Baby Jesus Upper Trail - Catalina Mountains • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Aug 11 2018

SpiderLegs

Guides 2
Routes 10
Photos 42
Triplogs 893

58 male

Joined Jul 12 2012
Oro Valley, AZ

Baby Jesus Upper Trail - Catalina Mountains

Tucson, AZ

Baby Jesus Upper Trail - Catalina Mountains

Tucson, AZ

Run/Jog		Aug 11 2018
		SpiderLegs • Triplogs 893

Run/Jog	7.90 Miles	995 AEG

Run/Jog	7.90 Miles	1 Hour 55 Mns	4.12 mph
	995 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

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Cherry Tank Trail - Catalina Mountains

Middle Gate Trail - Catalina Mountains

Partners

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The day started with a plan to do something at Catalina State Park, but arrived at 5:45 with traffic barricades blocking the road. Didn't feel like running a mile or two of pavement to get to any of the trails. Then someone came up to tell me that there was no water in the wash up ahead, but a good 3-4 feet of mud to traverse if you wanted to enter the park on foot. Called my friend to see about a backup plan and he suggested we check out this loop he put together up in Catalina.

Got to the Golder Ranch Road trailhead and had the place to ourselves for the first hour. From what I can tell, simply because I was following him and looking at my Strava Map we went down Middle Gate and Cherry Tank, then branched off onto Upper Baby Jesus. Then from there we made a loop via a well worn game trail and made a loop back to the car. Just some amazing views of the Catalinas from these trails. Nothing is marked, so I suggest going with a local who knows the trails or downloading a map. Tons of options for exploring back here.

Trail is pretty overgrown in spots and rutted out in others. Maybe 50% runnable right now, but fun to get back into bushwhacking and exploring mode. Got closer to the car and started seeing hordes of mountain bikers, so obviously they run this part of the local trail system.

Mid Tank Spring

Dripping

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See my pics on Instagram @tucsonexplorer

Oct 26 2017

markthurman53

Guides 187
Routes 989
Photos 12,068
Triplogs 864

72 male

Joined Jun 27 2015
Tucson, Arizona

Cherry Tank and Baby Jesus loop, AZ

Hiking		Oct 26 2017
		markthurman53 • Triplogs 864

Hiking	13.70 Miles	2,284 AEG

Hiking	13.70 Miles	6 Hrs 12 Mns		2.62 mph
	2,284 ft AEG	58 Mns Break	20 LBS Pack

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Baby Jesus Upper Trail - Catalina Mountains

Baby Jesus Trail - Catalina Mountains

Cherry Tank Trail - Catalina Mountains

Partners

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Started early in the morning before sunrise to finish up some more of the trails on the west side of Samaniego ridge near Golder Ranch. Used the Middle Gate trail to hook up to the Cherry Tank Trail (I have also heard this referred to as the Hidden Valley Trail). The lower Cherry Tank Trail has two access points from the Middle Gate Trail, I started in on the trail furthest North and returned via the Southern route. I hiked up to where I hiked a couple days before at the junction with the Cowboy Slickrock Trail and returned. I really like this hike up the upper reaches of Sutherland Creek, The Massive rock out crops impresses me every time I see them (even though it has only been twice now). On returning to just a couple hundred feet from the Middle Gate Trail I took an unnamed trail (which I am now calling the Baby Jesus Upper Trail) 2.4 miles south to the Baby Jesus Trail on Baby Jesus Ridge. For an unnamed trail it is in better condition than many of the other trails in this area. Fairly easy going along this trail as it crosses a few streams coming down off of Samaniego Ridge. At 1.3 miles in there is a cement trough at a place called Cement Dam Tank and Spring. There was water in the trough and for this to occur this late in the year I would have to assume this is a permanent spring. From here it is about 1.2 miles to the Baby Jesus Trail which I continued south on to Cargoden Canyon and the Sutherland Trail. The Baby Jesus trail is in good condition for its entirety with a little bit of confusion about 1 mile from the end point on the Sutherland Trail. There are side trails that want to take you off the ridge that the trail follows and if you aren't careful you will find yourself on one of these. A GPS is helpful here. Just south of Baby Jesus Ridge is another Spring called Wooden Trough Spring and it had water also. The trail passes by a cement trough along the trail. The actual spring is up the hill to the east and I am not sure if there is an actual wooden trough there or not. On the return trip to the start point on the lower Baby Jesus Trail there are some very large Saguaros with many large arms. Not necessarily the largest I have seen but definitely the most I have seen in one area. Of the trails I have been on in this area the Baby Jesus set and the Cherry Tank trail have the most to offer.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Saguaro

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Wooden Trough Spring

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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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