romero pools hike length

This is challenging hike. Camping is limited to 14 nights in a 30-day period. On the Trail 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). The mountains are also powerful and awe-inspiring, with craggy peaks that reach up from the desert to heights that make forests possible. Discover this 8.9-km out-and-back trail near Catalina, Arizona. Thanks for sharing about this hike. 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. While the land will heal to some extent, please know that this process will take many many years. You might also consider donating to this work. It's true it's hard but it's a beautiful challenge. First aid supplies can be helpful in dire situations or in the case of an accident, however, they come in handy quite often even on hikes that go basically without a hitch. ML Babad Do'ag Trail 13. There's also a shuttle that will take you to the top and back for a small fee. March 2015. When you start out from the parking lot at the trailhead for the Romero Pools Trail, you will cross a creek bed and get a nice little warm up on your first hill. Mature saguaros 120 root span sucks a lot of valuable water out of the ground, which keeps other plants from growing, but it also stabilizes a considerable amount of soil from washing away in the monsoon floods. This fire destroyed many of the landscapes that we locals have loved and enjoyed for decades, and this means that our familiar trails are no longer familiar. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. This hike begins in the town of Summerhaven in Mount Lemmon, Tuscon AZ. 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. A hike in from Merrill Canyon to Romero pools in Catalina State Park. } Your email address will not be published. Long Hike: to Romero Spring 10 miles - B+ Short Hike: To Romero Pools 6 miles - B Alltrails description and map of the hike Directions: Take 1-10 south and take Exit 240. 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 The Romero Pools section is an extremely popular portion of this scenic trail, but there's so much more after the pools! Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 58 min to complete. This is the source for everything you need to know about Arizona Hiking. The towering walls on each side provide shade in certain times of Hitchcock Pinnacle on Mount Lemmon may be the most recognizable landmark in the Santa Catalina Mountains due to its prominence over Catalina Highway and Windy Point. Oh shoot! Check out this stunner! 2 Beds. It took us two and a half hours for the out and back to the Romero pools. The vast majority of fires that get out of hand, here in AZ and elsewhere, are human-caused. 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. As for jumping in the water, you actually have to be careful because if the water isnt deep enough you might not be safe there. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your Want to hike Tucsons best trails? Bring plenty of water, wear sunscreen, hat/glasses as there is very little shade on this moderately strenuous trail. From the well signed trailhead, the first thing you'll need to do is cross a normally dry wash. About this time, they are taking in enough water to have choked out their host plant. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Hike to a seasonal collection of beautiful pools and waterfalls. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. (End of the road when you enter Catalina State Park from Oracle Rd - entrance fee required) If its the only option, of course, go for it! The park is open year round from5:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m. daily. // Supply ads personalization default for EEA readers The desert isnt for the meek. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Join a community with a zest for living life to its fullest. We got up early the first morning and hit the canyon loop trail and part of the Romero Pools hike. Smartest decision we made? As an added bonus, the Pools themselves are a unique sight in the desert. Lemmon. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. They need their host plant when they are young, which they eventually kill as they grow. The Canyon Loop trail crosses a wash several times, so seasonal stream flow could impact travel. This means at the very start (and end) you will have to wade through about 30 yards of water. 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. left: 0; Views were beautiful as you got farther into the mountains. What are your favorite Tucson hikes? Leave a comment (up top, to the left) and let me know! Let them know when you are leaving, when you expect to get home, and that you will check in when you are done. Romero Pools offers hikers the chance to cool off on a hot day with a refreshing swim in a gorgeous canyon. This is the location of the Romero Pools and the turn around point for this hike. Continue along the Romero Canyon trail as the trail switchbacks higher and higher. Hike in to enjoy the sunshine and cool water of this famous natural swimming hole and make a memory as well. Romero Canyon Trail to Romero Pools. This looks wonderful! People underestimate how diverse and living the desert is. The hike takes you to a beautiful desert oasis set in a canyon with water that flows most, if not all of the year. Start your hike at the trailhead parking lot, cross Sutherland Wash, and then begin your steep climb up to the pools. And of course, Climate change makes this worse by shifting our rain patterns, and making our droughts worse. The enigma of Saguaros having thorns and housing birds at the same time made me respect the strength of and forgiveness of the powerful people in my life. *Note: Always check for trail closures and weather information when planning your trip, beforehand or the day of. Beautiful, but rocky trail, lots of water at the pools. 2nd pool has a nice waterfall. The well worn trail is easy to follow for it's entire length to the Romero Pools. You can download the trail layer to your GPS, or navigate right off your phone. There is always something going on (bird tours, music nights) and many trails to travel. I was a peak bagger at first, trying to lay claim to every summit I could see. Thus, when fires started, they were generally small and didnt burn at extreme temperatures. For the non-geologists reading Gneiss ( /nas/) is a common distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rock. Follow along for practical tips and inspiring advice. } Marvel at the heights you gained on this walk up into the wilds of Arizona on the Romero Pools Trail. It's one of the few Tucson hikes with water year-round; and there are plenty of trees that provide greenery in spring/summer and pretty foliage through the fall (and most of the winter). However, Romero Pools has recently been impacted by a massive wildfire that happened in 2020- so besides being an attraction for its beauty and work out status, this trail is also a showcase of what fire can and does do in Arizona. Bring a map of where you are going. We hiked out wilderness of rocks to marshall gulch.