Will definitely go again with more friends! ★. Mostly flat. There still was some snow on the north-facing slopes on Feb 24. Jan 01, 2020 @ 7:45AM. Wasson is the highest peak (4,687') in the Tucson Mountains west of the city. SCVN guided hike to Wasson Peak via Kings Canyon trail, which is about a seven mile (roundtrip) hike and elevation gain of 1,900 ft. At the Sweetwater intersection we turned left and continued on the steep section of Kings Canyon Trail about another mile to the short side trail to the top of Wasson Peak. Wasson Peak Loop via Hugh Norris Trail and King Canyon Trail, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum via King Canyon Trail, Mam-a-Gah Loop via Gould Mine Trail and King Canyon Trail, Wasson Peak via Hugh Norris Trail and Sendero Esperanza Trail, Saguaro National Park (West) - Tucson Mountain District. 8.6 miles round trip, 1850 feet elevation gain. At this junction hikers will be able to see Wasson Peak and the trail leading to it. You'll follow the King Canyon Trail along the wash then down into the wash near the picnic area. Wasson Peak via King Canyon Trail Distance: 7.8 miles / 12.6 kilometers roundtrip Time: 7 hours, including lunch, breaks, and many photo ops Type: Loop Trail Markings: There are no blazes, but the trail is well defined. ★ Trail uses the King Canyon, and Sweetwater trails to reach the summit and returns via Hugh Norris, Sendero Esperanza and Gould Mine Trails.It's an excellent hike through the desert, with superb views in all directions.Be prepared to carry water, at least 2 liters is a good idea.For guided hiking trips in Arizona: See AOA-adventures. Jan 1 2020. Wasson Peak is the tallest mountain in the Tucson Mountain District of Saguaro National Park. While the climb to Wasson Peak is challenging, the views at the top are well worth the effort. This Wasson Peak Loop Trail begins in the Tucson Mountain Park on Kinney Road, about 2.2 miles west of the Red Hills Visitors Center, or just west of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Prominence. Once you've enjoyed the views from Wasson Peak, backtrack and then head down the Hugh Norris Trail - a sandy, and fun trail. Hugh Norris Trail to Wasson Peak - 9.8 Miles Round-Trip The Hugh Norris Trail is the Tucson Mountain District's longest trail, and most popular choice for reaching Wasson Peak (4,687').Wasson Peak was named for John Wasson, an editor of the Tucson Citizen and unlikely appointee to the surveyor general office of the Arizona Territory in 1870. The first part of the trail--The King Canyon Trail--was originally a road built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the 1930's. This trail is a 7.4 mile loop over the summit of Wasson Peak. Take El Camino del Cerro (exit 252 from I-10) west 5 miles to the Sweetwater trailhead. 14.2 miles 2460 - 4687 ft Total gain: 3000 ft. Trailhead: Sus Picnic Ground or west of gate on road (if closed) Route: Road to Esperanza Tr, over to King Canyon Tr, up to the peak, down Hugh Norris to road Challenging climb, great view. This is located in the Saguaro National Park - West Unit. No obstacles. It is moderate to difficult due to its length and the climb to the summit of the mountain peak. Note the greater diversity of grasses and brush in this transition from Desert Scrub to Desert Grassland. Elevation Gain: 2,080 ft. We stopped in at the Tucson Mountain Park Visitor Centre at Gilbert Ray Campground to ask about hiking Golden Gate mountain – and were immediately distracted when the woman behind the desk asked if we had already hiked Wasson Peak. Hiking trip report for Wasson Peak via King Canyon and Gould Mine Loop, located in Saguaro National Park, Arizona. Wasson Peak via King Canyon and Hugh Norris Trail [CLOSED] is a 7.9 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Cortaro, Arizona that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. Sendero Esperanza Trail to the Ridge/ To Wasson Peak (3.4-8 miles, 220-1600 feet elevation) Take the Sendero-Esperanza trail to the Hugh Norris trail junction on the ridgeline. Jessica Morgan. You'll enjoy scenic views of the whole Tucson basin, making for a perfect place to catch your breath before a fast descent. Trail uses the King Canyon, and Sweetwater trails to reach the summit and returns via Hugh Norris, Sendero Esperanza and Gould Mine Trails.It's an excellent hike through the desert, with superb views in all directions.Be prepared to carry water, at least 2 liters is a good idea.For guided hiking trips in Arizona: See AOA-adventures. Please login and have credits (add 1 to get 3) or be a subscriber in order to download GPS. Several abandoned mine shafts make this climb interesting as the switchbacks end at the junction of a spur trail to the peak. At the junction (3 miles from parking lot) with the Hugh Norris Trail, take the right fork to the top of Wasson Peak just a short 1/3 of a mile. Elevation. Hiking Wasson Peak. It is located in Saguaro National Park. ... Marshall Gulch To Aspen Loop 3.8 mi 6.1 km • 814' Up 248.11 m Up • 831' Down 253.3 m Down. You can also … After a few miles the slope of the trail will increase and bring you to the saddle intersecting w/ King Canyon Trail. I did Wasson Peak via the King Canyon and Gould Mine Loop earlier this year and it was a bit more interesting, but really the landscape is just a lot of saguaro cacti and desert views. Turn left (northwest) at the Esperanza Trail and hike another mile until reaching the Hugh Norris Trail. You'll have transition to the Wasson Peak Trail, but the change is almost imperceptible, and it's difficult to miss the turn. The trailhead is located to the right, just north of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The Tucson Trail Run Series needed a website. Wasson Peak is most commonly climbed via four trails: Gould Hill Mine-Esperanza Trail. The trail switchbacks up 0.9 miles with a hint of the views to come. Tanque…, AZ. This is a loop hike from the book "Best Loop Hikes Arizona" (it's number 55).Trail climbs to the highest summit in the Tuscon section of Saguaro National Park. The trailhead for the hike to Wasson Peak departs from a small gravel parking lot two miles southeast of the Red Hills Vistor Center. The trail climbs 3.4 miles to a ridge where it ends at the King Canyon Trail. Rate Quality . This is a moderate loop trail to Wasson Peak in Saguaro National Park (West) - Tucson Mountain District. Wasson Peak Trails – Tucson’s Westside Mt. There is just a bit of elevation gain, and some beautiful views of the Sonoran Desert. After spending some time enjoying the views of Tucson, hikers can return to the trailhead by the way they came. Wasson Peak via Sendero Esperanza and Hugh Norris Trail is a 7.5 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Tucson, Arizona that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. 