Javelina Rocks, AZ

The Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park contains some of the best and most easily accessible trails in the Tucson region. Some of these trails lead up into the High Country, the wilderness of the Rincon Mountains, while others stay low in the flats, crisscrossing the cactus forest that makes up the lowlands. This provides a great opportunity for year-round hiking. While some of these trails can be long, with steep grades and rough trail conditions, there are family-friendly hikes within the park as well. One of these family-type hikes is the area around Javalina Rocks.


Javalina Rocks is located along the southern section of the park loop drive, and has a well-marked, though small, parking area. Finding a spot may be difficult in the popular summer months. There is no water here, or at any other pull-off along the loop road. Make sure that your water bottles are filled up before you leave the Visitor's Center, especially if you are heading out during the hot summer months. Water will be essential as temperatures can top 110 degrees.From the parking lot, a dirt trail leads west-northwest towards the largest of the major outcroppings of Santa Catalina Gneiss. This area is quite busy on weekends in the spring, so you will probably see a few people walking around the rocks. Once you reach the nexus of the major outcroppings (there are about 5 of them), hiker-made trails lead every which way. Each rock outcropping can be climbed as well as circumambulated, though the largest two are more difficult to walk around than the other three. The smaller three are great for kids and offer wonderful sunset views, while the larger two offer a bit more solitude as well as greater elevation gain and difficulty. This is a quick, easy hike (almost more of a free-from exploration) that you really can't go wrong with. Experienced outdoors folks and wilderness newbies alike love this area with its combination of rocks, mountain backdrop, and wild desert flora (and occasionally fauna!).

Once you have seen all that you wish of the Javalina Rocks, return to your vehicle via the same path you arrived on.

2008-03-24 PaleoRob