2 photos. Drive east on Tanque Verde Road, toward Redington Pass. My guess is that the lower falls are where this occurs. Hunter Douglas . With the recent rains, the Tanque Verde creek is higher than usual, making the last 1/3rd mile to the falls extremely treacherous! Fun hike, areas of moderate difficulty, gorgeous rocks colored and shaped by seasonal water flows. Last February, I took a late winter walk out to the upper portion of Tanque Verde Falls. A lot more hilly and technical than I expected. The shortest hike by far, those who drive up to the Upper Tanque Verde Falls Trailhead by Redington Road in Tucson will see within mere minutes the waterfall named for the nearby Tanque Verde Peak. The water is really quick right now to get to the large falls but it's beautiful. If you are looking for waterfalls in Arizona, know that the one at Tanque Verde Falls Beach is just one of many. This video showed me that I can make that hike with a little assistance & enjoy the nature beauty. I am moving to Sahuarita area next to Green Valley & will check this treasure out!!! Plan for a full day or half-day trip hike to Hutch's Pool. Last weekend, my coworkers and I used the holiday to go on a hike that none of us had ever done before: Tanque Verde Falls. (LogOut/ Personally, I was distracted by 2 incredibly large crows sitting atop a dead cactus. Along the border of Arizona and California, youll find Lake Havasu. Literally you are rock climbing and up to your armpits in water. Bring hiking shoes or sandals that provide good traction and trekking poles to help with stability. Not sure what experiences youve had that make you feel this way, but most of the dog owners Ive seen on trails have been pretty responsible with their dogs and either bury their dogs poop or pack it out (which is also advisable for humans who also poop). In Grand Canyon National Park, youll find the 100-foot-tall Ribbon Falls. The schools are closed for a 4 day weekend, and most businesses allow their employees to wear jeans and cowboy boots. The Sonoran Desert routinely goes through long stretches without precipitation and during these periods, the falls dry up. The trail sometimes is hard to follow to the base of the falls but it is worth the effort as this is a sight to see. Its a short trail but bring water. Xander of course had hard time not being the leader of our troop, typical Xander. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "uppertanqueverdefalls" Flickr tag. You can stop here to access the lower falls or continue up a bit further (past the information area) to access the upper falls. Check out this 1.1-mile loop trail near Vail, Arizona. Fairly easy trail down to the wash and back. Tanque Verde Falls trail was about a 30-minute drive from Sarah's sisters house. A 4x4 would probably make the last half mile or so easier when the road turns . Had I stayed on the beaten (paved) path, I would have never known it was there. Definitely lots of boulder scrambling which makes it fun. It's a prime hiking spot in the natural saddle between the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains. It had warmed up and was beautiful at park. Second the warnings about deaths in the area, please be careful! Know that youll be doing your own exploring and following your own path. If you go during monsoon season, check the weather reports and be very cautious as flash floods definitely happen in this area and quite a few people have died here. Hillside Light and Shadow. The mangrove forest offers a Don't be discouraged by all of the picnicking families with their coolers at the bottom. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. The sunrise this morning was gorgeous, but I didnt get a chance to take a picture. It took us 45 minutes down to the fall and 45 minutes out. These popular spots are just a short walk from the road and accessible via the Lower Tanque Verde Falls trail. Lots of water!! Great post! Here are some things to keep in mind before you go: * For other ideas of things to do around Tucson, be sure to subscribe to our FREEThis Week In Tucson newsletterand to likeTucsonTopia on Facebook. There is an area somewhere along the Tanque Verde Falls where there is what has become a clothing-free friendly area with a pool for dipping. I made it to the trail head in a Honda Civic, but agreed that something with higher clearance/all wheel drive makes this easier! The most common route is the direct route on the North Face aka At the main parking lot of Sabino Canyon, there are a few different trams you can take to nearby trailheads. However, the entire trail is not clothing optional - and while I can imagine a nude dip in a pool of water may be refreshing, I cannot see the joy in hiking nude in Arizona and . Very pretty hike. ParkFlo's rating. The biggest draw is the billowing waterfall at the end of the 1.8 mile trail. You can hike/walk approximately three miles uphill if you wish, or turn around at any point and retrace your steps back to where you started. The trail pops you right out onto the nude beach. There is a lot of sand and great places for just hanging out by the water in Tucson, this is basically like finding a unicorn. Its only 0.6 miles, but once the trail enters the canyon, you have to wade and scramble over boulders to reach the base of the falls. We decided we wanted to try the upper falls, so we all climbed into one SUV and continued the journey up the dirt road. What are the best waterfall hikes in Arizona? Walk up the canyon about 3/4-mile from the parking lot, U reach a 4WD road (Route #4405), which loops around about 6-miles past Chiva Falls. Be sure to arrive early on weekends and holidays as it does tend to fill up. Short hike down to the falls and packed with beauty! $25 per vehicle, good for . Falls had water but were not raging, still very very very pretty. We were very pleased with that decision because the only people we ran into were a couple on our way out. With the exception of leading up to the creek bed, this is a complete scrambling and bouldering situation. As I made my way toward the waterfall the first time, I asked an older gent coming toward me on the trail with his camera in tow if hed found the fall. Once you reach Hutch's Pool put your toes in . On my Sunday morning stroll I saw turkeys, deer, lizards and a curious squirrel. From here you'll also be able to see the star of the show which is an 80ft waterfall spilling over the canyon wall into a deep pool. The trail itself was easy to moderate, there were several areas that had an uphill to walk but other than that it was a very nice walk with great views and even a good overlook of the falls and the stream that makes a good selfie spot. