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Story & photos by Dennis Begin
While North Vancouver has the North Shore and the Grouse Grind for hiking, Tucson, Arizona has Sabino Canyon. The canyon provides a unique way to explore the wilderness from riding a shuttle bus to walking or hiking the rust coloured canyon.
The National Park Service in the United States has stated that 280 million people visit their parks every year. Of that, 34.88 million took a hike in one form or another during 2013. Hiking is a very popular recreational activity that most people can engage in, with little experience or expense. A hike can be a long walk along the shores of a beautiful lake to overnight backpacking, involving camping equipment and some expertise.
The five mountain ranges and the Sonoran Desert that encircle Tucson have many natural hiking areas, including Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, the Tanque Verde Ridge Trail in the Rincon Mountains, and the Tucson Loop in the Oro and Marana Valleys. A good hiking reference is ‘Southern Arizona Trails’ by David Mazel and Robert Blake.
Sabino Canyon is located in the foothills just north of Tucson in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness area of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The canyon has an interesting history, being a former home for the Hohokam Indians and later used as a recreational area for early Tucson residents. It was during Roosevelt’s New Deal of the 1930’s that the WPA and CCC built roads, bridges and hiking trails throughout the canyon. Their legacy is a 5.9 km (3.7 mi) winding road near the base of Thimble Peak at 1622 m (5,323 ft). No private vehicles have been allowed in the canyon since 1978 and there is limited use by bicycles. As for getting to the canyon, it is only a 30-40 minute drive from any part of Tucson.
The Sabino Canyon Tours Company has operated guided tours into the canyon since 1985. The vast majority of people take the Sabino Canyon Trail Tour, boarding the open air shuttle for a $10.00 fee. There are nine stops along the paved route taking approximately forty-five minutes for a round trip. The shuttle follows the Sabino Creek up the canyon, with the creek providing natural pools, picnic areas and viewpoints. Bring your camera. For those who do not wish to hike, the shuttle is a picturesque ride, with narration by a park guide explaining the history, geology and vegetation of the canyon. At any of the stops, you can disembark and go for a hike, enjoy some quiet time and/or use the facilities. The next shuttle can be boarded in thirty minutes, going up or down, by just showing your ticket. Lose your ticket and it can be a long walk back to the car.
For hikers some of the more popular routes include the Blackett’s Ridge, Phoneline and Esperero Trails. Another shorter shuttle ride of 3.2 km (mi) is the Bear Canyon Trail Tour, which provides a hiking path to Seven Falls. Experienced hikers looking for a real challenge can follow the 22 km (14 mi) Sabino Canyon Trail to Mt. Lemmon, the local ski resort.
The large saguaros decorate the canyon walls, sprouting from the sand and rocks. There is an abundance of every type of cacti, ranging from cholla, prickly pear to ocotillo. It is the Sabino Creek that provides the life for the palo verde and cottonwood trees as well as the many animals that live in the canyon. The array of animals including Gila monsters, bighorn sheep, spotted owls, deer and black bears. Bighorn sheep are the most obvious, dotting the mountain sides while avoiding the hikers. Despite 1.25 million visitors every year, the canyon remains a place of tranquility, solitude and inspiration, being nicknamed ‘A Desert Oasis’.
At the Visitor Center, there is a gift shop, bathroom facilities, exhibits, a nature trail and volunteer naturalists who can provide further information about the canyon.
On a beautiful day, there is no better way to enjoy Mother Nature in all its splendor.