The trail will become steeper and steeper and the hills will shift into the towering expanses of Catalina Sky Island. Activities Hiking Water cascades down the granite cliffs into clear pools that you can relax around, and swim or wade into. Steep ascents remind you how out of shape you are, while flat spaces between climbs provide a welcome respite (and also keep this hike ranked a 3 on trailvoyant.com, a local Tucson hiking resource). min-width: 0; The Pinnacle itself features several trad, sport, and top rope routes including a series of anchors and chains at the top. The hike begins at Romero Canyon Trailhead. Take a dip. This is typical sonoran desert hiking as you'll see plenty of your favorite cacti. adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []; 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. Bear Mountain, Sedona. Why you should hike here: From water to cactus to mountains, you'll get a taste of everything you need to energize you for 5.5 miles of hiking and still leave with a smile on your face. No matter what your level of physical fitness is, you are sure to break a sweat on this climb. The trail is lined with p At the main parking lot of Sabino Canyon, there are a few different trams you can take to nearby trailheads. Back when I was in undergrad, I thoroughly messed up, and didnt enjoy the AMAZING hiking opportunities that abound in the Tucson area. Sign up below for new hiking guides, trip reports, gear reviews, and more. If It doesnt load the first time, hit your reset button . Beautiful weather and the water was running. This cycle will change the landscape of the Sonoran Desert forever, unless we do something. For example, Mt Graham red squirrels only live on Mt Graham and were thought to be extinct until a new family was discovered fifty years ago. Its important that you are honest with yourself if you are feeling too tired or run out of key supplies like food or water. Our much older blog posts can still be found here. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Thus, when fires started, they were generally small and didnt burn at extreme temperatures. Really, people underestimate the desert. In each of these zones, an entirely new set of plants animals live. The Romero Pools section is an extremely popular portion of this scenic trail, but there's so much more after the pools! *Note: Always check for trail closures and weather information when planning your trip, beforehand or the day of. Read More Download the Outbound mobile app While the land will heal to some extent, please know that this process will take many many years. This trail goes by Montrose Pools and Sutherland Trailhead. People frequently have to get rescued from this canyon. Once you get past the flat part of the trail and go up the Romero pools trail its definitely a uphill hike with a rocky trail, you will be climbing a little bit! After a while, I realized that I just liked watching the diversity of life and land. The Romero Pools Trail is not appropriate for people that are not prepared via supplies and physical ability. These pools look so pretty in the middle of the rugged landscape. width: 800px; Another Tucson-area hike, Romero Pools is a 5.5-mile adventure through Catalina State Park. Bring a map of where you are going. It's been about 5 years since we hiked the Romero Pools Trail, which means we've been long overdue for another hike there. Stay right here. The Romero Hiking Trail continues another 4.4 miles, beyond the pools, to Romero Pass (miles not included above) for those who want to hike further. And more people using the land, especially people who arent responsible, increase incidences of human-caused fire. After passing through the desert, you will begin your true climb into the mountains. After 0.3 miles, turn left on Main Avenue. I loved how the Sonoran Desert shifted in each season, responding to the increases of heat and water. Ive lived here my whole life and I still learn about new trails every day. Bring plenty of water, wear sunscreen, hat/glasses as there is very little shade on this moderately strenuous trail. If you're needing overnight lodging, then Tucson would be your best place to look. The hike to Romero Pools is Catalina State Park's most popular trail. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you arrive and the first pools feel a bit crowded, just continue up the wash. You are sure to find a serene location to take a dip. AZ is one of the most biodiverse states in the US! It is not a dangerous flow. Its good to have hiking poles especially for heading downward. Just past aspur trail to Montrose Pools (a scenic, sometimes flowing, stream bed) the Romero Hiking Trail begins to climb in earnest. (End of the road when you enter Catalina State Park from Oracle Rd - entrance fee required) Romero Canyon Trail. Youll stretch your legs up and over steep steps, hop from rock to rock and carefully balance close to the trails edge. Please read our disclaimer. D riving along busy Oracle Road, with its plethora of housing developments and shopping malls, one does not expect the grand and wild beauty that awaits just inside the entrance to Catalina State Park. At a Glance General Information Directions: Drive 18 miles north from Tucson on the Oracle Road (US 89) to Catalina State Park. (LogOut/ 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. Hikers, cyclists and equestrians alike share and enjoy the trail. Each pool sits in a stone basin, with water running down from the highest points of the mountains and down towards the desert below. Your email address will not be published. Quite rugged uphill but clear path. First, as you traverse the hills on your way towards the mountains, you will notice some of the charismatic plants that everyone envisions of when they think about the Sonoran Desert- like the saguaro. . Cool breezes on your sweaty forehead help a bit. Even if you cant physically explore the world, we hope that you enjoy the escape our site provides. It's 5.6 miles of moderate hiking with broad, scenic views of Pusch Ridge and the Santa Catalinas, ending at pools and flowing waterfalls. This popular trail is a paved road that crosses 9 stone bridges over Sabino Creek. Romero Canyon Trail ends at Romero Pass, where it intersects Mt. