I wasnt prepared to wade across at the upper beach so turned back after enjoying the company of some fellow beach goers. The towering walls on each side provide shade in certain times of Drive the Cactus Forest Loop in Saguaro's Rincon Mountain District, Drive the Scenic Loop in Saguaro National Park East (Cactus Forest). Alternatively, you might try late afternoons or close to the dinner hour. We were the first ones up there when we went, but if you go on a weekend or during the summer, you will probably see other cars parked there. Although the route is only one mile each way, it presents some difficult challenges. Great place to hike or hang out. Tanque Verde Falls are located in Tanque Verde Canyon east of Tanque Verde, Arizona, about half hour from Tuscon. . The turnoff (to the South) for the "Italian Trap" trail is at milepost 12.6 on Redington Road. That being said, the shoulder months (September and May) can also be quite pleasant if you check the weather ahead of time. If you visit in the summer, youll experience very warm and pleasant water temperatures, ranging from 87 to about 79 degrees, on average. Nope. Follow the narrow, well-trodden path downhill for 0.4 miles to reach the beach above the falls. Sarah thought it would be cool to draw in the sand and take a few family pictures, she wrote: Tucson 2017. Can be challenging if water is high, as it requires climbing rocks and switching across the water a lot. Super fun hike! That one leads way into areas much less traveled, quiet, varied vegetation and beautiful (north and east of the outlined route). Early Saturday, started with a group, but this is a wonderful and rare space to scramble on the rocks, enjoy the water, and take ones sweet time. The hike down to the water is very quick couldnt have been more than 15 minutes. While not as tall as the lower falls, Upper Tanque Verde Falls are easier to get to and still beautiful. Really nice low traffic hike, beautiful as the desert starts to bloom. The farther up the wash you go the less people you'll see as the hike becomes more difficult. But it was so much fun. I made it to the trail head in a Honda Civic, but agreed that something with higher clearance/all wheel drive makes this easier! FYI, it is clothing optional. Ft. 4140 E Angel Spirit Dr, Tucson, AZ 85756. Thanks for joining ladies!! As you start to drive up the mountain, the road will become dirt. Everything you can ask for in a moderately difficult trail. Don't be discouraged by all of the picnicking families with their coolers at the bottom. I received a tip about the secret, hidden waterfall of Madera Canyon from a local and had to go check it out. Thanks to his dad and the Boy Scouts, he was able to spend a lot of time hiking at an early age. Yes nakedness is common from just below the upper falls on up. 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. There are no restrooms along the trail or at the trailhead. Easy hike. Yes, the 3rd hike entrance is known as "The Nudist" area. Read all replies. The water was ice cold, but invigorating! (LogOut/ Tanque Verde Falls is a beautiful and popular hike on the far east side of Tucson. Make your way about 200 to 300 yards down the trail. Park here to hike the more difficult route to the base of the falls. 4 Tanque Verde Falls Overlook Development of a pedestrian overlook for Tanque Verde Falls, including the development of a small graded area (approximately 75 sq. Change). Everyday photos and illustrations, for just 1 credit. Many Tucsonans know it as the dirt road to the awe-inspiring Tanque Verde Falls. The stream had created a large pool of water at the beach and was actually quite deep as Xander found out on accident. The canyon is located within Coronado National Forest. As with all hiking trails, be sure to stow your trash in a backpack or pocket until it can be properly disposed of. (LogOut/ Tanque Verde Falls is about 20 miles east of Tucson, but feels more remote than its location lets on. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. The water was so high it was tough making it to the big fall even with getting wet up to my waist. Be prepared for some significant rock scrambling and being extra socks in case you fall in. Dont recommend going past the trail where it initially meets the river if youre not confident in your scrambling skills. The sound of the fall gets louder and louder as you descend the trail. The signs were for reals lol. A couple of sites mention the hike, but the directions are confusing. As you get close to the creek, watch for a dogleg turn to your right and follow it downstream. Fair warning: Youll need to work for this one, as its 16.8 miles out and back. NEW. 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. He's now a full-time nomad and travels the American West in an RV with his wife Kim and daughter Maia, doing hikes along the way. Chubbish Rubbish II. This is a very popular area for hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. (LogOut/ The drive in Saguaro National Park East is a paved eight-mile one way loop that runs through the heart of an extensive saguaro forest. Take time to enjoy this drive, it offers great views of the park and opportunities to spot coyotes and other wildlife.About 7 miles into your drive you will begin ascending along a hill. Pretty challenging. is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement. The series of falls lie south of Redington Road, between the Tucson Valley and the San Pedro River valley. