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Moderate Hiking Trails near Tucson

The directory currently contains 9 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Tucson. Their average mapped distance is 7.1 km and average recorded ascent is 405 m (1,329 ft); the longest route in the set is 12.1 km.

This subset represents 64% of the 14 quality-checked routes near Tucson. Its average distance is 7.1 km, compared with 8.3 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 405 m (1,329 ft), versus 366 m (1,201 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set is rated moderate by the directory’s distance-and-elevation model. Technical terrain and live conditions are not part of that rating. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 1 (11%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

2.2 km

Mica Mountain Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

218 m

Mica Mountain Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

1 recorded loop

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Cylindropuntia fulgida . King Canyon Trail, Tucson Mountains, Saguaro National Park West, Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
11.9 km
/ 7.4 mi
Elevation gain
627 m
Typical duration
3 hr 26 min
  • Canyon and gorge
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
12.1 km
/ 7.5 mi
Elevation gain
390 m
Typical duration
3 hr 6 min
  • Mountain
Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) habitat Hugh Norris Trail Tucson Mountain section of Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Arizona.
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
10.9 km
/ 6.7 mi
Elevation gain
412 m
Typical duration
2 hr 53 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
273 m
Typical duration
1 hr 29 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
218 m
Typical duration
48 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
7.1 km
/ 4.4 mi
Elevation gain
327 m
Typical duration
1 hr 58 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
7.5 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
861 m
Typical duration
2 hr 51 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.9 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
301 m
Typical duration
1 hr 16 min
Moderate

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.5 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
236 m
Typical duration
1 hr 4 min

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
King Canyon / Gould Mine LoopArizona11.9 km627 m3 hr 26 minModerateApril to October
Golden Gate Mountain LoopArizona12.1 km390 m3 hr 6 minModerateApril to October
Hugh Norris Big LoopArizona10.9 km412 m2 hr 53 minModerateApril to October
Carrillo TrailArizona5.2 km273 m1 hr 29 minModerateApril to October
Mica Mountain TrailArizona2.2 km218 m48 minModerateJuly to September
Bug Springs TrailArizona7.1 km327 m1 hr 58 minModerateJune to October
Italian Spring Trail #95Arizona7.5 km861 m2 hr 51 minModerateJune to October
Douglas Spring TrailArizona3.9 km301 m1 hr 16 minModerateApril to October
Three Tank TrailArizona3.5 km236 m1 hr 4 minModerateApril to October

King Canyon / Gould Mine Loop, Golden Gate Mountain Loop, Carrillo Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

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