Lots of rocks to deal with. . after 1.1 miles, we reached the foothills. You'll need to leave pups at home dogs aren't allowed on this trail. If It doesnt load the first time, hit your reset button . I enjoyed it and am glad I made it to the pools. } Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 58 min to complete. Climb to the highest peak in the Tucson Mountain. Upper section of Romero Canyon shows recent work, but still a few issues. Thus, for your sake and the sake of the local community, go prepared. Trail in great shape. Was in and out in four hours. Gave 5 stars based on memory of post rain or snowmelt falls. You should also insure that you limit your impact on the trail and the environment. These pools are also home to bighorn sheep, which need surface water to survive. Busy area even on Wednesday. Both should only be done with organizations that know how to safely carry out these activities. I would have given 4.5 stars. The fire sounds devastating but nature is resilient! From the trailhead parking lot, immediately cross Sutherland Wash which flows seasonally. Looking down Romero Canyon. Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norn, (2) Always Let Someone Know Where You Are Hiking, Romero Pools Trail: A Hiking Guide from an Arizona Local, Two Classic Short Hikes in Tucson, AZ: Tanque Verde and Tumamoc Hill, Two Challenging Grand Canyon South Rim Day Hikes. I loved it! As an added bonus, the Pools themselves are a unique sight in the desert. Area/Length : 6.6 miles Elevation : 2,800 feet - 6,000 feet Avoid Dehydration Return to top Supervisor's Office 300 W. Congress St. Tucson, AZ 85701 (520) 388-8300 Contact Us Recreation.gov askUSDA Report Fraud on USDA Contracts Accessibility Statement WhiteHouse.gov Policies and Links Visit OIG Privacy Policy Youll look dumb but feel ridiculously smart. --> After 1.7 miles from the Montrose pools, the trail will drop into a canyon and cross the wash again. adsbygoogle.requestNonPersonalizedAds = 1; They are worth taking the short side trek down to see. One of the most accessible major peaks in the Catalinas. Great hike. $175,000 Open Wed 9AM - 7PM. But there is so much to see in AZ. Loved the views and the scenery. I advise you start this hike as early as possible. There are few hikes in the country with this level of biodiversity that also offer a glimpse of the pernicious and hidden Sonoran landscape. Takes about 2 hours there and back. The signed entrance to the park is at Milepost 81. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. 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. ML Babad Do'ag Trail 13. CF Linda Vista Loop 8. Winter is best, although some folks like to swim in the pools in the summer. Drive north out of Tucson on Oracle Road, which becomes Arizona 77. Either a Diamondback or a King Snakedidnt want to get too close! You'll peak out after climbing 1000 feet. Remember that grass I mentioned earlier, buffelgrass? Up to Romero pools in about 2 hrs, down and back to trailhead in about 1 1/2 hours for this senior citizen of 71 years. place Pima County, Arizona . The trail climbs up an exposed ridge and only drops into the valley at the very end. 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. The Catalina State Park is a popular destination and it's easy to see why. Required fields are marked *. Length: 5.5 miles (round trip) Elevation change: 1,300 feet; Time (including travel): 4 to . They need their host plant when they are young, which they eventually kill as they grow. Its anything but nice to walk on because its often rough and jagged. I love Catalina State Park! 72K subscribers in the Tucson community. From Romero Pools cross Romero Pass at 6,080 feet before descending on the West Fork Trail #24 before turning south on Sabino Canyon Trail #23. The vast majority of fires that get out of hand, here in AZ and elsewhere, are human-caused. 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. Here are other trails in Catalina State Park to explore while youre hiking Romero Pools. AZ is one of the most biodiverse states in the US! When you reach the final pool, turn around and go back the way you came. Tucson, AZ. 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. Its good to have hiking poles especially for heading downward. Well maintained trail. Lemmon. Thus, when fires started, they were generally small and didnt burn at extreme temperatures. Hiking and Inspiration from Arizonas great outdoors, $7 Day use (or Arizona State Parks Annual Pass). Lemmon Trail (to Mt. 4 hrs This rocky trail follows yet another of the many gorgeous canyons climbing into the Catalinas. Keep your spirits up and your hands clean. This was a hard hike. Each pool sits in a stone basin, with water running down from the highest points of the mountains and down towards the desert below. The water was deep enough to cut off the trail right at the start. SC Blackett's Ridge Trail 19. Bring a map of where you are going. "The next 1.7 miles is a steep and rocky climb to Romero Pools. 4. Invasive fountain grass in the Catalinas (c) ABR 2019, Bathroom Facilities: Yes, at the trailhead, Entrance Fee: $7.00 per vehicle (4 people) via Catalina State Park. #layout .region-inner { This is a 5.9 mile out-and-back hike with 1300 cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes about 3-5 hours to complete. It can be very breezy and cold at times. Medium Romero Canyon Trail to Romero Pools. Help hold major polluting companies accountable for their impacts so that they will innovate on solutions. