Its been about 5 years since we hiked the Romero Pools Trail, which means weve been long overdue for another hike there. What we have on our hands, with buffelgrass and other exotic plant species that are spreading rapidly and hurting our native species (e.g. There is a water crossing at the beginning that youre probably going to get your socks and shoes wet. Nestled in Arizona's Catalina State Park, just north of Tuscon, are the Romero Pools. If you're coming to Jordan, you will definitely be planning a Petra tour. This is a challenging day hiking up into the Catalina Mountains to a beautiful oasis. Catalina State Park charges an entrance fee. if (typeof adsbygoogle.requestNonPersonalizedAds === 'undefined') { Overtourism can lead to overcrowding, environmental damage, and cultural disruption. Below is our interactive Romero Pools trail map. Bring plenty of water. 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. Suggest ankle support. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. And chill for awhile. Lost trail there. One of the most accessible major peaks in the Catalinas. Great hike. Lively mesquites, and flourishing prickly pear will also be found in these lower sections of the trail, along with something a little different than the true desert- grasslands. Experience the brilliance of poppies in the springtime on the Sutherland Trail. Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. } Make sure to check in when you return to your car! The desert isnt for the meek. All content is for entertainment purposes only. From Tucson, follow Speedway Boulevard east. Romero Canyon Trail to Romero Pools Hard 4.6 (2919) Catalina State Park Photos (3,289) Directions Print/PDF map Length 8.9 kmElevation gain 403 mRoute type Out & Back Explore this 8.9-km out-and-back trail near Catalina, Arizona. Bring enough water. Don't miss Hutch's Pools along West Fork Trail at 3.4 miles after Romero Pass. If you explore different places, you will help us mitigate overtourism here, and further protect our beautiful state. 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. Nice refreshing hike when theres water. There is just a trickle. Also, no dogs on the second part of the trail due to bighorn sheep. by Paul Riedinger. Drive north out of Tucson on Oracle Road, which becomes Arizona 77. The trail heads down one boulder strewn slope and up another before beginning its final descent to Romero Pools. Romero Canyon Trail to Romero Pools Hard 4.6 (2944) Catalina State Park Photos (3,326) Directions Print/PDF map Length 5.5 miElevation gain 1,322 ftRoute type Out & back Try this 5.5-mile out-and-back trail near Catalina, Arizona. In each of these zones, an entirely new set of plants animals live. width: 360px; The hike begins at Romero Canyon Trailhead. Thus, for your sake and the sake of the local community, go prepared. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Here at Coleman Concierge, we encourage everyone to travel responsibly and believe there is potential for tremendous good for the world following that ethos. Was in and out in four hours. Don't expect much solitude here. The mountains are also powerful and awe-inspiring, with craggy peaks that reach up from the desert to heights that make forests possible. We didnt feel like the incline was all that difficult. The pools are full and water is running. This is why there are no dogs allowed past the first mile of the trail. The wonder grass for Arizonas ranching days is something that we ecologists call fire-adapted. I did spot a Gila Monster, which was the highlight of my day. 945 Sq Ft. 816 S Langley Ave Unit 204, Tucson, AZ 85710. 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. D riving along busy Oracle Road, with its plethora of housing developments and shopping malls, one does not expect the grand and wild beauty that awaits just inside the entrance to Catalina State Park. Its for the strong, and spiky who give their own brand of love. Read More Download the Outbound mobile app These pools look so pretty in the middle of the rugged landscape. .main-inner .column-left-outer { 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. min-width: 930px; A handkerchief: use it to soak up sweat, pour some water over it and tie it around your neck to cool you down, tie it around an unfortunate injury as a bandagethe possibilities are endless. Also, thanks to the Good Samaritans who gave my wife some items to hold her shoes together when they both broke about 2 miles in. The first plant we noticed was the famous Saguaro cactus. The Nala shoes are great for cold, wet weather but also perform well on the trail. I wouldnt have expected a place like this amidst the desert. Beautiful weather and the water was running. They are worth taking the short side trek down to see. Romero Canyon is a significant drainage and has the potential for flash flooding, so be cautious and look up the forecast before you go. March 2015. We hiked for another 1.7 miles to reach the pools. ML Incinerator Ridge Trail 15. Lots of water everywhere including parts of the trail which makes some parts slippery. So kick-off your shoes. Wear ankle hiking boots and bring plenty of water. 