Years ago I spent six months living in Tucson, Arizona. I very much enjoyed the city, including the people, the university, the sunshine, and the seasonal monsoons. Two of the activities I most enjoyed were skating on the paved paths of the city and hiking on the surrounding trails – especially in the winter sun.
Tucson is spending loads of money and time completing and maintaining a paved path network called The Loop. You can see from this map (click on it for full details) the city has almost completed a full circuit around the city, with almost 120 miles of paved, off-road trails available only to non-motorized users.
When I lived in Tucson I would skate weekly on The Loop with the Tucson Inline Skate Club (now defunct). The trails were good then and are even better now.
However, to really gain a true Tucson experience you need to get off the pavement and into the Sonoran Desert. The hiking is excellent, with many options and outstanding scenery, including the wonderful saguaro cactus. Two of the more famous parks, and for good reason, are Sabino Canyon and Saguaro National Park, both of which have beautiful vistas and plenty of trail options.
On our Tucson Skate & Hike Adventure, we spend five days in the city. We select the best skating routes for the two skating days and three fantastic parks for the three hiking days. We also eat wonderful local food, including dinner at “the nation’s oldest Mexican restaurant”, and spend our nights at the upscale Loews Ventana Canyon Resort.
For a fantastic winter sun skating and hiking retreat, join us in Tucson, Arizona!
