Phoneline Trail - Tucson, AZ
I haven't visited Sabino Canyon this much in years but this spring it's been calling my name! It's popular for a reason. In the past month I've hiked here twice in the morning and once in the evening and it's been gorgeous each time. I was delighted with how many blooming wildflowers and cacti I saw during this hike. Spring has sprung in the Sonoran Desert!
Phoneline Trail was the first double digit trail I ever hiked. When I first was learning about hiking and exploring Tucson trails for the first time in 2017 I saw it as a good challenge for me. It's in a well traveled recreational area, it's in a canyon so it's mostly shaded in the morning, and it's a great tour of a spectacular canyon. I hadn't hiked the whole thing since 2017 and I've been wanting to see if I still have double digit hikes in my legs (spoiler alert: I do!).
Pictured: prickly pear w/ pink Fairy Duster, Mariposa Lily, Desert Chicory, Larkspur
I wasn't as fast as I thought I'd be but that was partially due to me stopping every 10 feet to take pictures of wildflowers! I let out an audible gasp when I saw the above Mariposa Lily (orange flower). It was so vibrant!
I was also excited to recognize so many flowers and plants I'd included in my Lifezone Series of the Santa Catalinas. All my obsessive researching, studying and "nerding out" really paid off to know the Sonoran Desert in a more intimate way.
I had shade all morning until I reached the trail junction that would take me to the last tram stop at the end of the road. Just before that junction I met some women who were continuing on the trail and backpacking to Hutch's Pool. That was my first backpacking experience and it made me so excited for them to enjoy some time in that beautiful oasis tucked in the Catalinas. Maybe it's time to plan another backpacking trip there?
I opted to walk the road back since I was a bit short on time. I constantly mention how lucky I am to live so close to these beautiful areas and I'm always grateful when I have the time to explore them. Tucson is a special place!
Phoneline Trail, Sabino Canyon, Tucson, AZ
Date hiked: April 9, 2022
Total miles: 10 miles out & back
Elevation gain: 1,450 feet
Total time: 4 hours
Land acknowledgement: Ancestral lands of the Tohono O'odham and Yaqui