King Canyon Trailhead

I really enjoyed this hike. The last time I was at Saguaro National Park, I just hiked through the King Canyon Wash. Recently I did the King Canyon / Gould Mine loop trail. The weather was beautiful and I enjoyed the variety of cacti and dessert flora along the way. There are several options on King Canyon Trail to extend your hike and make it a full day or to make it a short quick hike.The beginning of the trailhead is on the outskirts of Saguaro National Park West near the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The Red Hills Visitor Center is also close by. But you do not need to pay an entrance fee to do this hike. There is a small parking lot at the start of the trailhead. Once you begin your hike, you will see that the King Canyon trail splits. You have the option of walking the one mile trail through a wash or on the man-made trail. The trail itself is pretty rocky, so wear proper shoes and maybe bring some walking sticks. You will see all types of amazing saguaros along the way. Once you arrive at the Mam-A-Gah picnic area, you have a few options. You can continue on the King Canyon trail to connect with the Sweetwater trail and eventually to Wasson Peak. The views at the peak are so beautiful. The hike is around seven miles and there are some switchbacks involved. If you go left on the Sendero Esperanza Trail, you can join up with the Hugh Norris Trail. This is a very long trail that will also get you to Wasson Peak. If you just want to make this a short hike, jump on the Gould Mine Trail and head back to the parking lot. The King Canyon / Gould Mine loop is only a couple miles roundtrip. Keep an eye out for some petroglyphs and abandoned mine shafts on this trail. If you love the desert, this is a great hike to get more in touch with it. I love the variety of desert plant life along the way. Make sure you wear sunblock and have plenty of water. Also take some time to explore Saguaro National Park and all that it has to offer.

Wasson Peak via King Canyon and Hugh Norris trail is a perfect hike if you want scenic views and a decent workout without too much difficulty. The King Canyon trail was more enjoyable than the Hugh Norris trail as Hugh Norris trail had much more loose rock. 7.9 miles loop with 1863 foot elevation gain. Located in Saguaro National Park West.

I took King Canyon to Wasson Peak. Being from Phoenix I thought that there were a lot of saguaro's up here then I ended up here in Saguaro National Park and I was blown away with how many were here. This is a great hike in terms of difficulty and views. Its a rather long hike and its easy to get side tracked with all the surrounding beauty. If you are lucky and keep your eyes open you can spot some interesting petroglyphics. Good trail to take in the afternoon after a visit to the Sonora Desert Museum. Parking lot is pretty close to the road but it is unpaved.

What a great hike. The beginning of King trail is a little rocky, but worth it. The trail gets better once you reach sweetwater trail to head up to Wasson Peak. It's amazingly short with only 4 miles to the top. Great views of the Catalina and Rincon mountains. The only bummer is no dogs allowed. We also took the option to make it a loop. I would highly recommend seeing a different view back down. Plus slightly less steep and easier on the knees. Hope to take friends who visit soon on this hike.

Admidst the majestic, rather phallic-looking Saugaro cacti, mesquite, and prickly pear, lies an innocous shrub enshrouded with little fuzzy leaves. It hangs its branches out as if to give you a hug. Do not be deceived, my dear friends. For this is the deadly TEDDY BEAR CACTUS, a ruthless, heat-seeking executioner that actually envelops its prey once within breathing distance. Fortunately, my friends steered me clear before I became its next meal.Very easy hike; be sure to catch the Petroglyphs -- the first version of Yelp as done by the Hohokam (an ancient people of the Southwest). The petroglyphs are not readily visible, but obscured within the rocks surrounding the wash.

Straight across from the Dessert Museum is the beginning of a great hike. Now I'm no hiker but I made it. Following the trail to the top to Wasson Peak, it took me and my dad about 3.5 hours. (round trip) It really is a great hike. It's very quite and the views are amazing. Don't forget to sign your name in the log.

Not really a five star trail, but if you've just finished lunch downtown, and you're looking for a good hike that will have you back for a late dinner, this probably the best option in Tucson.The Trailhead is directly across the road from the Desert Museum.The ideal route is to join the intersecting trails (Sendero Esperanza and Hugh Norris) to the top of Wasson Peak, a round trip distance just under 9 miles. There are signs denoting the trails along route. This route tends to be less crowded than beginning from the other trailheads, though a little longer. If you walk up the wash from the trailhead, you will find a series of petroglyphs that seem to delineate a seasonal water seep among the rocks. The hike to the peak is moderate, a little steep at times, and yields excellent views of the valleys on each side of the mountain. You'll pass the old gold mine, and the view from the top of Wasson peak provides one of the best views of the Tucson area you will see. Don't be deceived by the number of vehicles on the Trailhead. After a mile or two, you're likely to be the only one around. Not a bad escape from the city.