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. A 21-year-old man who disappeared after jumping into Tanque Verde Falls on Tuesday was found dead by a property owner down-stream from where he went into the water, officials said. Tanque Verde Falls is roughly 1.8 miles one way and is typically rated as moderate. The purpose of this project is to create a system of trails and trailheads that will be ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable. There are many hidden gems in AZ, most especially within its 128 lakes. From here, youll be able to look upstream and see the waterfall in all its glory. Nothing difficult. (LogOut/ Flash floods can occur at short or a moments notice, especially during the monsoon season (June September). Nope. There is not a trail that loops. As we left the trail and landed on the beach (yep thats right a beach in the desert) we were amazed at how beautiful and out place everything seemed. A 3 rattler wouldnt let us go down the path. Once the pavement stops and turns to dirt, watch for the trailhead parking lot on the left. When the water levels are high this is probably a level 3 or 4 hike. the Madera experience really opened my eyes to whole new adventures in that part of the state. Read all replies. Park here to hike the more difficult route to the base of the falls. The rocks tend to be slippery after you are wet, so either make sure you have a backup pair of shoes. Loved the free form adventure we had on this trail. This area, which has been a popular naturist . Make your way about 200 to 300 yards down the trail. Literally takes about 11 minutes at a moderate pace to get to the water from the 3rd trail sign. In some areas, you will need to do a little novice scrambling/climbing on the rocks, but I am by no means a climber, and I was just fine. A beautiful day an. Upper Tanque Verde Falls Trail . If you make your way back to the paved trail and head upstream (right) youll be treated to one of the most scenic interpretive trails Ive come across in Arizona. Great place to hike or hang out. Done January 31 2023 and it took a good 3 hours. Upper Tanque Verde Falls just after sunset during monsoon season in Tucson, Arizona. There is a whopping 2,000 miles of shoreline here and the lake is quite well-known for its boating, jet skiing, and kayaking. It may be a bit more intimidating if there is a lot of water, but unless its monsoon season (July September), it shouldnt be too difficult. Lots of nudists - don't hike nude here, there are families on this trail too! Those who wear clothes are welcome as well and and seem to accept nudity up there. The road twists its way up the mountain, and we were there early, so there were no cars at the trailhead of the upper falls other than a truck with small camper in the truckbed where someone is obviously living (yay for explorers!). You will also get wet, even with getting creative and finding alternate routes. They were Michele Margaret Balser, Ralph Leroy Chatam, 27, Ronald Clark, 19, Jeffrey Fieffer, 28, John Anthony Parker, 19 Darla Roberson, 18, Michal Waid, 11, and . Why do people feel that the human body must be covered up to be decent? We would recommend a baby carrier instead. There were some naked hikers. Looking Down on Upper Tanque Verde Falls (color), near Tucson, AZ (16x32) This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The farther up the wash you go the less people you'll see as the hike becomes more difficult. Use caution when traveling on foot in this area as footing can be slippery on the loose rock and soil present here. Please explore responsibly! Drive on the dirt road for 0.9 miles until you reach a parking area to the right. Site and Upper Tanque Verde Falls would be closed with vehicle barriers. It can be done, as I witnessed two individuals in their mid-twenties make it to the falls and back. It had great views of the hills filled with Saguaro Cacti. Also popular . Tanque Verde beach is a hidden gem in AZ and the waterfall is a stunning spot to hike to and enjoy, no matter if it's wet or dry! I Its not private property but has been taken over by others. The human body is just as natural as any animals exposed body. There are no posted hours, but this hiking trail is best used from dawn to dusk during daylight hours. Agua Caliente near sunset. Planning to hit more of southern AZ this year. Participants assume all risks for any activities they engage in. bringing mutts will lead to more poop than the natural animals would leave, because people will bring them to the same locations , never picking up the poop. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. You will come across many off leash dogs, while I can respect a well trained off leash dog, your dog running up to my dog that's on a leash I wouldn't consider well trained. To get to Upper Tanque Verde Falls Trailhead from Tucson, drive east on Tanque Verde Road until it turns into a dirt road called Redington Road. Otherwise absolutely beautiful. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. There is no specific trail you just have to pick your way along the creek bed. TucsonTopia is not responsible for any injuries or problems that may arise from partaking in any of these events and activities. 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