[dptile]

My wife and i will be visiting the tucson area around may 10 and would like to do a three day backpack trip but we know nothing about the area. we have the 'tucson hiking guide' book but it has very little info on water avalability and seems to be writen mostly for day hikes. we usually hike in and set up a base camp and do day hikes but we are willing to try anything that comes from a personal recomendation. so if any of you would like to point us to the trailhead it would be greatly appreciated.

[Lizard]

Try this hike:

http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=313

If that doesn't appeal to you, then I recommend doing some research in this book:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0899972160?tag=hikearizona

Lizard

[grit]

Check with Saguaro National Park. They can set you up with topos and local maps of the area. By that time, water will be somewhat scarce except for Manning Camp, at 8000', which has a permament spring and pools. I use this area as a base camp quite often and hike the Fire Loop Trail, visit Spud Rock Cabin site, Rincon Peak, Devil's Bathtub, Spud Rock, Mica Mountain, just to name a few. You'll need a camping permit, from the SNP headquarters, as well as, what I consider, the exhorbitant $6 per night fee. Have fun and let me know where you ended up and how it went!

[Larry Bolton]

Three day backpack trip to Tucson sounds like heaven. My 16 year old son and I hiked from Sabino Canyon (take tram to the last stop and start there) to West Sabino Canyon up the Lemon Rock Trail and then across the Wilderness of Rocks Trail to Summerhaven. We took 3 days to hike the 16 miles and climbed over 1 mile in altitude. There will be water along Sabino and West Sabino for the first 4 miles (Hutch’s Pool). After that we didn’t see water until we were in The Wilderness of Rocks area. That was last year, 2002, in March, which was very dry and little snow pack. This year should be better although this is later in the season. Try this link to get more info

http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado/scrd/