They need the saguaros just like the saguaro needs them to distribute their fruit. Continue east onTangerine Road for 13.91 miles, then turn right / south onto Oracle Road. If It doesnt load the first time, hit your reset button . In 2020, we here in Arizona suffered from many devastating wildfires, including the Bighorn Fire, which burned throughout the Catalina Mountains. This is our third time conquering this moderately strenuous day hike, always opting to do it in the early part of the year. width: 0; For instance, if you develop blisters and/or hot spots, you can use your supplies to prevent further damage to your feet and continue moving. They are worth taking the short side trek down to see. These invasive plants cover ground previously open, allowing fires to spread further, faster, and hotter. Romero Pools offers hikers the chance to cool off on a hot day with a refreshing swim in a gorgeous canyon. 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. Sutherland Trail Out-and-Back. You might also consider donating to this work. Is Tucson Mountain Park dog friendly? Stunning trail and the cool pools were a gift. During the summer time be sure to watch out for rattle snakes! The loop is relatively flat, although starts with a short uphill burst before leveling off. Area/Length : 6.6 miles Elevation : 2,800 feet - 6,000 feet Forest Service Home| USDA.gov| recreation.gov| Recreation Customer Service Standards| USA.gov| Whitehouse.gov Plug-Ins| FOIA| Accessibility Statement| Privacy Policy| Important Notices| Information Quality We got up early the first morning and hit the canyon loop trail and part of the Romero Pools hike. Tucson, AZ. The hike to Romero Pools is Catalina State Park's most popular trail. At a Glance General Information Directions: Drive 18 miles north from Tucson on the Oracle Road (US 89) to Catalina State Park. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Even though it had rained pretty heavily a few days before we got there, the Romero Pools were pretty low. Difficulty: Moderate; Distance: 5.5 miles; Elevation Gain: 1,322 feet; Follow along for practical tips and inspiring advice. From anywhere south of Tucson, head into town and then jump on the 77 north. As an added bonus, the Pools themselves are a unique sight in the desert. Box 245067 | Tucson, Arizona 85724 (520)-626-1069 | Admin Login 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. From the well signed trailhead, the first thing you'll need to do is cross a normally dry wash. Romero Canyon Pools. This means that buffelgrass thrives after wildfires; it grows back quickly, its seeds benefit from the fire, and in Arizona, fires also wipe out competitive species, making more room for buffelgrass. So kick-off your shoes. If you are in Tucson, take the 77 north to the state park. The trees will grow bigger here, and the ground will become that distinct, soft sand of oases in the Sonoran Desert. I like the Sweet & Spicy Pecan mix from Trader Joes. Ample parking is available as are bathrooms. When native species die, buffelgrass has more space to grow, and thus, provide more fuel for fires. I did spot a Gila Monster, which was the highlight of my day. Did not even stop at pools, as the rest uwas so much better. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Here at Coleman Concierge, we encourage everyone to travel responsibly and believe there is potential for tremendous good for the world following that ethos. I visited a friend in Tucson, Arizona for about a month in 2005 and didnt get much hiking in, and Ive been kicking myself ever since. 2023 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. 2 Beds. Id love to hike there. Before you go, please check outthe latest CDC recommendations for travelers. A friendly chipmunk, which we spotted far from that guy <, 9 Unexpected Things You Should Pack for a Long Vacation Arizona Travels, Head lamp: good for dusk and dawn hikes. body { There will be a time to travel soon enough. First 1.1 miles is easy walking, smooth well-traveled trail to the Montrose pools. Oh darn! Required fields are marked *. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We are a travel couple dedicated to choosing a life full of fun and finding adventures worth sharing. Either a Diamondback or a King Snakedidnt want to get too close! Such a pity about the fires and worse yet that they are because of humans. } #layout .content-outer { Ive never been to Arizona but if I go Ill check out the Catalina Mountains and this hike. Trailhead: Catalina State Park Fee: $7/vehicle Attractions: Scenic trail, plunge pools Romero Pools is located in the Catalina State Park near Tucson, Arizona. Bring lots of water and be careful on the rocks in the pools, as they are quite slippery! Long Hike: to Romero Spring 10 miles - B+ Short Hike: To Romero Pools 6 miles - B Alltrails description and map of the hike Directions: Take 1-10 south and take Exit 240. Hiking info for Romero Pools via Romero Canyon, located in Catalina State Park, Arizona. 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. