Catalina State Park: Romero pools hike - See 801 traveler reviews, 541 candid photos, and great deals for Tucson, AZ, at Tripadvisor. Its for the strong, and spiky who give their own brand of love. Its anything but nice to walk on because its often rough and jagged. The hike takes about 3 hours round trip and it is recommended to bring at least 1 quart of water per person. star rate star rate star rate star rate star rate (0). Difficulty: Moderate; Distance: 5.5 miles; Elevation Gain: 1,322 feet; Trail is very well maintained and easy to follow to the water pools. Before you go, please check outthe latest CDC recommendations for travelers. .main-inner .fauxcolumn-left-outer { After a while, I realized that I just liked watching the diversity of life and land. a memorable climb. Beautiful views, though very busy. Change). Dogs are not allowed. Park at the end of the road. (say the g as an h>sah-wah-roh). Box 245067 | Tucson, Arizona 85724 (520)-626-1069 | Admin Login Continue east onTangerine Road for 13.91 miles, then turn right / south onto Oracle Road. // Supply ads personalization default for EEA readers Well maintained, well marked trail! The first arms come when they are over 100 years. On the ascent, hikers are treated to breathtaking views of the Santa Catalina Mountains. 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. Keep your spirits up and your hands clean. by Paul Riedinger. If its the only option, of course, go for it! don 8 months, 2 weeks ago. You will also find cliffs of . Ive done a lot more hiking this year but not really in a desert like place such as Arizona. We know our state well and we love it. While the land will heal to some extent, please know that this process will take many many years. The golden hue comes from the roots of the Mexican Oaktrees which leak color into the stream. In 2020, we here in Arizona suffered from many devastating wildfires, including the Bighorn Fire, which burned throughout the Catalina Mountains. Help hold major polluting companies accountable for their impacts so that they will innovate on solutions. Visitors entering on foot or bicycle are $3. AZ is one of the most biodiverse states in the US! Tucson has SO many amazing hikes! And more people using the land, especially people who arent responsible, increase incidences of human-caused fire. The exposed geology makes Tucson trekking timeless. Want to hike Tucsons best trails? ML Butterfly Trail 14. Hiking through a desert must be so interesting. Ready for a hike? From the well signed trailhead, the first thing you'll need to do is cross a normally dry wash. People underestimate how diverse and living the desert is. In a nutshell, we are a Huntsville-based Gen X couple sharing our stories of amazing adventures through activity-driven transformational and experiential travel. Youll stretch your legs up and over steep steps, hop from rock to rock and carefully balance close to the trails edge. Read More Download the Outbound mobile app The next 1.7 miles are a steep and rocky climb to Romero Pools. Water was flowing great at the end. 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. Glimpses of a tenaciousmountainstream, persistentlycarvingits way through the canyon, appear and disappear along the length of this rugged trail. Even though it had rained pretty heavily a few days before we got there, the Romero Pools were pretty low. 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 Learn more about overtourism and tips for sustainable travel here! Quite rugged uphill but clear path. Suggest ankle support. I wish Id know about the Romero Pools Trail back then! Continue for 13 miles then turn right atCatalina State Park. This moderate trail out of Catalina State Park will give you sweeping views of Oro Valley and cool pools you can dip your toes in at the end. 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. Romero Canyon Trail takes you to Romero Pools with amazing views of the state park below. 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. What are your favorite Tucson hikes? Our work will help you visit bucketlist destinations that everyone sees, but more importantly, to find mind-blowing destinations that most might not be aware of. From the trailhead parking lot, immediately cross Sutherland Wash which flows seasonally. Hi! This is a popular swimming hole in warmer months, water levels depending. You might also consider donating to this work. I lived in AZ for over 20 years but didnt get down to the Tucson area much. Hike to the Romero Pools near Tuscon, Arizona. This is our third time conquering this moderately strenuous day hike, always opting to do it in the early part of the year. Round trip including a stop for lunch took just over 4 hrs 15 minutes. .main-inner .fauxcolumn-right-outer { } ML Marshall Gulch Loop 16.ML Meadow Trail 17. Our first time visiting the pools was in March 2010 and second time in February of [] Max's early childhood was spent in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains in Northern Utah and his teenage years in the red rock desert of Southern Utah. They are a juxtaposition between strength and vulnerability, taking and giving that forms this world in balance. Lots of water everywhere including parts of the trail which makes some parts slippery. Beautiful looking hike. .main-inner .column-right-outer { Nature, Catalina, 50-Year and Bridle Trail Loop, Sutherland, Trail Link, and Nature Trail Loop, Golder Ranch, 50 Year Trail, and Middlegate Loop, Dripping Springs Loop from Catalina State Park Back Entrance. You may think that wildfires are natural to the Sonoran Desert, and in a way, you are right. Such a pity about the fires and worse yet that they are because of humans. There was some water on the trails. As the trailzig-zags upcraggy Romero Canyon, between larger-than-life boulder-scapes, a 180 turn reveals increasingly radicalviews ofMarana, stretching all the way to the horizon. Takes months to expire, is durable in packs that might see some abuse and doesnt melt all over your hands. Marvel at the heights you gained on this walk up into the wilds of Arizona on the Romero Pools Trail. Fire rules are meant to help prevent fires, so please respect them. Only saw a few people on the way up. These larger fires then burn and kill more native species. Romero Pools sits at about 4000, which is just the start of the pinon oak forest. This popular trail is a paved road that crosses 9 stone bridges over Sabino Creek. This is the location of the Romero Pools and the turn around point for this hike. The hike takes you to a beautiful desert oasis set in a canyon with water that flows most, if not all of the year. If you are in Tucson, take the 77 north to the state park. It can be very breezy and cold at times. Trail Length: 5.60 miles: Trail Type: Out & Back: Hike Difficulty: Intermediate: Elevation Gain: 1046 feet: Trails/Routes: 2.8-3.5 mi Lemmon) and West Fork Sabino Trail (to Sabino Canyon). ML Wilderness of Rock 18. Crossed it by taking off our shoes (not waterproof). Views were beautiful as you got farther into the mountains. Its in these washes where we have seen the black and yellow spotted gila monsters, the largest lizards of the desert. CF Linda Vista Loop 8. 91 votes, 17 comments. 3.3 mi Distance 1 hrs 59 min Time terrain 187 ft Elev Gain Overview This is a easy loop trail in Catalina State Park. The pools are a system of puddles and streams, ranging from relatively still to flowing waterfalls that feed deep swimming holes surrounded by smooth rock. 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