4687 ft. 2117 rise. Mt. Great hike up Wasson Peak. Easy/Intermediate. If you are prepared, however, the climb offers some amazing vantage points on the city. Length … Total Distance: 8.2 miles. Wasson Peak Trail Overview There are a handful of ways to get to Wasson Peak but this review will focus on the Wasson Peak via King Canyon and Hugh Norris Trail, which is a moderate-to-difficult loop trail just under 8 miles with an elevation gain of 1,847 feet. The peak is a few hundred yards from the junction. You'll enjoy scenic views of the whole Tucson basin, making for a perfect place to catch your breath before a fast descent. This is a difficult loop trail to Wasson Peak in Saguaro National Park (West) - Tucson Mountain District. Must be brutal in the heat of summer. Wildflower Slideshow by kenne. Some of our hikers made only the Kings Canyon trail to the first saddle since we were experiencing unusually warm record-setting temperatures (the mid-90’s). ★ Some uneven terrain. Contacts. From south Tucson via Gates Pass or Ajo Way to the south end of Kinney Road . Great trail and easy to follow. PEAKS ON HIKE (elevation / prominence) Peaks on hike. They are a challenging climb for a novice hiker, but manageable. You might see a couple cairns, and there are signs at intersections. At 1.2 miles it scales moderately steep switchbacks to Wasson Peak's west ridge and the Hugh Norris Trail (1.75 miles : 3,610'). The Sweetwater Trail winds through the lower east-side sections of Wasson Peak offering beautiful views of Tucson, desert vegetation, and even across a wash area. ★ Wasson Peak . Very nice 360 views at the top. Well worth the drive from Phoenix. Hike the Gould Hill Mine Trail 1.1 miles, following a drainage most of the way. Not too steep, nice views. This trail goes by Mam-a-Gah and Amole Peak. ★ At nearly 4,700 feet it is located at the upper edge of the Sonoran life zone and provides spectacular views of the entire Madrean Sky Islands region of southern Arizona. In order to keep the scenery fresh we had decided on a loop … Turn Right (east) and hike for 2.2 miles until reaching the summit. Jan 18 ... Made a loop and came down King Canyon, logged about 8.5 miles. There are a couple trail options to make the climb to Wasson Peak. The trailhead is located at the western end of El Camino del Cerro Road. The view of the valley and Tucson is spectacular from the peak. Wasson Peak . Find More Hikes in Tucson + Southeastern Arizona Wasson Peak, featured here, is the tallest of the peaks in the Tucson Mountains and the highest point in Saguaro National Park, rising to an elevation of 4,687 feet above sea level. The 7.8-mile loop, also known as the Wasson Peak Trail, is a series of connecting trails and adjacent jurisdictions that begins in King Canyon, about 100 … ★ 1. Wasson Peak is the highest peak within Saguaro National Park's West Unit just west of Tucson. This loop hike travels along ridges with grand desert vistas and through some of the thickest Saguaro forest in Arizona. This is a 7.4 mile loop hike with 1800 cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes about 3-5 hours to complete. You'll see the remains of old mining operations including several old mine shafts, great views of Saguaro National Park and Tucson. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible year-round. The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and bird watching and is accessible year-round. Add Rating. Take the fork left and follow the well signed trail towards Wasson Peak. The Wasson Peak trail is a great option for hikers in the Tucson area looking for a trail with some fair length (around 8 miles). It is well worth the trip. The views in all directions are spectacular. Great hike on… Dec 26 2019. Read more. Copyright © trailpeak.com & trailpeak.ca 2020. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible year-round. This part can be steep at times, very rocky, and follows a set of very short switchbacks. The climb to the summit begins on a wide, rocky trail that slowly climbs through the desert . The top of the mountain has nice views of Tucson, the Santa Catalina Mountains, and beyond! This trail goes by Mam-a-Gah and Amole Peak. Once you make it to the top, it is well worth it. There was actually quite a bit of cool stuff built by the CCC around SNP--picnic shelters, fire pits, etc. Wasson. Wasson Peak. Though this short trail is steep, the views at the top are worth it! This was my favorite of the 6POP. Sweetwater Trail (3.4 miles, one way) The Sweetwater Trail is the only access to Wasson Peak from the eastern side of the Tucson Mountains. ★ Flat. King's Canyon Trail is the most direct route to reach Wasson's Peak - highest summit (4687 ft) of Tucson Mountains. Getting to the Trailhead ★ Hiking info for Wasson Peak via Sweetwater Trail, located in Saguaro National Park, Arizona. This hike starts at the King Canyon Trailhead. Wasson Peak via King Canyon and Hugh Norris Trail [CLOSED] is a 7.9 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Cortaro, Arizona that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The first mile is relatively flat, but quickly ascends up switch backs (220 feet elevation) towards the ridge. Wassup Wasson ! 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