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Rugged Ocotillo, with their branches covered in thorns, claim the sun and the rocks while the majestic Saguaros dominate the north and east slopes that provide just a little relief from the blazing sun. Back when I was in undergrad, I thoroughly messed up, and didnt enjoy the AMAZING hiking opportunities that abound in the Tucson area. Bring hiking shoes or sandals that provide good traction and trekking poles to help with stability. (LogOut/ Great hike! Took just under 3 hours with lots of pics and a brief stop at the top. Dogs are allowed for the first mile or so, after which the trail runs through Bighorn Sheep wilderness, which is strictly protected and dogs are strictly forbidden. ML Butterfly Trail 14. Starting from the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area you'll want to follow signs for the Bear Canyon Trail. We didn't use poles and didn't miss them either. The golden hue comes from the roots of the Mexican Oaktrees which leak color into the stream. They need their host plant when they are young, which they eventually kill as they grow. The pools were just amazing and felt like a hidden paradise. Look closer at an old saguaro to see all kinds of cracks and holes that animals live in. The water at the pools is usually very cold, which can be really nice on a hot day. Take it easygo slow, take breaks. We had to ford the stream at the start of the hike. Romero Canyon Trail ends at Romero Pass, where it intersects Mt. Share this trail: Previous Next. Starting from Catalina State Park, you wind your way up the rocky slopes of the Catalina Mountains for about 3-miles until you reach Romero Pools. Visitors entering on foot or bicycle are $3. This isnt an easy trail. He completed his first 14-mile day hike at age 7 in Zion National Park and was backpacking by age 11. (LogOut/ min-width: 0; Leave a comment (up top, to the left) and let me know! Takes months to expire, is durable in packs that might see some abuse and doesnt melt all over your hands. It has a slippery chute worn into the sandstone. This is a hike with a very beautiful view and definitely worth doing. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 58 min to complete. Its anything but nice to walk on because its often rough and jagged. Mount Kimball. width: 0; 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. People underestimate how diverse and living the desert is. .main-inner .column-right-outer { There is a water crossing at the beginning that youre probably going to get your socks and shoes wet. parseInt("0") - This part might be a little difficult for beginners, but still worth it once you get to the pools. These giants are the old growth forest of the American Southwest. Continue your trek upwards, exploring the small riparian forest and particularly bushy grasses surrounding the water. Here exposed points of bedrock (Gneiss) poke through the alluvium. Trail is very well maintained and easy to follow to the water pools. You can download the trail layer to your GPS, or navigate right off your phone. Explore more of our guides to get an inside view on the best places to visit and explore in our state. Your safety is your responsibility. Views of the mountains during the hike is exceptional. There will be a restroom and a very small shop there. The difficulty increases with the length of the hike. What are your favorite Tucson hikes? We've got hundreds of well documented Arizona hikes. Be sure to enjoy the views as you climb. Check out this stunner! Romero Pools is a short hike that starts at the Romero Canyon Trailhead in Catalina State Park, northeast of Tucson, Arizona. A scenic hike through a desert landscape with a refreshing waterfall reward at the end. Right from the start, the Romero Hiking Trail hints at the refreshing oasis of pools and cascades that await, less than 3-miles in. ML Marshall Gulch Loop 16.ML Meadow Trail 17. From your vantage point, storm activity may not always be visible. 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 exposed geology makes Tucson trekking timeless. Once you reach the water, you discover how much vibrancy the Sonoran Desert brings. In a nutshell, we are a Huntsville-based Gen X couple sharing our stories of amazing adventures through activity-driven transformational and experiential travel. Fire rules are meant to help prevent fires, so please respect them. As a result, so is this trail. Sometimes these are mistakes or accidents that couldnt be helped, but other times, they are stupid mistakes or outright negligence. Its important that you are honest with yourself if you are feeling too tired or run out of key supplies like food or water. The park is open year round from5:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m. daily. It's been about 5 years since we hiked the Romero Pools Trail, which means we've been long overdue for another hike there. The well worn trail is easy to follow for it's entire length to the Romero Pools. Bring appropriate clothes (it can get cold in the higher reaches of the mountains in the mornings and in the fall/winter/spring). We kept saying that the trails were much rougher than we remembered as we slugged along. Romero Canyon Trail takes you to Romero Pools with amazing views of the state park below. adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []; Up and up you will travel, until you find the trail arching down into one of those narrow, mountain valleys. AZ is one of the most biodiverse states in the US! If you're coming to Jordan, you will definitely be planning a Petra tour. People frequently have to get rescued from this canyon. It took us two and a half hours for the out and back to the Romero pools. The pools are formed along a stream bed and water flows seasonally. } Catalina State Park charges an entrance fee of $7/vehicle. Depending on recent rains, this wash may or may not have water in it. Right from the start, the Romero Hiking Trail hints at therefreshing oasisof pools and cascades that await, less than 3-milesin. The Romero Canyon Trail is moderate in difficulty and an out-and-back trail that's about 5.5 miles long. I love finding water in these remote areas. . This is challenging hike. Great mountain views and high desert fl ora characterize the hike, and wildlife ranging from skunks to See more on Trails Experience the brilliance of poppies in the springtime on the Sutherland Trail. You have the option to either hop on a tram that will take you to the 7 Falls trailhead for $4 a person, or walk the 2 miles yourself. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. padding-left: 0; adventures and follow local regulations. // Vocal Adduction Exercises Pdf, Is Sheila Atkins A Real Author, What Did Catharine Lorre Die Of, Daniel Lacy Son Of Julia Duffy, Baseball Tournaments 2022 Ontario, Articles R