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Picture Rocks - 3 members in 10 triplogs have rated this an average 3.3 ( 1 to 5 best )
10 triplogs
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May 31 2025
avatar

 Guides 104
 Routes 256
 Photos 16,118
 Triplogs 528

53 male
 Joined Dec 30 2005
 Tucson, AZ
Picture RocksTucson, AZ
Picture Rocks
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar May 31 2025
Mike_W • Triplogs 528
Hiking4.70 Miles 914 AEG
Hiking4.70 Miles   1 Hour   40 Mns   2.82 mph
914 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Last day of May! Arrived around 7.15 pm, met Francisco, and hiked to the top of Picture Rocks peak. I've probably hiked this 5 times before but it was Francisco's first time here. We saw the semi-famous petroglyph at the top. We both enjoyed the hike and took the known trail to Yuma mine afterwards. By the time we finished we hiked about 4.5 miles. It's a bit slower going at night since we're only able to see about 50 feet in any direction.

Stats:
-------
(Picture rocks peak only)
RT miles = 1.9
AEG: 577 feet
time up = 50 mins
time down = 50 mins
--
entire route including Yuma mine hike after Picture Rocks peak:
RT miles = 4.7
AEG = 914
_____________________
Michael Williams
IT Professional
Rocky Point Vacation Rentals
Ocean Front Condo in Rocky Point, Sonora, Mexico
www.beachfrontmexico.us
Image
  1 archive
Mar 29 2025
avatar

 Guides 93
 Routes 397
 Photos 4,984
 Triplogs 4,124

49 male
 Joined Jun 20 2003
 Tucson, AZ
Belmont Finisher, AZ 
Belmont Finisher, AZ
 
Run/Jog avatar Mar 29 2025
fricknaley • Triplogs 4,124
Run/Jog13.10 Miles 1,188 AEG
Run/Jog13.10 Miles   3 Hrs   6 Mns   4.47 mph
1,188 ft AEG      10 Mns Break5 LBS Pack
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Vertical Cliffs Abington and Animal Wash Loop
Gila Monster Trail - Saguaro NP West
Coyote Pass Trail - Saguaro NP West
Picture Rocks
Coyote Pass from Picture Rocks
Partners none no partners
Finishing off the trails on the east end of Tucson Mountain district of SNP. Lot of wash stuff on the route i did today. Went by Picture Rocks and out to a few different parts of the park boundry.
_____________________
hi
 
Oct 27 2022
avatar

 Guides 104
 Routes 256
 Photos 16,118
 Triplogs 528

53 male
 Joined Dec 30 2005
 Tucson, AZ
Picture RocksTucson, AZ
Picture Rocks
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Oct 27 2022
Mike_W • Triplogs 528
Hiking1.70 Miles 550 AEG
Hiking1.70 Miles   1 Hour   25 Mns   1.20 mph
550 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners partners
Jim
I always thought this was just a numbered peak (Peak 2883), but realized today it's actually called Picture Rocks peak, which is a better name.

Met Jim and started hiking around 3:30 pm. This time we parked at the Picture Rock Petroglyphs parking area. Haven't parked at this trailhead before, but it's a good place to start this hike or to enter the wash. I believe I've hiked this small mountain at least 3-4 times previously, but it's been a while since my last summit of this one. On previous hikes of this mountain, I've seen many javelina in the morning hours. I believe I've seen the "sun petroglyph" near the top before. Also found a deer antler about halfway up which is a rare find. The bushwhack really was pretty easy. I believe it wouldn't take a lot of work to make a better cleaner trail.
_____________________
Michael Williams
IT Professional
Rocky Point Vacation Rentals
Ocean Front Condo in Rocky Point, Sonora, Mexico
www.beachfrontmexico.us
Image
  3 archives
Feb 27 2021
avatar

 Guides 94
 Routes 840
 Photos 22,055
 Triplogs 1,993

52 male
 Joined Sep 18 2002
 Tempe, AZ
Ironwood Forest Trail - Saguaro NP WestTucson, AZ
Ironwood Forest Trail - Saguaro NP West
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Feb 27 2021
chumley • Triplogs 1,993
Hiking6.26 Miles 633 AEG
Hiking6.26 Miles   1 Hour   56 Mns   3.24 mph
633 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   9 linked trail guides
Cam-Boh Trail
Brittlebush from Picture Rocks - Saguaro NP W
Picture Rocks
Ringtail Trail - Saguaro NP West
Cactus Canyon Trail - Saguaro NP West
Thunderbird Trail - Saguaro NP West
Picture Rocks Wash Trail - Saguaro NP West
Mule Deer Trail - Saguaro NP West
Brittlebush Trail - Saguaro NP West
Partners none no partners
Amazingly enough, I'd never been in SNPW, and we wanted to get a couple of hours hiking in on the way to Tucson. Being midafternoon on a weekend, we skipped the cherry-dipp'd line up the chains at Picacho, and I wasn't really keen on hiking straight uphill into a Catalina burn area, so I threw a bunch of SNP routes in the app and headed out. We spent a little too much time at the pool in the morning to have time for Wasson ... save that for another day ... but managed to put together a nice little loop from the north.

There was a little bit too much sandy wash hiking for me as we headed into the park, but the return half was much more pleasant. It's a bit dreary out there for spring. The lack of fall and winter rains is returning a whole lot of meh. Still a nice couple of hours outside.
_____________________
I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.
 
