History of Hiking Trails in Saguaro National Park, Rincon and Tucson Mountain Districts, Tucson, Arizona

Arendt, Nicole

Many miles of trails exist in both the Rincon and Tucson Mountain Districts of Saguaro National Park (formerly Saguaro National Monument) (Figures 1, 2, and 3). The trail systems in both units have been around for some times, although the number and configuration of the trails has changed and grown. Formal documentation of these trails begins in the 1930s; however, one of the roads that is now a trail in the Rincon Mountain District appears on a map dated 1897. Some trails were originally constructed as hiking or horse trails but others started out as roads and, in one case an airstrip. Previous research on the trail system, its use, and history was included as part of several archeological surveys; in addition, a study of the trail system was conducted in 1979 and 1980 (Duck a dn Mortensen 1980). This document examines those earlier studies and incorporates Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and early National Park Service (NPS) documents and records on file at the Western Archeological and Conservation Center (WACC) in Tucson. Information on the construction, maintenance, and use of the trail systems, from the documents, media reports, and hiking guides provides the basis for this history.