Part 26 - Soldier Trail.
Length: 5.3 Miles
Elevation change: 1.938 feet.
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult.
Dogs Friendly: Yes, if on a leash.
We had decided on a new strategy for how to approach the many different hiking options in the Tucson area. With the cool Winter weather providing low temps in the valley, we focused on trails that would normally be too hot to hike any other time of year. The vast amount of trails in the Catalina Mountains offer great hikes all year though. I suggest purchasing a topographic map, then using that map to plan a hike in an elevation that suits the season.
You can purchase a map of the Catalina Mountains on Amazon here:
Website: Amazon.com Map of Catalina Mountains
Catalina Highway has many trail heads on the way up to the summit at Mount Lemmon, so we decided to just start at the bottom and work our way up. Soldier Trail is the very first official trail head that you come to on the way uphill. This is an old trail that is believed to date back to the early 1900's when soldiers from Ft Lowell would use it to access the mountains from Tucson before Catalina Highway was built.
The trail clocks in at 5.3 miles. Doesnt seem bad until you figure in the elevation gain. The first thing you notice...It is steep, and intimidating. From the parking area, you have to crane your neck to follow the trail up the rocky slope.
Following the creek back upstream will lead you back to the trail. It is not well marked throughout this swampy area but if you follow the stream bed NE for a bit you will see the cut to your right where the trail breaks East and begins to climb out of the canyon.
After a bit of climbing and skirting the top of a canyon or two, Soldier Trail begins to descend to the spot where it meets the Arizona Trail just West of the Hirabiyashi Rec Area.
An interesting thing about this trail is that it has an accessible trail head at either end. So, if you have two cars, then you can do this trail as a shuttle route. I suggest parking your shuttle vehicle at the bottom trail head and hiking down from Hirabiyashi Rec Area at the top.
I would rate this trail as difficult if done 'out and back' and moderate if done by the downhill shuttle route mentioned above. It is a classic Tucson trail and anyone who lives here and hikes has no excuse to not complete it, especially since you have a shuttle opportunity.
Our next entry is the Babat Doag Trail
Part 27 - Babat Duag Trail
Here is a link to our last entry:
Part 25 - Quilter Trail.
Length: 5.3 Miles
Elevation change: 1.938 feet.
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult.
Dogs Friendly: Yes, if on a leash.
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| The rocky beginnings of Soldier Trail. |
We had decided on a new strategy for how to approach the many different hiking options in the Tucson area. With the cool Winter weather providing low temps in the valley, we focused on trails that would normally be too hot to hike any other time of year. The vast amount of trails in the Catalina Mountains offer great hikes all year though. I suggest purchasing a topographic map, then using that map to plan a hike in an elevation that suits the season.
You can purchase a map of the Catalina Mountains on Amazon here:
Website: Amazon.com Map of Catalina Mountains
Catalina Highway has many trail heads on the way up to the summit at Mount Lemmon, so we decided to just start at the bottom and work our way up. Soldier Trail is the very first official trail head that you come to on the way uphill. This is an old trail that is believed to date back to the early 1900's when soldiers from Ft Lowell would use it to access the mountains from Tucson before Catalina Highway was built.
The trail clocks in at 5.3 miles. Doesnt seem bad until you figure in the elevation gain. The first thing you notice...It is steep, and intimidating. From the parking area, you have to crane your neck to follow the trail up the rocky slope.
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| Forget about Waldo. Can you find Scott in this picture??? |
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| This trail is full of Rolling Rocks. Not the beer. Do they still make that stuff? |
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| Great view of Tucson from this trail. |
Nothing much to see but the steep slope for most of the climb. When you get closer to leveling off, you can see a gorge cutting trough the grassy plateau in front of you. This makes for one of the best landmarks on the trip if trying to orient yourself to the map. Following this upstream to the East will give you access to the seasonal stream and canyon below.
There is somewhat of a riparian environment here at the top of the canyon, where seasonal water can sometimes be found.
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| Small creek that is the origin for the falls in this canyon. |
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| Following the creek downstream will lead you to this spot above the falls. |
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| This was our shaded lunch spot above the falls |
After a bit of climbing and skirting the top of a canyon or two, Soldier Trail begins to descend to the spot where it meets the Arizona Trail just West of the Hirabiyashi Rec Area.
An interesting thing about this trail is that it has an accessible trail head at either end. So, if you have two cars, then you can do this trail as a shuttle route. I suggest parking your shuttle vehicle at the bottom trail head and hiking down from Hirabiyashi Rec Area at the top.
I would rate this trail as difficult if done 'out and back' and moderate if done by the downhill shuttle route mentioned above. It is a classic Tucson trail and anyone who lives here and hikes has no excuse to not complete it, especially since you have a shuttle opportunity.
Our next entry is the Babat Doag Trail
Part 27 - Babat Duag Trail
Here is a link to our last entry:
Part 25 - Quilter Trail.
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