|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
         
 Reporter |
Summary: This trail leads you to the summit of Mica Mountain (8,666 ft), which is located in the Saguaro National Park. The first third of the trail is relatively easy to follow and is not very steep. This leg traverses through grassland on rolling hills and valleys. A couple of stream crossing will also be encountered. The next third of the trail starts to climb at a steeper grade as is passes through a large burn area. The trail narrows here and begins to climb into an area of large rock formations, Alligator junipers and pine trees. The final third roughly begins at the National Park boundary. Here the trail becomes much better maintained as it climbs steeply through the thickets ponderosa pines. Not far past Italian Springs the trail kicks back in elevation as it climbs the broad shoulder of Mica Mountain. The final stretch to the summit can be a little difficult to navigate because there are several intersecting trails, if you have a map it should not be a problem. Trailhead: Access to the trailhead requires a four-wheel drive vehicle. From Tucson, drive east on Tanque Verde Road until it becomes Redington Road. Continue east on Redington Road as it turns into a gravel road. Travel 9.6 miles from the beginning of the gravel to FR 37. After about a half mile, the road appears to fork - stay to the left. At the junction of FR 4424 and FR 37, bear left and take FR 37. At the barbed wire flexible gate, bear left when the road seems to fork after going through the gate. A short while later the road drops into the bottom of a sandy wash. The trailhead is on the opposite bank of the wash. The Sierra Clubs Tucson Tail Guide has an excellent and detailed description of the hike, see http://arizona.sierraclub.org/trail_guide/HIKE17.HTM (Lat:32.28332 Lon:-110.56877) Trail Guides for Mica Mountain: Italian Springs Trail: Best Seasons: Year-Round User Groups: Hikers, Ranger Contact: Saguaro Nation Park Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Rob Brinkerhoff, who has posted 33 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Greg on 8/6/2008 Did this one about 20 years ago with a friend. We parked off of Redington road and mountain biked to the foothills of the mountain. Ditched our mtn. bikes and backpacked the rest of the way and came down and back all in one day with a fairly late start(hard to find beginning of trail because someone had knocked down the wilderness border sign). This is a wickedly steep trail, especially near the end(last mile or so). The climb is relentless, but the area is so pristine and we never saw another human soul. It is beautiful land and awesome views, the best Mtn.top hike ever! We went again on Easter weekend to camp overnight. The next morning we saw the Catalinas getting pelted with rain and snow and decided we better run down.
Reviewed by Jordy on 9/15/2007 This trail was an incredible challenge but it was very rewarding. A few suggestions: -A nimble, 4WD vehicle is ABSOLUTELY necessary to reach the trailhead. No joke, the road is horrifying. -Watch out for bulls in the open range portions. -We came pretty close to a fairly large black bear at Italian Springs. Beware. (and don't drink from Italian Springs, by the way) -The trails are not always marked well and are often overgrown. Bring a map and make sure to complete the trail in the daylight. Allow 9 hours. -Bring AT LEAST 3-4 liters of water, esp. in the summer months. It's not recommended that you do this trail between June and August. -You may need to climb over/go under barbed wire at points. -Finally, enjoy the solitude. 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