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. I loved it! Romero Pools is a short hike that starts at the Romero Canyon Trailhead in Catalina State Park, northeast of Tucson, Arizona. Any car can access this trail-headeasily. --> 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. 2023 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. 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. Takes about 2 hours there and back. Basic HTML is allowed. adsbygoogle.requestNonPersonalizedAds = 1; We paid $7 for a day pass (check the calendar to time your visit with an event and get the most bang for your buck) and followed the road to the trail head. This is challenging hike. "The next 1.7 miles is a steep and rocky climb to Romero Pools. It really is! The signed entrance to the park is at Milepost 81. I hope you can make it out! (Did you know that if a saguaro is burned 30%+, it will die?) Copyright 2019 American Expeditioners | All Rights Reserved | Photo Usage | Sitemap, 5 Free Scenic Attractions Along the Columbia River, A Day Trip Guide to Visiting Lundy Island, Driving in Great Britain: Road Trip Tips From an American Perspective, Revolutionary War Weekend, A Reenactment at George Washingtons Mount Vernon, Offroad Through Bajada Loop Drive in Saguaro National Park West, 10 Ghost Towns In Arizona That Are Actually Worth Visiting, The Ultimate Washington State Bucket List: 201 Historical & Outdoorsy Things To Do. I enjoyed it and am glad I made it to the pools. Share this trail: Previous Next. Bring lots of water and be careful on the rocks in the pools, as they are quite slippery! Here they can send their tap roots down to harvest the water below. adventures and follow local regulations. (LogOut/ An observant hiker can see millions of years of geologic history in the rocks at their feet. I loved how fiercely independent yet interdependent each plant and animal was with each other. Thus, when fires started, they were generally small and didnt burn at extreme temperatures. #layout .region-inner { The trail continues across the wash, deeper into the Coronado national forest, but these pools are a good turn around point. 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 If its the only option, of course, go for it! If you are coming from Phoenix, you can take the I-10 down into the city and then head east to the 77, or the 79 south to the 77. 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 . Length: 6.5 miles to the pools and back The views along the trail to the Romero Pools will take your breath awayif you have any breath left, that is. The difficulty increases with the length of the hike. 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). But otherwise great trail! Required fields are marked *. There will be a time to travel soon enough. To enter the Catalina State Park costs $7 per vehicle with up to four adults. Hiking and Inspiration from Arizonas great outdoors, $7 Day use (or Arizona State Parks Annual Pass). Beneaththe sky-high peaks of the Santa Catalina Mountains, a stalwart stream has carvedan splash-worthyplayground into the surrounding granite. Here, you will find that the plants become more green, more lush. Generator hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Quiet hours: 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Agency Rules & Regulations Back to top Park and Facility Hours The park is open year-round Day Use 5:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. daily Visitor Center/Park Store 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. daily Thanksgiving: 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (say the g as an h>sah-wah-roh). Trail is very well maintained and easy to follow to the water pools. There is an old (bad) joke about the trail condition in Tucson being very gneiss (pun intended). As an added bonus, the Pools themselves are a unique sight in the desert. It took us two and a half hours for the out and back to the Romero pools. 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. CF Pima Canyon Trail 9. We got up early the first morning and hit the canyon loop trail and part of the Romero Pools hike. It really is- hope the fire didnt destroy it all. Enough water at the start we had to take off our boots! Bring plenty of water, wear sunscreen, hat/glasses as there is very little shade on this moderately strenuous trail. While the land will heal to some extent, please know that this process will take many many years. Romero Pools is a short hike that starts at the Romero Canyon Trailhead in Catalina State Park, northeast of Tucson, Arizona. width: auto; We hiked out wilderness of rocks to marshall gulch. I could see the rose quartz crystals on the trail with the bedding plane shifted 90 degrees. In fact, at the time that buffelgrass was brought to Arizona in those days, it was considered a wonder plant. Dogs are allowed for the first mile or so, after which the trail runs through Bighorn Sheep wilderness, which is strictly protected and dogs are strictly forbidden. The hiking trail is an easy one and is quite scenic complete with pretty yellow wildflowers. A scenic hike with lots of rocky areas. . You'll peak out after climbing 1000 feet. Loved the views and the scenery. It has a slippery chute worn into the sandstone. