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The season is good reason to hike classic desert trails.It's a discouraging word in many parts of the world — but sweet music to the ears of hikers in desert country.
Winter.
Beginning officially on Monday, winter is the glorious high season for hiking in the deserts and canyons of Southern Arizona.
It's a time of mostly mild weather, cerulean skies, gentle breezes, jaw-drop sunsets and — big bonus point — reduced snake activity.
If there's any drawback to the season, it's that local hikers often have to share trails with heat-seeking refugees from Chicago, Minneapolis, Anchorage and other hard-frozen climes.
The strategy is simple: Use the coming cool months to trek trails where the hiking is often hellishly hot at other times of the year.
As a general rule, this is a time to hike the "cactus altitudes" — relatively low deserts, mountains and canyons — and leave the pine-topped peaks for summer.
Today, we offer a quick-look guide to half a dozen trails well worth a winter ramble.
King Canyon Trail
What's out there
You've got some great options on this trail in Saguaro National Park west of Tucson.
Hike just 0.9 of a mile from the trailhead and you reach a scenic picnic site and some ancient petroglyphs, or rock etchings. Trek 3.5 miles and you can stand on the 4,687-foot summit of Wasson Peak, where you'll get sweeping views of the Tucson Valley and surrounding mountains.
The trail traverses classic Sonoran Desert terrain that's home to critters such as javelina and coyotes, along with plentiful bird life.
Sights along the way include some super-sized examples of the park's namesake saguaro cactus and an old stone-walled restroom, no longer in use, that dates to the Civilian Conservation Corps era in the 1930s.
To find the petroglyphs, hike to the picnic area at the 0.9-mile point and follow a broad, sandy wash downstream — watching for rock etchings on walls above the wash. Be aware that a hike to Wasson's summit involves nearly 2,000 feet of elevation gain, making this a moderately challenging round-trip trek of seven miles.
Get to the trailhead
From Tucson, go west on Speedway, which becomes Gates Pass Road. Cross the pass and continue to Kinney Road. Turn right, northwest, on Kinney and follow it 2.8 miles to a trailhead parking lot on the right side of the road just a few hundred feet past the entrance to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
The first part of the trail follows an old road bed.
Linda Vista Trail
What's out there
The name of this trail means "beautiful view" or "lovely vista" in Spanish. And, sure enough, hikers get some fine views of rolling desert terrain set against the backdrop of rugged Pusch Ridge.
Another plus: The trailhead — less than a quarter-mile east of North Oracle Road on the southwestern edge of the Catalina Mountains — offers convenient access, especially for residents of the northwest side.
The trail, which is made up of interconnected segments, lends itself to out-and-back hikes as well as a variety of loop routes. Start on Linda Vista's main segment, a little more than a half mile in length, and fashion your own short stroll or longer hike by combining other segments into a loop. Most of the loop routes fall into the easy-hiking category.
Get to the trailhead
Take North Oracle Road to Linda Vista Boulevard in Oro Valley. Turn east on Linda Vista and drive 0.2 of a mile to a trailhead and parking area on the right.
Picacho Peak
What's out there
Anyone who has driven from Tucson to Phoenix on Interstate 10 probably has noticed the blade of stone stabbing into the sky near the highway about 40 miles northwest of Tucson.
Picacho Peak looks dauntingly steep from some angles, but other views suggest a reasonable line of ascent for hikers.
The most popular hiking route to the top is the two-mile Hunter Trail. It traverses some steep terrain and is guarded in several places by steel-cable handrails anchored in the rock.
Most hikers in good physical condition can make it to the summit by using the handrails for security in the steep spots. But if you're seriously troubled by heights, you might pass up this hike and admire the 3,374-foot peak from below.
Get to the trailhead
From Tucson, follow I-10 northwest about 40 miles to the exit for Picacho Peak State Park. Stop at the park entrance station for directions to the trailhead. Admission is $6 per vehicle.
Ventana Canyon Trail
What's out there
Ventana is the Spanish word for "window" — and hearty hikers might choose to make a 12.8-mile round-trip trek up the Ventana Canyon Trail to reach a natural window in a rock formation.
But think twice about biting off the whole trail. The hike to the window involves 4,000 feet of elevation gain and will take you to a potentially cold and snowy altitude of 7,000 feet.
A scenic, satisfying and less chilly winter alternative is to hike the beautiful and still challenging 2.4-mile stretch from the trailhead to a spot called the Maiden Pools. You'll see plenty of formidable rock formations and grand desert landscapes along the way.
Get to the trailhead
The trailhead is at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, 7000 N. Resort Drive. From East Sunrise Drive and North Kolb Road, take Kolb Road north to a turnoff for the trailhead and resort. Park in the lot designated for hikers. It's at the end of an employees' lot.
Romero Canyon Trail
What's out there
Rugged Romero Canyon, slicing into the western flank of the Catalina Mountains from a trailhead at Catalina State Park, is known to many hikers as the route to Romero Pools.
The 2.8-mile stretch of the Romero Canyon Trail from the trailhead to the pools makes an excellent, moderately challenging winter hike because it's mostly in desert terrain.
Beyond the pools, the trail continues 4.4 miles to Romero Pass, which is 7.2 miles from the trailhead. Keep in mind, if you plan to make that 14.4-mile round-trip hike, that you could encounter cold weather and snow at the 6,000-foot elevation of the pass.
Get to the trailhead
Follow Oracle Road north out of Tucson to the Catalina State Park entrance at Milepost 81. The entrance fee is $6 per vehicle. A free park map will direct you to the trailhead.
Babad Do'ag Trail
What's out there
This 2.1-mile trail, which begins along the lower reaches of the Catalina Highway, winds through open Sonoran Desert terrain, continues along the side of a rugged canyon and tops out on a 4,700-foot high point with far-horizon views.
But before setting out, many hikers want to know: What does that name mean?
Babad Do'ag means "Frog Mountain" in the Tohono O'odham language, and it's the tribe's traditional name for the Catalina Mountains north of Tucson.
The trail is easy to moderate in difficulty, with about 1,200 feet of elevation gain.
Get to the trailhead
Take Tanque Verde Road to the Catalina Highway and follow the highway 4.5 miles to the foot of the mountains. From there, continue up the highway 2.6 miles to a parking lot at the Babad Do'ag overlook. The trail begins about 100 yards up the highway from the lot. source
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