Sabino Canyon

Sabino Canyon is a natural desert oasis located in Tucson's Coronado National Forest. Twelve thousand years ago, Columbian mammoth roamed here. About 1200 A.D., irrigation dams were placed in the creek by Hohokam Indians.

In the 1870's, pony soldiers from Fort Lowell enjoyed horseback excursions to the "ol' wimmin' hole" which is still in use today.

You'll see lots of saguaro cacti. In the 1930's, 180 Civilian Conservation Corps workers build bridges and 3.8 miles of road up into the Santa Catalina Mountains.

A shuttle bus/tram operates 365 days a year. The narrated round trip is 45 minutes and the scenery is more than camera ready.

You'll see hikers along the road and you can hike other trails as well. The tram had a number of stops and you can get off and on as long as you have your ticket and don't ride all the way back to the starting point. You won't see cars on the road and you'll be glad because the road is not wide enough to share.

Bicycles are allowed during hours when the tram does not run. Can you see the face winking at you from this rock formation?

There are trails to follow through the rocky formations.

During times of rainfall, you will see a waterfall here.

The tram stops for about 10 minutes at the turnaround. Everyone was having a great time.

More work by the CCC.

We arrived at the canyon just in time to hop on the tram so we visited the Visitor's Center when we arrived back at the entrance.

You will find a difference in the view here at different time of the year.

Summer is actually monsoon season.

There were some interesting  displays about history at the canyon.

We saw great examples of the striped rock throughout the canyon.

So close to the city but it seemed like a world away.....definitely a great place to visit and your National Park Pass will get you in.