Shorter Trails

Desert Ecology Trail--0.25 mi. RT. Easy. Access: Cactus Forest Dr., east of the Mica View Picnic Area.

Interpretive signs along this paved wheelchair-accessible walkway explain how plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert make the most of the limited amount of water available.

Freeman Homestead Trail--1 mi. RT. Easy. Access: Off Cactus Forest Dr., on the Javelina Picnic Area access road.

This walk through gently rolling desert terrain offers good panoramic views as well as close-up views of saguaro, ocotillo, and other desert plants. Along the way, you'll find several interpretive signs describing desert life and the remains of the Freeman Homestead, a three-room adobe house built by Safford Freeman in 1929. All that's left now is a mound of sand from the adobe bricks and a portion of the foundation.

Longer Trails

Cactus Forest Trail--5 mi. one-way. Easy. Access: Near the east end of Broadway Blvd., just east of Freeman Rd.

This sandy, level trail, which can also be accessed from two points on the Cactus Forest Drive, is simply a very pleasant walk though a forest of cactus, primarily saguaro; a variety of other desert plants, such as paloverde and mesquite; as well as large beehive-shaped lime kilns, dating from about 1880.

Douglas Spring Trail--6 mi. one-way (to Douglas Spring Campground). Strenuous. Access: East end of Speedway Blvd.

This trail through the foothills of the Rincon Mountains is considered strenuous, starting off fairly level but gradually becoming steeper, and then alternating between steep and flat sections all the way to Douglas Spring Campground. Along the way you'll find lots of cactus, especially prickly pear, and some interesting rock formations. Signs of damage from a devastating 1989 fire can still be seen here, as well as the results of revegetation. The trail continues beyond the campground, providing access to other backcountry trails. You need a backcountry permit to stay overnight at the campground.

Tanque Verde Ridge Trail--6.9 mi. one-way (to Juniper Basin Campground). Strenuous. Access: Javelina Picnic Area off Cactus Forest Dr.

This trail offers splendid panoramic views as it follows a ridgeline northeast into the wilderness area. You'll see saguaro, cholla, prickly pear, and other cactus for a while, and then pinyon, juniper, and some oak as you climb higher into the foothills. The Juniper Basin Campground, at 6,000 feet, is 2,900 feet higher than the trailhead. Although the trail continues, this is a good spot for day hikers to turn around.