Dec 01 2015
avatar

 Guides 1
 Routes 136
 Photos 1,367
 Triplogs 364

47 male
 Joined Jun 10 2011
 Phoenix, AZ
Picture Rocks Wash to Peak 3263Tucson, AZ
Picture Rocks Wash to Peak 3263
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Dec 01 2015
The_Dude • Triplogs 364
Hiking5.94 Miles 1,082 AEG
Hiking5.94 Miles   2 Hrs   42 Mns   2.58 mph
1,082 ft AEG      24 Mns Break12 LBS Pack
 
no photosets
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Cam-Boh Trail
Picture Rocks
Partners none no partners
Yet another after-work special to get in a peak...I started from the trailhead about 2:30 to start my hike. Headed out on the Cam-boh trail to Ironwood Forest, then Picture Rocks wash to the peak. Apparently I did not get my off trail fill on Sunday, so today would be another taste. Most of the hike to the turnoff is sandy wash, easy but a bit slower going. The off-trail portion of this hike is pretty decent too, there is abundant Cholla, but plenty of room to work around it. Made it to the peak for a little break and to sign in the register, I was only the third entry of the year, maybe about 10 entries since 2010. Great views of Wasson and the Catalinas, hazy conditions once again limited long range views. This initial scramble down is pretty steep for the first few hundred feet, I did have to do the butt-scoot in a few spots to keep from toppling over. After the initial down the rest is really easy. I got back on the Picture Rocks Wash trail and took that back all the way to the Ringtail trail, and then that back to the van. Nice hike with great solitude! The only downer is the road noise from Picture Rocks road, but that is lost after the first half mile or so.
_____________________
 
Jan 01 2011
avatar

 Guides 2
 Routes 4
 Photos 3,873
 Triplogs 362

51 female
 Joined Feb 12 2008
 Tucson, AZ
Picture RocksTucson, AZ
Picture Rocks
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jan 01 2011
sirena • Triplogs 362
Hiking2.20 Miles 1,050 AEG
Hiking2.20 Miles   1 Hour   30 Mns   1.47 mph
1,050 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
I like to start my year out with a big hike, but I was on call in the afternoon and so I needed something quick and fun. I remembered reading Nick's description and not liking the bit about the very steep and exposed parts. I hike or drive past this peak often and knew I could take a more gradual route with no exposure by parking on the road across from the peak right before the sign that tells you that you are entering Saguaro National Park. The terrain was pretty open and other than a couple of rockfalls to avoid, it was easy to pick my way up the hill to a saddle, where I could see another saddle between the two highpoints. The peak was 0.6 miles from the car. I visited both highpoints- Picture Rocks summit is the one closest to the road. Here's a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VJ94IchXdA

After taking a break on the peak, I made my hike into a loop by following the ridgeline down toward the rememberance path at the east end of the peak. There is a forked saguaro at the base of the hill that makes a good landmark to shoot for. I came out at the station marked with a cross and the roman numeral V. This was about 0.7 away from the peak. I turned left on the path toward the wash, then took the wash to the left back to Picture Rocks Road and a short distance back to my Jeep. Not the epic hike I usually like to start my year out with, but a pleasant off-trail jaunt nonetheless. I was going to drive off, but my eye caught the peak on the other side of the pass, so I figured "why not?" and I hiked up that too. That peak was a lot more loose and crumbly than it's neighbor, but it was only a quarter-mile total with about 175 feet elevation gain.
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  2 archives
Nov 18 2007
avatar

 Guides 93
 Routes 397
 Photos 4,984
 Triplogs 4,124

49 male
 Joined Jun 20 2003
 Tucson, AZ
Picture RocksTucson, AZ
Picture Rocks
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Nov 18 2007
fricknaley • Triplogs 4,124
Hiking2.50 Miles 485 AEG
Hiking2.50 Miles
485 ft AEG
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Out cruising around in Picture Rocks Wash in the late afternoon of a glorious day in Tucson. Found some of the 'glyphs I've been looking for.
_____________________
hi
 
Sep 16 2007
avatar

 Guides 93
 Routes 397
 Photos 4,984
 Triplogs 4,124

49 male
 Joined Jun 20 2003
 Tucson, AZ
Picture RocksTucson, AZ
Picture Rocks
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Sep 16 2007
fricknaley • Triplogs 4,124
Hiking
Hiking
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Short walk out in the local storm, cruising up the backside of Picture Rocks Wash. Great color in the desert right now. Brilliant skies too with the storms all around.
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Desert Ironwood
_____________________
hi
 
Aug 19 2007
avatar

 Guides 93
 Routes 397
 Photos 4,984
 Triplogs 4,124

49 male
 Joined Jun 20 2003
 Tucson, AZ
Picture RocksTucson, AZ
Picture Rocks
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Aug 19 2007
fricknaley • Triplogs 4,124
Hiking 485 AEG
Hiking
485 ft AEG
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Short little creaky walk out behind Picture Rocks, on the sloped side. Crazy skies just before the rain (and lightning) turned me around soon after I started. Oh well, I can't really walk anyway.

Interesting afternoon
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Barrel Cactus
_____________________
hi
 
Apr 30 2007
avatar

 Guides 93
 Routes 397
 Photos 4,984
 Triplogs 4,124

49 male
 Joined Jun 20 2003
 Tucson, AZ
Picture RocksTucson, AZ
Picture Rocks
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Apr 30 2007
fricknaley • Triplogs 4,124
Hiking3.40 Miles 485 AEG
Hiking3.40 Miles   1 Hour   45 Mns   1.94 mph
485 ft AEG
 
Linked   linked  
Cactus Canyon from Picture Rocks
Partners none no partners
Probably the last hike for a while. I just had to get out in the great weather one last time.
_____________________
hi
 
average hiking speed 2 mph

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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