Only attempt this trail if you know that you can do so safely, and turn around immediately if the hike becomes dangerous for any reason, at any time. . (Did you know that if a saguaro is burned 30%+, it will die?) Help hold major polluting companies accountable for their impacts so that they will innovate on solutions. Trail Length: 5.60 miles: Trail Type: Out & Back: Hike Difficulty: Intermediate: Elevation Gain: 1046 feet: Trails/Routes: 2.8-3.5 mi Started about 2pm. What we have on our hands, with buffelgrass and other exotic plant species that are spreading rapidly and hurting our native species (e.g. Saguaros are the perfect example of life in the desert. --> To stay on the Romero canyon trail, stay left here. Shape your expectations based on this, and please, help us protect our mountains from further destruction. Beautiful, but rocky trail, lots of water at the pools. Not hard but moderate difficulty. After 1.7 miles from the Montrose pools, the trail will drop into a canyon and cross the wash again. Here exposed points of bedrock (Gneiss) poke through the alluvium. Jordan is a relatively small country with a deep and rich history and stunning natural beauty. Enough water at the start we had to take off our boots! .main-inner .fauxcolumn-left-outer { This 13-day luxury Jordan itinerary takes you from the green hills of the north, Berry Creek Falls Loop at Big Basin Redwoods State Park- A Hiking Guide. Romero Canyon Pools. One of Tucsons favorite hikes, I write up my experience on a trek to the Romero Pools. Our much older blog posts can still be found here. Beautiful looking hike. Romero Canyon is a significant drainage and has the potential for flash flooding, so be cautious and look up the forecast before you go. A scenic hike with lots of rocky areas. If you explore different places, you will help us mitigate overtourism here, and further protect our beautiful state. However, finding a reliable and concise guide takes a lot of work. 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. During the monsoon months, heavy rainfall can fall on isolated portions of the Santa Catalina Mountains. It's been about 5 years since we hiked the Romero Pools Trail, which means we've been long overdue for another hike there. It really is- hope the fire didnt destroy it all. This is the location of the Romero Pools and the turn around point for this hike. After 0.3 miles, turn left on Main Avenue. After passing through the desert, you will begin your true climb into the mountains. Looking down Romero Canyon. In each of these zones, an entirely new set of plants animals live. They are old and slow growing. At this point, the trail narrows and begins its ascent up the ridge. SunCloud Patrol Polarized Womens Sunglasses. }. The Romero Pools Trail is not appropriate for people that are not prepared via supplies and physical ability. --> Area/Length : 6.6 miles Elevation : 2,800 feet - 6,000 feet Forest Service Home| USDA.gov| recreation.gov| Recreation Customer Service Standards| USA.gov| Whitehouse.gov Plug-Ins| FOIA| Accessibility Statement| Privacy Policy| Important Notices| Information Quality First aid supplies can be helpful in dire situations or in the case of an accident, however, they come in handy quite often even on hikes that go basically without a hitch. Your email address will not be published. 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. Id estimate 1.8 of those were pure elevation gains, baby. Journey was great not necessarily the destination. Then, I used Tucson hiking as training for places like Havasu Falls or Angels Landing. Romero Pools sits at about 4000, which is just the start of the pinon oak forest. These pools look so pretty in the middle of the rugged landscape. The first mile is relatively flat and an easy walk which makes for a great warm-up for the hills. The Canyon Loop trail is an easy hike through the foothills that begins and ends at the Trailhead parking lot. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. The pools are a system of puddles and streams, ranging from relatively still to flowing waterfalls that feed deep swimming holes surrounded by smooth rock. Invasive fountain grass in the Catalinas (c) ABR 2019, Bathroom Facilities: Yes, at the trailhead, Entrance Fee: $7.00 per vehicle (4 people) via Catalina State Park. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Even though Mt Lemmon is 100 miles away, they have their own flavors of squirrels living at Summerhaven. min-width: 930px; 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. It was highly resilient and cattle seemed to prefer it as forage. This trail starts at the Romero Canyon Trailhead with an easy walk of about a mile. The Romero Pools section is an extremely popular portion of this scenic trail, but there's so much more after the pools! 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. Lots of rocks to deal with. In fact, at the time that buffelgrass was brought to Arizona in those days, it was considered a wonder plant. Also, follow all fire rules while camping and ensure that you know what land managers are allowing at any time. