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Douglas Spring Trail


Highlights:

Easy trail with waterfall view
Near:Tucson, AZ
Scenery:
Distance:6 miles round trip
Elevation Gain:1000 ft
Hike Time:3 hours
Difficulty:Easy
Trail Condition:Well maintained trail
HikeType:Out and Back


Summary: This is an excellent introductory hike for someone who normally doesnt get out there. You can negotiate the trail with ease in a pair of tennis shoes, but hiking boots will enable you to continue farther up the trail. This trek doesnt end at Bridal Wreath Falls, but it is a common end point for most hikers. The scenery is classic Sonoran Desert Scrub, and the further you go on the trail, the more you get. For most begginers, the reward of a beautiful waterfall at the end of the hike, is about they need to get hooked. I've personally introduced a lot of "never hiked before" folks to the outdoors by taking them on this hike. The whole family from toddlers to elderly enjoy this trek on a regular basis, not many steep hills and lots of hikers to keep you company. For those more experienced backpackers who plan to stay overnight, you'll need a permit available from the Saguaro National Park office.
Trailhead: From Downtown Tucson, take Speedway Blvd Eastbound toward the Rincon mountain range. Speedway dead-ends at the trailhead. (Lat:32.14 Lon:-110.41)
Trail Guides for Douglas Spring Trail:
Tucson Hiking Guide
by Betty Leavengood (Pruett Publishing Companey)

Best Seasons: Year-Round
User Groups: Hikers, Horses,
Ranger Contact: Suguaro National Park 3693 Old Spanish Trail, Tucson AZ. 85730 (520) 733-5153
Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by John McKenna, who has posted  8 other hikes on this site
Trail Reviews  Page 1 of 4   Submit your own review
Reviewed by Chris on 8/11/2008
I hiked to Douglas spring campground on 8-8-08 and saw a ton of wildlife. The spring was pretty dry but I had enough water to last. It took about 3 hours to get there, and I really enjoyed it. Will hike again when it is cooler and will wear pants because the grass is really overgrown on the trail. Enjoy

Reviewed by monica on 7/14/2008
Me and a friend hiked as far as Cow Head saddle which is past Douglas Spring camp which wasn't difficult. We really enjoyed the scenery and saw a deer. But coming back down was really hard on feet even though we both had good hiking shoes. Will definitely do it again. And try to go to Manning camp.

Reviewed by KB on 6/3/2008
Hiked to the campground with two of my sons and brother. My thirteen year old son had know problems hiking with a 27lb pack. Stayed the night at the campground. Each of us had 7-8 liters of water. Plan to do this hike again but in March - April time frame. Late May was a little to warm. Lots of wildlife.

Reviewed by JT on 6/2/2008
Hiked it on Sunday the 1st. Nice little hike. Trail is in great shape, unfotunately the falls are dry right now. Can't wait to take my kids on this one when the water is running later in the year.

Reviewed by bernie on 1/13/2008
It has been a while since I did this one. (I heard that last week the water was running in BW falls.) I'll go back up later this week. For a change of pace, one might consider a return to the parking lot via three tank, wild horse, and garwood trails. Nice scenery and views of the Tucson valley.

Reviewed by DnT on 12/31/2007
There may be confusion over the hike to the falls (3 miles in) vs. the hike to the campground (6 miles in). There are some steep bits on the way to the falls and some potentially ankle-turning rocks, but this is not too difficult a hike. A little over a mile in, there is a trailhead to "Three Tank" that makes a great vantage for sunsets. Obviously, take a light for the hike out or plan around a full moon. Did the trek to the campground today with a buddy: 12 miles r/t, not too bad at all. A guy ran past us to the camp and then ran out again, but while a common sight on the trail, that is not typical. Have fun!

Reviewed by Tony on 11/15/2007
Me and A Buddy of Mine, decided to hike up this trail. 5. somthing miles i believe. on the way up his canteen sprung a leek. full packs camping. got to the camp site. slept in the morning we did find some puddles of water not far from the site and used some potable aqua. we made it down went to wal-mart bought some extra supplies. and hiked back up. hung out for a bit longer. packed up at 6:30 and treked back down. 24 mile hike up and down 2x. very physically demanding if u ask me. november 14 at night we headed up. the 15th at 6:30 we headed down. i would insist on new hikers to try this one out. very fun great scenery of tucson at night at about 3.4 mile marker. i believe.

Reviewed by Gene on 11/11/2007
I wish I had read the reviews of this hike before I went out there today. The poster marked this trail as "Easy". As many have said it is not easy. I am in average physical shape with a few extra pounds and I haven't hiked in 15+ years. As my first go at hiking in many years, this was a bit difficult for me. I will go back after I have a bit more hiking under my belt.


Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site.
Keys: Arizona Hiking, Arizona Trails, Arizona Hikes, Pima County Hiking, Pima County Trails, Pima County Hikes

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