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Bear Canyon Loop, Santa
Catalina Mountains
| Summary: |
A nicely graded loop hike that offers some nice desert
scenery and a side trip to a series of waterfalls in the Santa Catalina
Mountains just outside of Tucson. |
| Directions: |
From I-10 take the Ina (pronounced eye-na)
Road exit #248 near Tucson. Turn east onto Ina Road and follow it as it
becomes Skyline Drive and then Sunrise Drive. After 14.5 miles, when you
reach the end of Sunrise Drive and a stop sign, turn left. The Sabino Canyon
Visitors Center and parking lot are immediately on your right. There is a $5
per car entry fee ($20 for an annual pass). |
| Road Conditions: |
Passenger Car |
| Navigation: |
Easy |
| Length: |
17.6 miles |
| Date Hiked: |
April, 2005 |
| Weather Conditions: |
Sunny & windy |
|
Required Skills: |
 |
| Hike Description: |
From the large parking lot, pick up the trail to Bear
Canyon (Trail #29) which starts behind the bathrooms. The path is wide and
flat as it heads east through the creosote flats of the bajada. Soon you'll
reach a road, turn right and walk down the road a short distance to where a
path parallels it on the right (you can walk on the road or the trail, but
the trail is a little nicer). The path crosses 2 washes and 0.7 miles after
starting crosses the road once again to reach a junction with the left
branching Phoneline Trail #27, stay right on the Bear Canyon Trail. The path
passes through typical desert vegetation consisting of: mesquite, creosote
bush, palo verde, saguaro, prickly pear, cholla, and ocotillo. At the 1.2
mile point you'll reach a sign for Bear Canyon Rd. which is 0.5 miles to the
right and Bear Canyon, which is 0.3 miles to the left, turn left and left
again 0.1 miles later at a sign for Seven Falls. At the 1.5 mile point (1.7
miles according to the map below) you'll reach the end of Bear Canyon Rd.
and a sign pointing up canyon for the East Fork and Sycamore Reservoir
Trails which are 6.5 miles away (6.8 miles on the map). Continue up the
trail which winds it's way up Bear Canyon at a very mild grade on one side
of the stream (flowing when the author was here) or the other. The trail
eventually crosses over to the right (facing up canyon) and climbs a
distance above the streambed on the hillside until you reach an obvious left
branching spur trail and sign for Bear Canyon Trail (straight). Seven Falls
is a short distance down this spur trail and well worth a look. When ready,
continue up the trail which continues to ascend at a moderate grade up a
series of broad switchbacks before bending left and continuing up along the
right side of the drainage that feeds the falls. Eventually the path drops
down, crosses the stream, then begins climbing up and away from the wash on
the other side. At the top of the climb, the trail bends to the left enters
a broad basin where multiple drainages that come from Mt. Lemmon meet and
join. The trail then soon drops down to a signed 'T' junction with the East
Fork Trail #24A which heads left and the Sycamore Reservoir Trail #39 which
goes right (8.5 miles). Turn left onto the East Fork Trail which begins
descending down a few wide switchbacks at a comfortable grade to eventually
reach a dry wash and signed junction with the Palisades Trail which
continues straight (9.5 miles). Turn left and remain on the East Fork Trail
which parallels the wash on the hillside on the left as it descends to the
junction with the right branching Box Camp Trail #22 (10.6 miles). Stay
straight on the East Fork Trail, then straight again a short time later when
the East Fork Trail ends at a junction with the Sabino Canyon #23
(though the sign is a little hard to spot since it's only 6" high and sits
under a juniper tree)and the right branching West Fork Trails #24. The
Sabino Canyon Trail climbs a short distance onto the hillside to the left of
the drainage then bends left where the east and west forks of Sabino Canyon
meet to parallel this combined drainage high on the left hillside. The path
follows this route down at a gradual grade to a spot above the end of Sabino
Canyon Road and a junction with the Phoneline Trail #27 which continues
straight and a spur trail which leads to the right 0.5 miles to the road
(12.6 miles). Those that are tired may wish to head right and catch a bus
back to the parking lot (as long as the busses haven't stopped running for
the day), we, however, will continue straight on the Phoneline Trail as it
winds its way down canyon along the hillside above the road. Stay on the
Phoneline Trail for the next 4.2. miles (I'll gloss over this part of the
hike since there's not much to describe along this section) ignoring any
branching trails along the way until you reach the road (16.8 miles) and end
of the Phoneline Trail. From there, cross the road and walk across the
bridge on the other side to Shuttle Stop #2. Turn left and you can soon pick
up a trail on the left side of the road that continues the remaining
distance to the Visitors Center (17.6 miles). |
| Rating (1-5 stars): |
The author and his wife completed this hike at a moderately quick pace in 8
hours. |
| Maps: |
Santa Catalina Mountains - Rainbow
Expeditions Inc., available in the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center ($6).
Recommended! |
| Books: |
None used |
| Photos: |
Click picture for larger
view, click your browser's 'Back' button to return to this page. |
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| Bear Canyon. |
Nearing the East Fork
junction. |
 |
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| Along the East Fork Trail. |
Descending towards the Sabino
Canyon road end. |
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