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Beyond the wash, the pathwayremainswide,flat and easyfor the next mile, as it heads into the canyon. I hope you can make it out! min-width: 0; If you're needing overnight lodging, then Tucson would be your best place to look. The last portion of the trail gets more difficult as the incline increases. Cool breezes on your sweaty forehead help a bit. As for jumping in the water, you actually have to be careful because if the water isnt deep enough you might not be safe there. Its for the strong, and spiky who give their own brand of love. Romero Canyon Trail ends at Romero Pass, where it intersects Mt. You might even run into a ressssident. 6.8 total Rocky but very doable. 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. Start your hike at the trailhead parking lot, cross Sutherland Wash, and then begin your steep climb up to the pools. Emerald Pools. Both should only be done with organizations that know how to safely carry out these activities. Youll look dumb but feel ridiculously smart. To enter the Catalina State Park costs $7 per vehicle with up to four adults. The hike takes you to a beautiful desert oasis set in a canyon with water that flows most, if not all of the year. 2nd pool has a nice waterfall. Romero Pools Here is the track recorded by my Garmin GPS-III: Trail is initially sandy and flat Looking to the left, seems quite verdant for southern Arizona Climbing a little, looking back down towards the entrance Trail gets a bit rocky towards the top of the first ridge Higher still, peeking back through a gap Looking up towards the second ridge CF Romero Pools 11. .content-outer, .content-fauxcolumn-outer, .region-inner { margin-right: -360px; Please read our disclaimer. Your email address will not be published. } Nice refreshing hike when theres water. body { jeannettefalk@aol.com 1 month, 2 weeks ago. If you hike another 0.3 miles, you will encounter another set of pools. AZ is one of the most biodiverse states in the US! Please explore responsibly! Most of the mountain-dwelling animals just cant cross the empty deserts so they have been isolated for the last 10,000 years since the shallow Arizona seas subsided. parseInt("360px") + 'px'); Looks so gorgeous! During the summer time be sure to watch out for rattle snakes! Thanks for sharing about this hike. Our hike started in the Sutherland Wash, a dry waterway filled with wispy mesquite trees that send tap roots down to the water table below. Also, no dogs on the second part of the trail due to bighorn sheep. The Catalina State Park is a popular destination and it's easy to see why. I imagine theyre most full during monsoon season, but its brutally hot then. Beneaththe sky-high peaks of the Santa Catalina Mountains, a stalwart stream has carvedan splash-worthyplayground into the surrounding granite. The trail continues across the wash, deeper into the Coronado national forest, but these pools are a good turn around point. About 0.5 miles from the previous trail junction, you'll reach a signed spur trail for the Montrose Pools. star rate star rate star rate star rate star rate (0). Vistas, waterfalls, lots of varied terrain. width: 0; However, at the end, you'll see the gorgeous pools and have views of Mt. Romero Canyon is in the heart of the Pusch Wilderness, where Bighorn Sheep have been reintroduced and are protected. One of the most accessible major peaks in the Catalinas. #layout .content-outer { A friendly chipmunk, which we spotted far from that guy <, 9 Unexpected Things You Should Pack for a Long Vacation Arizona Travels, Head lamp: good for dusk and dawn hikes. These pools are also home to bighorn sheep, which need surface water to survive. The well worn trail is easy to follow for it's entire length to the Romero Pools. To request permission for use email us at lisa@azutopia.com. As an added bonus, the Pools themselves are a unique sight in the desert. I love finding water in these remote areas. Gave 5 stars based on memory of post rain or snowmelt falls. He completed his first 14-mile day hike at age 7 in Zion National Park and was backpacking by age 11. A must do hike if you are visiting. after 1.1 miles, we reached the foothills. CF Ventana Canyon 12. Beautiful canyon. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The park is open year round from5:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m. daily. The hike takes about 3 hours round trip and it is recommended to bring at least 1 quart of water per person. We've got hundreds of well documented Arizona hikes. There is a fee to enter the park: $7/veh. Took just under 3 hours with lots of pics and a brief stop at the top. Romero Pools, Tucson. Did not even stop at pools, as the rest uwas so much better. Once you reach the water, you discover how much vibrancy the Sonoran Desert brings. If you are out of shape, this could be gut wrenching but perseverance is well-rewarded. When you start out from the parking lot at the trailhead for the Romero Pools Trail, you will cross a creek bed and get a nice little warm up on your first hill. We hiked for another 1.7 miles to reach the pools. left: 0; The pools were great! Park at the end of the road. 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. You then drive to the trailhead parking lot. //