Rob Rachowiecki was raised in London and climbed his first mountain by accident, while on a school biology field course in Scotland. After a day of dissecting newts, he walked to the top of a windswept hill behind the outdoor studies center, looked around at miles of startling wilderness, and had an "I'm the king of the world!" revelation.

Rob crossed the pond in 1974, planning on traveling around the world but ending up living and traveling throughout the Americas, from Alaska to Argentina. He has authored hiking and climbing guides to Central America and the Central Andes, as well as travel guides to Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and the American Southwest for publishers ranging from Lonely Planet to National Geographic. He has been an active member of the Society of American Travel Writers since 1997.

From 1983 to 2008, Rob worked as an adventure-travel guide, leading treks in the Andes and adventures on the Amazon. Since 1990 he has lived in Tucson, where he earned a master's degree at the University of Arizona and where he enjoys the area's varied ethnic restaurants, theatres, and outdoor music festivals. He is often found hiking the many desert, canyon, and mountain trails surrounding Tucson, following the seasonal changes, and usually doing a spot of bird-watching, as Brits are wont to do.

Overview Map

Overview-Map Key

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Preface

Recommended Hikes

Introduction

Saguaro National Park East and Eastern Tucson

• Saguaro National Park East: Cactus Forest-Mica View Loop


• Saguaro National Park East: Douglas Spring and Bridal Wreath Falls Trails


• Saguaro National Park East: Freeman Homestead Trail


• Saguaro National Park East: Garwood Dam Loop


• Saguaro National Park East: Tanque Verde Ridge Trail


• Tanque Verde Falls Trails


• Zimmerman Trailhead to Three Bridges

Sabino Canyon

• Blackett's Ridge Trail


• Hutch's Pool


• Phoneline Trail


• Sabino Canyon Road


• Seven Falls on Bear Canyon Trail

Mount Lemmon

• Babad Do'ag Trail


• Incinerator Ridge Trail


• Marshall Gulch Loop


• Meadow Trail Loop


• Molino Basin Trail


• Wilderness of Rock Loop

Santa Catalina Foothills

• Catalina State Park: Nature and Birding Loops


• Catalina State Park: Romero Canyon Trail to Romero Pools


• Finger Rock Trail to Mount Kimball


• Vista Loop


• Pima Canyon Trail to Mount Kimball


• Pontatoc Ridge Trail


• Ventana Canyon to Maiden Pools and The Window

Saguaro National Park West, Tucson Mountains and Tortolita Mountains

• Saguaro National Park West: Hugh Norris Trail to Wasson Peak


• Saguaro National Park West: Sweetwater Trail to Wasson Peak


• Saguaro National Park West: Thunderbird Loop


• Sentinel Peak


• Tucson Mountain Park: Brown Mountain Loop


• Tucson Mountain Park: Yetman Trail


• Wild Burro Loop

Madera Canyon Area

• Bog Springs-Kent Spring Loop


• Dutch John Spring Trail


• Nature Trail and Madera Creek Trail


• Old Baldy Trail to Mount Wrightson


• Super Trail to Mount Wrightson


• Madera Canyon: Wheelchair-Accessible Loops

Appendix A: Outdoor Retailers

Appendix B: Map Resources

Appendix C: Hiking Clubs

Index

About the Author

Map Legend