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The trail is lined with p At the main parking lot of Sabino Canyon, there are a few different trams you can take to nearby trailheads. Camping is limited to 14 nights in a 30-day period. During the summer time be sure to watch out for rattle snakes! }. The views were pretty but the pools were not impressive enough to endure the long, rocky hike. CF Romero Pools 11. Catalina state park is very popular. Hike Description: This hike is an out and back up Romero Canyon Trail to some picturesque pools in the Catalina Mountains. We rested for about 20 minutes before heading back to the car. The trail now starts to gain elevation more aggressively and steadily for the remainder of the hike to the pools. These giants are the old growth forest of the American Southwest. .main-inner .fauxcolumn-center-outer { CF Ventana Canyon 12. Looking down Romero Canyon. A must do hike if you are visiting. This is a moderate hike due to the 1000 ft steady climb. Not hard but moderate difficulty. Continue along the Romero Canyon trail as the trail switchbacks higher and higher. We could have taken the Romero Trail all the way to the top of Mt Lemmon (it goes). Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 58 min to complete. I was there two weeks ago and went to the upper pools. Even if you cant physically explore the world, we hope that you enjoy the escape our site provides. Explore more of our guides to get an inside view on the best places to visit and explore in our state. The trail climbs up an exposed ridge and only drops into the valley at the very end. This was a hard hike. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Hike Length: 3.2 Miles roundtrip to the furthest pool; Trail Difficulty: 1st pool is easy | 2nd and 3rd pool are difficult Trailhead Location: At Zion Lodge (Stop 5) Lower Emerald Falls. Just past aspur trail to Montrose Pools (a scenic, sometimes flowing, stream bed) the Romero Hiking Trail begins to climb in earnest. Upper section of Romero Canyon shows recent work, but still a few issues. Great hike! 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 hike takes you to a beautiful desert oasis set in a canyon with water that flows most, if not all of the year. Climb to the highest peak in the Tucson Mountain. 2 Baths. The park is conveniently located just 30 minutes of the big city of Tucson and just 5 minutes from the smaller city of Oro Valley. } Devin exploring Romero Pools by headlamp. Should prepare your knees and leg muscles for descent. Ready for a hike? Login and be the first to review! And make whatever changes you can in your own life to help- donate, volunteer, plant trees, and save energy. I lived in AZ for over 20 years but didnt get down to the Tucson area much. Romero Canyon Trail. The next couple miles are steep and the rocky trail climbs to the Romero Pools. The loop is relatively flat, although starts with a short uphill burst before leveling off. Im sure there are things to be cautious of, but especially if its hot and closer to the summer. Its 5.6 miles of moderate hiking with broad, scenic views of Pusch Ridge and the Santa Catalinas, ending at pools and flowing waterfalls. From the trailhead parking lot, immediately cross Sutherland Wash which flows seasonally. Romero Pools Rating: Round Trip Distance: 6 miles Difficulty: Strenuous Elevation: 2710 - 3803 feet Cellphone: 2-5 bars Time: 3 hrs. The Romero Trailhead is located within the park- follow the signs. The views along the trail to the Romero Pools will take your breath awayif you have any breath left, that is. The desert is far more full of life than many people expect! If you cross the stream and continue on about a half mile or so maybe a little less you get to see some more pools and water falls, A beautiful short day hike ending at beautiful cool pools of water and several small waterfalls. Water cascades down the granite cliffs into clear pools that you can relax around, and swim or wade into. The hike along the Romero Canyon Trail to the Romero Pools is a great way to enjoy this area. They are a juxtaposition between strength and vulnerability, taking and giving that forms this world in balance. Do not enter any private driveways please! Marvel at the heights you gained on this walk up into the wilds of Arizona on the Romero Pools Trail. 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