Dennis Begin taken from San Ignacio Golf Course.
Mountain Wrightson and Mount Hopkins with Madera Canyon located between mountains.
Words by Dennis Begin
Madera Canyon, found just twenty-five miles southeast of Tucson, Arizona, is a hiker's paradise. The City of Tucson and the Santa Cruz Valley are surrounded by four major mountain ranges including the Santa Catalina, Rincon, Tucson, and the Santa Rita mountains. Madera Canyon is nestled in the northwest section of the Santa Rita Mountains, between Mount Hopkins and Mount Wrightson. These two mountains, which are isolated mountain ranges separated by desert valleys, are referred to as 'sky island.'
To reach Madera Canyon, you need to take the I-19 south towards Nogales and use the Continental Exit 63. Then, follow the Whitehouse Canyon Road east towards the Santa Rita Mountains. The strange elephant-head-shaped mountain, located to your right, indicates you are on the correct road.
Dennis Begin
The remaining wall of the Whitehouse.
There is a $5.00 Parking Day Pass when entering the Visitor Information Centre and Proctor Parking Lot. Passes can be purchased at any of the five parking lots along Canyon Road, which extends up the canyon to the Mount Wrightson Picnic/Trailhead, at an elevation of 1,658 m (5,440 ft). The paved road is approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) long, starting at the Proctor Parking Lot, with a base elevation of 1,343 m (4,407 feet). A Trail Guide can be obtained at the Santa Rita Gift Shop or any parking lot. The degree of difficulty for any hike depends on the elevation, ranging from easy to very difficult. Dogs are welcome but must be leashed. Wheelchair accessible trails are paved at the Whitehouse Picnic and the Proctor Parking Lots.
Dennis Begin
View from Mount Wrightson Picnic and Trailhead.
The Summit
Climbing towards the top, the mountain vegetation ranges from grassland, palo verde bushes, mesquite trees and saguaro cactus to Ponderosa pine and Douglas. The result is a very diverse ecology supporting a myriad of plant and animal species. The technical term is ‘riparian,’ which describes a zone of land and vegetation along Madera Creek.
At 2,881 m (9,453 ft), Mount Wrightson is the highest mountain in the area. Two trails to its summit cross one another twice and make a figure eight. The Old Baldy Trail is the shortest at 17 km (10.8 mi) round trip and the Super Trail, while not as steep, is the longest at 22.5 km (14 mi) round trip. The vertical climb covers 1,223 m (4,013 ft) from the Mount Wrightson Picnic/Trailhead Parking Lot.
Plan for a long day hike, cooler weather, and possible snow patches near the top, especially in the fall and spring. In November 1958, three boy scouts perished in a freak snowstorm at Josephine Saddle near the top.
It's best to begin your hike early in the morning, carrying three to four liters of water, food, layer clothing, backpack and stay on the Old Baldy Trail, as the north side of the trail is cooler. From the top of Mount Wrightson, the view to the north is of the Sonoran Desert and Green Valley, while to the south, the view is of the desert around Sonoita and Patagonia. Both sights are spectacular!
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Patricia Begin
Typical trail up Mount Wrightson.
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Patricia Begin
Mount Wrightson.
History
During the 1870s the first permanent adobe structure in the canyon was built by a sheepherder named Walden. In 1882, Theodore Wellish bought the house and painted it white. Today, only part of one wall remains standing and is found near the Proctor Parking lot. For many years, the name White House applied to the entire canyon. When William Wrightson, a local miner and entrepreneur, was killed by Apaches in 1865, the nearby mountain was named after him.
The name "Madera" is Spanish for 'lumber' and the mountains became known as Sierra de la Madera, the original name of the Santa Rita Mountains. The entire area was later designated as Madera Canyon. Many of the original trails in the canyon were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during Roosevelt's New Deal of the 1930s. In 1987, a large number of volunteers began to develop the canyon further.
FOMC
The canyon’s trails are maintained by the Friends of Madera Canyon (FOMC). Their mission is to assist the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to maintain and preserve the ecological diversity of the canyon. They also provide brochures, clean-up crews, educational programs, signs, trail repairs, and handicap facilities, as well as welcoming visitors.
Madera Canyon is a very popular facility especially for picnics, birding, nature trails, and day visitors. The only camping site is Bog Springs Campground, providing picnic tables, facilities, and water. You will need to bring firewood. Limited accommodations can be found at the Santa Rita Lodge, the Kubo Bed & Breakfast and the Chuparosa B&B, located along the Canyon Road. Reservations are necessary. There are a few private cabins throughout the canyon.
Dennis Begin
Chuparosa Bed and Breakfast on Canyon Road.
Birds of the Canyon
Because of the diverse forest in the canyon, Madera Canyon has 256 species of birds and with well over 10,000 birds it is ranked as the third-best birding destination in the entire United States. Several bird hotspots can be found near the parking areas, trailheads, picnic areas, and the Amphitheater. The resident birds including hummingbirds, owls, sulphur flycatchers, wood warblers, elegant trogan, and quails, as well as numerous migrating birds. The FOMC publishes a comprehensive, ‘Birds of Madera Canyon’ pamphlet. Other animals found in the forested areas include bears, bobcats, mule deer, mountain goats, and colourful wild turkeys.
Dennis Begin
Amphitheater used for bird watching.
Mount Hopkins
At 2,617 m (8,550 feet), Mount Hopkins is the second-highest in the Santa Rita Mountains. From the canyon, a white object appears to be sitting on top of the mountain. The object is one of the world’s largest astronomical telescopes, the M.M.T. Observatory or Multiple Mirror Telescope. The Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory is a joint facility of the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Arizona.
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Dennis Begin
Accessible Trails for Wheelchairs.
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Dennis Begin
Bridge across Madera Creek.
Hiking Sources
Before heading up the mountain be sure to purchase some good reading material including Tucson Hiking Guide (Betty Leavengood), Your Guide to the Area’s Most Beautiful Hikes (Rob Rachowiecki) and Best Easy Day Hikes (Bruce Grubb). These sources provide details on trailheads, hiking routes, needed equipment and maps.