony Ventana Canyon Resort. Can definitely get to the end without getting your feet wet, good fun. As with all hiking trails, be sure to stow your trash in a backpack or pocket until it can be properly disposed of. It was a very beautiful drive. Youll see a small sign for upper tanque verde falls. Hike well, safe and with at least some clothing! Nearby Lower Wolf Creek Campground and Upper Wolf Creek . The "main attraction" is an 80 foot waterfall at the end of the trail, but there are also smaller waterfalls, streams, and pools along the path - depending on the time of year and seasonal rainfall. Just be aware that many people have died in this area, the granite gets slippery when wet and the currents are strong. The best months for hiking are October, November, December, January, February, March, or April when daytime temperatures typically range between 65-86 degrees. I'm rating this trail a 4 star not because of the trail itself, but because of the type of people that frequent here. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. It was a rough on the van. This article is part of a two part hiking guide on Upper and Lower Tanque Verde Falls. Its position along the Mount Lemmon Highway makes Molino Basin a perfect basecamp for further adventures in the Santa Catalina Mountains, and the Arizona Trail passes right through the Basin along Molino Creek which flows strongly in the S Drive through the gate of Saguaro National Park and continue straight onto Cactus Forest Drive. Personally, I was distracted by 2 incredibly large crows sitting atop a dead cactus. This North Rim beauty is accessible from the North Kaibab Trail. There were several portions of the trail that required rock scrambling, and the rocks were somewhat slippery. It's a prime hiking spot in the natural saddle between the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains. 4 Tanque Verde Falls Overlook Development of a pedestrian overlook for Tanque Verde Falls, including the development of a small graded area (approximately 75 sq. Excellent cellular service., From this starting point there are 2 trials down about 75 yards apart. Wonderful hike with views & water running. This is a 1.9 miles out-and-back trail and one of the most popular hikes in the Phoenix area . Found the upper-loop of the trail is much easier to navigate than the lower loop (less steep and rocky) and is good for kids and dogs. Challenging for dogs. Prepare for lots of rock scrambling and brush. Just be aware that the falls are dependent on moisture. You'll see a small sign for upper tanque verde falls. The best times to see it are during spring runoff and summer monsoon. Be prepared for some significant rock scrambling and being extra socks in case you fall in. I love rodeo weekend! A lot more hilly and technical than I expected. Absolutely! Fun hike to the river. This is a short hike up the Tanque Verde wash to an 80 foot waterfall. If you go during monsoon season, check the weather reports and be very cautious as flash floods definitely happen in this area and quite a few people have died here. Falls had water but were not raging, still very very very pretty. He also had a hard time resisting the smell of the cactus, knock on wood he did not learn the sting yet. Or keep going. There were a couple of 5 foot boulders that needed to be climbed in order to continue the journey to the waterfalls, and most of us opted to just put our feet in the water where we were. The lower trailhead will lead to the bottom and if you hike upstream for about 25 minutes you will come across a 75' waterfall. If youre lucky enough to visit during the blooming season, youre in for a treat! Sure, you can go to Madera Canyon to see birds. Make this an out and back trail and it would be a great little hike. Experience this 1.9-mile out-and-back trail near Tucson, Arizona. See my photes of the upper falls dated 1/23/2023 under the Photos on this page. . Tanque Verde Falls are located in Tanque Verde Canyon east of Tanque Verde, Arizona, about half hour from Tuscon. Tap the map below to get to Proctor Trailhead. Saguaro National Park in Pima County is 91,327 acres and offers several trails on both its east and west side as well as camping opportunities and of course, tons and tons of saguaro cacti. Next time, I want to go downstream to see if we can make it to the top of the lower falls, but the hike upstream is well worthwhile, too. A short, well-maintained trail leads from the parking area down to the stream bed. The route is rugged and the rocks are slippery. But it was so much fun. A few times we were looking for the best track and had to backtrack a bit. After this, an interesting, mile-long scramble over boulders in the stream bed leads to a pretty waterfall in a narrow part of the canyon. Wildflower season is also spectacular. tucson, az. From there, it's a short hike to the water. Hillside Light and Shadow. Luckily there was water to wash Xander off in, because he stank really bad. He's now a full-time nomad and travels the American West in an RV with his wife Kim and daughter Maia, doing hikes along the way. Just past the trailhead, there will also be a small parking area on the right and a turn around on the left. Once you get there, you can hike up and down stream. Raging falls after a few days of rain. Upper Tanque Verde Falls Trail . Read all replies. Short hike down to the falls and packed with beauty! Hard pass at this time. The view is beautiful, but do not let the fact that this trail says it is dog friendly make you think its good to take a dog on. You Can Drive Right Up To A Little-Known Waterfall On This Unique Day Trip In Arizona, A Short But Beautiful Hike, Hieroglyphic Trail Leads To A Little-Known Waterfall In Arizona, 6 Gorgeous Arizona Waterfalls Hiding In Plain Sight With No Hiking Required, 8 Grand Canyon Waterfalls In Arizona You Need To Hike To Right Now, Hike Less Than One Mile To This Spectacular Waterfall Swimming Hole In Arizona, 6 Waterfall Swimming Holes In Arizona That Will Make Your Summer Complete, Featuring A Mineral Waterfall, Arizonas Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa Is One Of Americas Coolest Spa Retreats, This Arizona Waterfall Is So Hidden, Almost Nobody Has Seen It In Person. As you start to drive up the mountain, the road will become dirt. For about . Drive east on Tanque Verde Road, toward Redington Pass. Second half was too dangerous for my taste. Its dry out here and also in the unfortunate case that you should become injured And unable to continue, you will want to make sure that you have water. This is a very popular area for hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The Tanque Verde Falls trailhead has a small dirt parking lot. However, there is an amazing view from up there, and we took a few photos before turning around. The plan provides a framework for maintaining, enhancing, and expanding the area's 250 mile trail network. A searcher at the base of Tanque Verde Falls during search for bodies after drownings on July 30, 1981. Be forewarned the rope does not appear to be properly anchored. My guess is that the lower falls are where this occurs. Also popular . Literally you are rock climbing and up to your armpits in water. Even when the falls arent running, the rocks are beautiful and there are usually pools left into the summer. The hike down is less than 1/2 mile. It was a very beautiful drive. It had great views of the hills filled with Saguaro Cacti. There are many smaller waterfalls and swimming holes along the way. 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