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Visitors entering on foot or bicycle are $3. The lower reaches of the Catalina Mountains, as well as many other places throughout Arizona, were once used as ranching land and during these times, people encouraged the growth of grasses. CF Ventana Canyon 12. Bring snacks. I could see the rose quartz crystals on the trail with the bedding plane shifted 90 degrees. This trail starts at the Romero Canyon Trailhead with an easy walk of about a mile. Romero Pools is a full sun hike, even though we ended up in a riparian area. All copy and images contained in this website are the property of AZ Utopia. First 1.1 miles is easy walking, smooth well-traveled trail to the Montrose pools. Plenty of water in the pools. 2023 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. Along the way, you see fields of 200-year-old saguaros and jagged rock outcroppings. The first mile is relatively flat and an easy walk which. (LogOut/ Bring plenty of water. The first mile is relatively flat and an easy walk which makes for a great warm-up for the hills. Plan on two hours of walking one way from the Trailhead to the pools. Round trip including a stop for lunch took just over 4 hrs 15 minutes. To stay on the Romero canyon trail, stay left here. Although more challenging than the previous two hikes -- it's virtually all uphill -- the reward is sweet enough that you'll quickly forget about the difficulty. Glimpses of a tenacious mountain stream, persistently carving its way through the canyon, appear and disappear along the length of this rugged trail. Poor trail conditions might be encountered," they warn. If you are coming from Phoenix, you can take the I-10 down into the city and then head east to the 77, or the 79 south to the 77. The trail then slowly climbs up-canyon 4.4 miles to Romero Pass at 6,000 feet elevation. Journey was great not necessarily the destination. We could have taken the Romero Trail all the way to the top of Mt Lemmon (it goes). Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 58 min to complete. } Thanks for sharing about this hike. Jordan is a relatively small country with a deep and rich history and stunning natural beauty. And make whatever changes you can in your own life to help- donate, volunteer, plant trees, and save energy. 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. Basic HTML is allowed. The trees will grow bigger here, and the ground will become that distinct, soft sand of oases in the Sonoran Desert. On the Trail The Romero Pools are situated about 3 miles from the trailhead and are beautiful. The park is conveniently located just 30 minutes of the big city of Tucson and just 5 minutes from the smaller city of Oro Valley. In fact, at the time that buffelgrass was brought to Arizona in those days, it was considered a wonder plant. Every view is amazing on this trail, and for any hiker, local or visiting, this should be on your bucketlist. Crossed it by taking off our shoes (not waterproof). 1,732 Tucson AZ Homes for Sale. There was snow over night but the trail was in Great shape. 72K subscribers in the Tucson community. The route is rugged and at water crossings, the rocks are slippery. It takes 10 years for a baby saguaro to reach one inch tall. I imagine theyre most full during monsoon season, but its brutally hot then. We weren't allowed to interact with sea lions at t, You know how the saying goes - when life gives you, This was my first sunset of my first @UnCruise in, Rickwood caverns might be Alabama's most adventuro, It's finally time for me to start my first UnCruis, We're excited to try UnCruise, because, at Coleman, 15 Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Petra Jordan, Understanding Overtourism And How To Travel Responsibly, Comprehensive Luxury Jordan Itinerary - Experience the Best of Jordan, the latest CDC recommendations for travelers, Trailhead: Catalina State Park. A scenic hike with lots of rocky areas. From the Trailhead to Romero Pools is 2.8 miles with an elevation gain of 900 feet. Romero Pools Rating: Round Trip Distance: 6 miles Difficulty: Strenuous Elevation: 2710 - 3803 feet Cellphone: 2-5 bars Time: 3 hrs. It's true it's hard but it's a beautiful challenge. Devin exploring Romero Pools by headlamp. As a result, it is the most popular hike in Catalina State Park. At this elevation, grasses cover the plains while the oaks prefer the valleys. .main-inner .fauxcolumn-center-outer { Start your hike at the trailhead parking lot, cross Sutherland Wash, and then begin your steep climb up to the pools. AZ is one of the most biodiverse states in the US! Thanks to his dad and the Boy Scouts, he was able to spend a lot of time hiking at an early age. Did not even stop at pools, as the rest uwas so much better. Everyone needs to be aware of this huge impact, how to help mitigation the impacts of these natural disasters, and what it means for us here on the West Coast. If you cross the stream and continue on about a half mile or so maybe a little less you get to see some more pools and water falls, A beautiful short day hike ending at beautiful cool pools of water and several small waterfalls. Gave 5 stars based on memory of post rain or snowmelt falls. 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