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you are aiming to complete the entire trail and arrive back at the trailhead, plan for about 2-4 hours. 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 having the prick of a cactus get you! Nothing very steep until the last 20 feet before you drop into "the beach". A short, well-maintained trail leads from the parking area down to the stream bed. 3 Beds. The start of the trail there was a big yellow warning sign about not cliff jumping, and many hikers had written on the sign about nudity. 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. We started on the left end of the loop and lost the trail at the beach. The beach was 50ft long by 20ft wide and felt and looked just like beach sand, perfect for some nude sunbathing. Once you get there, you can hike up and down stream. If you check out my katelontjeffereys.wordpress.com blog, I did blog posts of many of them. Generally considered a moderately challenging route. As a busy mother of one crazy kid, two cats, and two geckos, they write whenever there is spare time. The signs warn of it near the road. There are two approaches to Upper Tanque Verde Falls and they both start from Redington Road. Have you ever been to Tanque Verde Beach? 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. If youre looking for a good view, without taking dogs, and dont mind climbing and exploring on your own, this is a good place. My guess is that the lower falls are where this occurs. There is a whopping 2,000 miles of shoreline here and the lake is quite well-known for its boating, jet skiing, and kayaking. Wadnt lookin fer it, he replied. Yes nakedness is common from just below the upper falls on up. This article is part of a two part hiking guide on Upper and Lower Tanque Verde Falls. Once at the bottom, the rest of the hike will consist of boulder hopping and climbing. #CoffeeKen #divine_deserts #adventureanywhere #hiking #azlife #borntobunk #hiking. Ample parking is available as are bathrooms. There were some naked hikers. There is no specific trail you just have to pick your way along the creek bed. We had been trying to get out and hike with them for almost a year. . You have the option to either hop on a tram that will take you to the 7 Falls trailhead for $4 a person, or walk the 2 miles yourself. As you start to drive up the mountain, the road will become dirt. From there, it's a short hike to the water. A few turns later down the trail there was another posting that read Clothing Optional Area. Even though this trail is dog and kid-friendly, please be advised as this may be a problem for some. being that its a trail and not the open wild, like animals in nature would normally do. LITTLE COLORADO RVR BLW ZION RES. This is where we should have stopped the first time to access the upper falls trailhead. a secondary access point to Chiva Falls (FR4424), the Arizona Trail crossing at mile 12, along with . It is wonderful. If you continue on downstream over the maze of boulders, youll reach the creek bank. My dogs were tired and Its my first hike back post-concussion. LYMAN LAKE NEAR ST. JOHNS, AZ. Upper Tanque Verde Falls Trail . Get more stories delivered right to your email. LITTLE COLORADO RVR ABV ZION RES. We also were able to see the canyon and the trailhead from up there, so we knew where to park once we went back down. It can be done, as I witnessed two individuals in their mid-twenties make it to the falls and back. Not usually known for much water except after summer rains, or winter snow melt from above. Literally takes about 11 minutes at a moderate pace to get to the water from the 3rd trail sign. 2023 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. Great post! Continue a few hundred feet and park to the left across from the other trailhead to hike the easier route. TucsonTopia contains both paid and non-paid mentions of businesses and organizations in and around Tucson, Arizona. Saguaro National Park in Pima County is 91,327 acres and offers several trails on both its east and west side as well as camping opportunities and of course, tons and tons of saguaro cacti. While this is a short hike if water levels are high enough, you will have to exert a good . But if thats all youre looking for youll miss a whole bunch of other spectacular natural wonders. From here, you can walk over to the edge and see it cascading down the granite wall. Literally you are rock climbing and up to your armpits in water. Your best bet for seeing the falls run is soon after rain events or during Rincon Mountain snowmelt. the loop part was not easy to find so we did an out and back. If youre driving from Tucson, the first and westernmost trailhead is the more challenging option. Youll see a small sign for upper tanque verde falls. View all. Be sure to arrive early on weekends and holidays as it does tend to fill up. Start out on the paved trail from the Proctor parking lot. June, July, and August tend to be unbearably hot with temperatures sometimes hitting at or above 100 degrees. Fairly easy trail down to the wash and back. Its about 20 miles southeast of Green Valley, AZ. (LogOut/ So if youre being careful, it is absolutely spectacular! (LogOut/ This area, which has been a popular naturist . Kids don't care about nudity. We hiked two short trails in the upper Tanque Verde Falls. 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