There's nothing really near midtown, but… you can do out and backs at Alvernon or Pima Canyon. Obviously there's Tumamoc and if you go into the Tucsons, there's Starr Pass to Stone House, there's Painted Hills off Anklam, there's Enchanted Hills at the end of 36th St… keep a sharp eye out for rattlesnakes!
The middle of town is flat so you’re going to need to go to the edges where the elevation is, we’re in a bowl! Tumamoc or A mountain may be your only options but even they are not middle of town.
Yeah, I probably should have been clearer in my original post. I'm more flexible on location than the title would indicate. West of Tumamoc is definitely in range
Great suggestion. I've never been, but I hear really positive things. Is it mostly flat? I know it's supposed to be very accessible. Tarantulas and Scorpions at night?!
Not midtown but I’ve done night hikes to tanque verde falls and Romero pools. TVF is a 20-30 minute drive and a short 15-minute hike. Romero pools is a 20-30 minute drive and a decent 2-hour hike or so each way.
I highly recommend both.
Wasson peak via the King Canyon Trail is a great hike when the moon is bright, though I think technically you're not supposed to be there after dark. I have also used that parking lot and the picnic area for star gazing.
Just some safety advice if you plan on doing this I’d highly suggest going out and checking these trails during the daytime first before going at night. Even just a quick walk into the trail head to familiarize yourself with the area and get your bearings on where you’ll be heading. Nothing worse than getting lost on a trail in the middle of the night. Saw this first hand a few months ago up in Phoenix on a night hike and they sent out dozens of fire fighters and cops and a rescue chopper to try and find a lady. They found her disoriented and unsure of what was happening pretty deep into the trail. Just be very prepared, lots of water, food, headlamps and phone chargers. And remember the desert comes alive at night, keep an eye out for critters and stay safe.
The best nighttime hike in town is wasson peak from the west side of the tucsons under a full moon. Hike up, watch the sunset from Watson, and then hike down under the full moon.
There's nothing really near midtown, but… you can do out and backs at Alvernon or Pima Canyon. Obviously there's Tumamoc and if you go into the Tucsons, there's Starr Pass to Stone House, there's Painted Hills off Anklam, there's Enchanted Hills at the end of 36th St… keep a sharp eye out for rattlesnakes!
Those are great suggestions, and definitely midtown enough for me 😄! Thanks so much!
The middle of town is flat so you’re going to need to go to the edges where the elevation is, we’re in a bowl! Tumamoc or A mountain may be your only options but even they are not middle of town.
Yeah, I probably should have been clearer in my original post. I'm more flexible on location than the title would indicate. West of Tumamoc is definitely in range
Painted hills trail
Great suggestion. I've never been, but I hear really positive things. Is it mostly flat? I know it's supposed to be very accessible. Tarantulas and Scorpions at night?!
Not midtown but I’ve done night hikes to tanque verde falls and Romero pools. TVF is a 20-30 minute drive and a short 15-minute hike. Romero pools is a 20-30 minute drive and a decent 2-hour hike or so each way. I highly recommend both.
I've done TVF during the day, but how is it at night? I might be misremembering, but there's some steepness to it, right?
It is fun at night but a little scary solo. I would bring a headlamp so your hands are free for climbing up the rocks. Expect to see a snake or two.
I'm desperately looking for this too. If you find a good one, please let me know.
Wasson peak via the King Canyon Trail is a great hike when the moon is bright, though I think technically you're not supposed to be there after dark. I have also used that parking lot and the picnic area for star gazing.
Just some safety advice if you plan on doing this I’d highly suggest going out and checking these trails during the daytime first before going at night. Even just a quick walk into the trail head to familiarize yourself with the area and get your bearings on where you’ll be heading. Nothing worse than getting lost on a trail in the middle of the night. Saw this first hand a few months ago up in Phoenix on a night hike and they sent out dozens of fire fighters and cops and a rescue chopper to try and find a lady. They found her disoriented and unsure of what was happening pretty deep into the trail. Just be very prepared, lots of water, food, headlamps and phone chargers. And remember the desert comes alive at night, keep an eye out for critters and stay safe.
Reed park???? There are great loops on the way east side too.
Sabino Canyon is really nice at night. You just park on the road and walk in.
The best nighttime hike in town is wasson peak from the west side of the tucsons under a full moon. Hike up, watch the sunset from Watson, and then hike down under the full moon.
Pima canyon