Santa Cruz River Walk Path

This was one of my FAVORITE spots when I lived here in Tucson....and it was my FIRST step when I visited. The BEST time to visit is during monsoon season (the wash is FILLED with water often)....however anytime is nice. This is a great spot to walk, bike ride, ride your horse....or just sit and enjoy. I bought Subway for lunch, and enjoyed some quiet time under one of the covered areas. The beauty f this walking path is worth a visit. If you can make it at sunset....you get an extra special beautiful bonus.

My absolute favorite time to visit the walk path is during the monsoon season. At that time, the normally dry Santa Cruz River, flowing north from the south, will have enough water that it will rush with a heavy flow. It's too bad that the walk runs so close to Valencia Road, because -- and it's true even when you are standing within about 10 yards or so of the bank -- it's hard to hear the rushing water. Still, it is quite the beautiful sight when the water is flowing well. Great for a walk. For some quiet time. Or a quick meditation.

I love this walk. The only thing I would say is not to go under the bridges on your own. There are sometimes homeless people living there. If you don't like people talking to you on a walk, this can make you uncomfortable. Also there are horses up the walk. Please don't feed them. You don't know if they are diabetic or on special diets

We're lucky to have a paved path that we can enjoy in foot, bicycle, rollerblades... you name it. Two lanes to keep things organized for humans and pets!

So most people don't know that there is a River Walk that runs along the Santa Cruz river wash. I have put the address for the most convenient parking on this portion of the river walk. This parking is right in the middle portion of the path. The West side of the river walk is the most easily accessed from the parking lot. You can head south towards Drexel and cross the wash on a dirt path and get to the east side of the wash. From there head north. The path will take you back to Irvington where you can take the bridge back across or you can go all the way to Ajo. At Ajo you cross a bridge that borders the road and cross back to the West side of the wash. Then head south again and you will come full circle at Irvington. The path is completely paved (minus the crossing on the farthest portion on the south end). The path south of Irvington on both sides is new. They recently put it in about two years ago. And there is an option dirt path you can use that parallels the paved one. That being said, it seems the city ran out of money for maintenance because all the beautiful landscaping is now completely overgrown with weeds. The path north of Irvington is older, but much better maintained. There is only a portion that is really landscaped, but it is maintained better. All along the way there are occasional benches to sit on. One of my big complaints is that there are not garbage cans except for at maybe three places along the whole path I described above (approx 4.5 miles). How I am supposed to pick up after my dogs when it is not very convenient to carry a steamy bag of poo for 2 miles! I digress. There are some water fountains, but the one on the south east side has never been on. I really like this path because it is a nice distant and it is great not to walk the dogs on the street. It has lots of potential if it is kept maintained.Definitely check this path out if you live on the South west side of town and don't want to be overrun by loads of people at Reid park.

Great place to go spend a good time with your family its friendly for bikers friendly for runners for the pet owner super open space very well kept as of now they just made some innovations on the path so its a lot smoother for bikers it goes all the way through mission into to what believe is 29th? We typically only go to ajo Rd and turn back around. ALL of the trees there are so well kept up people actually clean after their pets there's a Ramada on Irvington and bike parking at almost any intersection

Yet another excellent walk/run/bike path for those who love the great outdoors. This portion connects up to the Rillito path to help walkers and bikers alike, make their way around Tucson. The city's love of bike friendly paths recently paid off! This path has been upgraded and extended all the way south to north. In the past it wasn't connected in the center around Ruthrauff, but the connection has been made and the path is complete. The Santa Cruz section of the path is the western most portion of the 55-mile urban bike loop. The northern tip of this path also connects up with the Marana urban loop, so you can get a serious workout on if you're up to the challenge!Just heed a bit of a warning, there are numerous homeless living along the river toward the south end of of the path around Congress to Irvington. Always be on guard and aware of your surroundings.

Tucson has two named rivers that skirt the city and join as one in the northwest corner. The northern edge of town finds the Rillito River while the Santa Cruz River boarders the western flank of the city. Although both rivers are deemed navigable, by the EPA, the term navigation losses some of its meaning in this assertion. All rivers in this basin and most Arizona basins are dry most of the time. Only the discharge of a sewage treatment facility and the rare thunderstorm add moisture to the otherwise dry sandy riverbeds of the Rillito and the Santa Cruz Rivers.This bleak description belies the unique nature of these two city corridors. They travel through highly urbanized sections of Tucson coming within a half mile of center city. They also contain an observable sample of the Sonoran wildlife, such as javelinas, coyotes and bobcats, normally seen in the mountain ranges surrounding the city.These rivers now (as of August, 2011) have paved paths along their banks that join together at their confluence. The Santa Cruz Linear Park Path and the Rillito River Park Path can now be enjoyed together for an extended walk or bicycle ride. Recently completed bridges spanning numerous washes and path extensions make this possible. This is part of a plan to encircle the city with a paved multi-use path for walking, bicycling and horse-back riding. Here are some pictures of the Santa Cruz River and its path:http://www.flickr.com/photos/lasertrimguy/sets/72157622335496047/detail/http://www.flickr.com/groups/santacruzrivercanoeclub/pool/

The kids and I enjoy taking our three dogs for a walk, we either walk in the river bed or in the path ( between drexel and ajo) if we are lucky we get to see charro horses dance practicing. It a beautiful thing to see, a horse dance

A great running/walking trail. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because it is so DAMN hot to use the trail for most of the day. Yea I know, it's Tucson, it's supposed to be hot, but damn does it have to be over 110+ degrees for several months in a role.