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. 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. 11570 N Oracle Rd, Tucson, AZ. Breathtaking vistas in the Romero Pass area give hikers unforgettable views of Pusch Ridge. Explore more of our guides to get an inside view on the best places to visit and explore in our state. This trail goes by Montrose Pools and Sutherland Trailhead. The Romero Pools Trail is a day hike, not a short romp, and you will be traveling into wilderness areas, where rescues arent easy, safe, or cheap. Catalina State Park: Return visit after many yeard - See 809 traveler reviews, 543 candid photos, and great deals for Tucson, AZ, at Tripadvisor. Below is our interactive Romero Pools trail map. Always a gorgeous hike! This part of the trail is not as steep as what you will need to tackle further on, and it also features two different ecosystems. Romero Pools sits at about 4000, which is just the start of the pinon oak forest. Its for the strong, and spiky who give their own brand of love. Here, the trail will bring you across cliffs that stretch over narrow valleys. Bring hiking shoes or sandals that provide good traction and trekking poles to help with stability. If you live in the area or are here for a while, consider volunteering for invasive plant management activities- these might include removals or treatments. Lizards of every description dart across the trail. Dragging chains spark and in the dry conditions of Arizona, this can easily spark a fire. This means at the very start (and end) you will have to wade through about 30 yards of water. margin-right: -360px; The Romero Canyon Trail continues past the Romero Pools, but it seems like most of the cool rocks stop here. 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. This is a very popular area for hiking, horse riding, and running, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. 5mi 4h 30m Show 3 More Check-Ins Nearby Recommended Routes Canyon Loop via Horse Trail 3.1 mi 285' Up 286' Down Honeybee Canyon Short Loop 12.3 mi 456' Up 457' Down Catalina, AZ Be prepared to get wet lots of people on the trails today. There are lots of spots to sit and watch the more adventurous flip and jump into the water. He's now a full-time nomad and travels the American West in an RV with his wife Kim and daughter Maia, doing hikes along the way. You can hike the entire 7.6-mile out-and-back length, or turn around whenever you've had enough. 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. (LogOut/ Once you reach the water, you discover how much vibrancy the Sonoran Desert brings. Here they can send their tap roots down to harvest the water below. Catalina State Park charges an entrance fee. This trail starts at the Romero Canyon Trailhead with an easy walk of about a mile. 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. Plan on two hours of walking one way from the Trailhead to the pools. Likewise, but more surprisingly, if you park your vehicle in grassy areas, even starting your car could spark a fire- to please be sure to avoid parking in or near grasses. A must do hike if you are visiting. The hike to Romero Pools is Catalina State Park's most popular trail. ML Butterfly Trail 14. This is our third time conquering this moderately strenuous day hike, always opting to do it in the early part of the year. In fact, at the time that buffelgrass was brought to Arizona in those days, it was considered a wonder plant. Bring snacks. This 13-day luxury Jordan itinerary takes you from the green hills of the north, Berry Creek Falls Loop at Big Basin Redwoods State Park- A Hiking Guide. Trail, improvements The desert is far more full of life than many people expect! Edit Sights to See Sutherland Trailhead Montrose Pools Add a Report donnasitesrealtor 1 week, 6 days ago dudic.gary 1 year, 10 months ago We took our boots off and waded across the steadily flowing wash. Once on the other side of the wash, you'll reach a trailhead junction. People frequently have to get rescued from this canyon. Make sure to check in when you return to your car! Share this trail: Previous Next. The hike starts at Romero Canyon Trailhead, where it crosses a sandy wash and continues on a wide footpath. Also, no dogs on the second part of the trail due to bighorn sheep. }. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 58 min to complete. It's roughly 80 feet in length. Sometimes these are mistakes or accidents that couldnt be helped, but other times, they are stupid mistakes or outright negligence. Sutherland Trail Out-and-Back. a memorable climb. 1,732 Tucson AZ Homes for Sale. The nature there is beautiful! From your vantage point, storm activity may not always be visible. ML Marshall Gulch Loop 16.ML Meadow Trail 17. Water cascades down the granite cliffs into clear pools that you can relax around, and swim or wade into. August 29, 2017Updated: December 31, 2020by Max Karren. Vistas, waterfalls, lots of varied terrain. Romero Pools is a short hike that starts at the Romero Canyon Trailhead in Catalina State Park, northeast of Tucson, Arizona. During the monsoon months, heavy rainfall can fall on isolated portions of the Santa Catalina Mountains. This means that there were many areas of open space between plants. March 2015. 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