HIKE OF THE MONTH

hike of the month A Desert Spring Near King Canyon Trail Attracts Wildlife — and Locals, Eventually

As I set out one morning in March on the King Canyonyon Trail in the Tucson Mountains, it occurred to me for the 50th time that visitors to Arizona often see what locals overlook. For more than 20 years, I had hiked various routes throughout the Tucson Mountains preserve and yet, even though the trailhead sat no more than 10 miles from my driveway as the crow flies, I had never set foot in King Canyon A big mistake. The 2.3-mile trail that leads from a point near the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum to Sweetwater Saddle proves among the most delightful desert hikes in the Tucson area because it involves an elevation gain of just 1,000 feet, and it offers superior opportunities for wildlife viewing. King Canyon is one of those rare spots in the desert where you'll find a spring. And where you find water, you'll find animals in this case, coyotes, mule deer, mountain lions, skunks, javelinas and ground squirrels.

King Canyon lies in Saguaro National Park, which protects nearly 100,000 acres of lush Sonoran Desert. More than 3 million people annually visit the park to view magnificent stands of giant saguaro cactuses and the numerous species of reptiles, mammals and birds that make their home there. The trail is named for the Copper King Mine, established in 1917 and long since abandoned. Some open mine shafts can still be found off the trail, and it's wise to keep your distance by staying on the trail. The parking area crosses over into the county's Tucson Mountain Park, which closes daily at 10 P.M., but the trail itself quickly leads into the national park. At the outset, I had a Choice to make: The main trail begins as an old jeep road and climbs gradually for .9 of a mile to the Mam-a-Gah Picnic Area, where you'll find a stone outhouse. From the picnic area, the trail narrows and becomes rockier. You can turn left and continue on the King Canyon Trail for 1.2 miles to reach the trail to the summit of Wasson Peak That was the route I took, fighting winds that gusted up to 30 miles per hour as I approached the saddle. Once at the top, I had a postcard view of the Santa Catalina Mountains, on the north side of Tucson, with a rich blue sky and enormous rain clouds gathering above the highest peaks.

Those not wanting to make the climb to the saddle have an equally satisfying opportunity to make a loop hike. At the trailhead, look to the left, where a narrow path leads down to the wash. Many visitors walk along the wash which is a bit flatter than the trail-ending up at the Mam-a-Gah Picnic Area, and then return to the parking lot on the main trail.

The spring, really more of a seep in a granite wall, lies on the left side of the wash about a quarter-mile before the picnic area. If you use the wash, you will encounter a couple of rock dikes along the way, both around 6 feet high. They are easy to climb, or you can follow the makeshift trails that go around them.

No matter which route you choose the wash or the main trail you will find the lush desert vegetation and wildlife viewing extraordinary and engaging.

WHEN YOU GO

Getting There: From Interstate 10 take Speedway Boulevard west, following signs to Old Tucson and Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, through Gates Pass. Turn right at Kinney Road at the "T." The parking lot for King Canyon Trail is on the right. 1 of a mile beyond the entrance to the museum. Travel Advisory: Take drinking water and a hat, as there's no shade on the trail.

Additional Information: Saguaro National Park, (520) 733-5158.