I love the sandy desert trails in and around Tucson, Arizona but recently I got a craving for something a little bit different. So I found the Madera Canyon Nature Trail, located in Coronado National Forest, and it looked like the perfect hike to switch things up and venture into something more cool and mountainous. In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about the Madera Canyon Nature Trail.
Coronado National Forest
The Coronado National Forest is made up of several districts but the district with Madera Canyon Nature Trail is the Nogales Ranger District which comprises four mountain ranges: the Santa Rita, Tumacacori, Pajarito, and San Luis Mountains.
Madera Canyon Nature Trail Overview
Madera Canyon Nature Trail is a great trail for getting out of the desert heat and enjoying a peaceful babbling brook along with fantastic views of the Santa Rita Mountains. It’s got just enough length and elevation gain to make it a nice little workout but it’s not too demanding, especially with its shade and cool mountain air.
- Distance: 5.3 miles
- Elevation Gain: 882 feet
- Route Type: Out and Back
- Pets: No
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Getting to the trail head
The Madera Canyon Nature Trail runs along several different trailheads and picnic areas including the following:
- Proctor Parking and Trailhead
- Whitehouse Picnic Area
- Madera Canyon Picnic Area
- Amphitheater Parking Area and Trailheads
Since it is an out and back hike, you can start the hike at any of these points and make the hike as long or as short as you would like. Some people even return via the road (Madera Canyon Road).
We decided to start the hike at the Whitehouse Picnic Area but the Proctor Parking and Trailhead looks like it is the true beginning of this route and has an accessible path.
As soon as you pull into the parking or picnic areas, you will be greeted with beautiful mountain views.
Note that there is a $5 parking fee here but the stations were closed when we visited and we also have an annual National Park Pass so we just put that on our dashboard. Regular hours are 6am to 10pm. For questions call: 520-281-2296.
Trail conditions
The trail was very well maintained and in good condition aside from a very small amount of litter.
I also found the trail mostly easy to follow and well-marked although in a couple of instances it seemed to split with one side closer to the brook. Although you might have multiple paths to take along the brook, once you get up into the mountain side, the trail is a very clear path.
Route description
There’s an accessible path where the trail begins at the Whitehouse Picnic Area.
There’s an interesting mix of flora that you will encounter right away including some lone cacti that stand out at this higher elevation
This first short portion of the hike is very flat and scenic.
After a short while, you will approach the brook down below which will you hear babbling as you get closer. I also felt like the brook cooled the air a bit as we got near.
You’ll then drop down and be right next to the brook where you can easily relax by the water and even get in if you’d like.
Certain portions looked much deeper and we saw a couple of families splashing around the brook, almost like a shallow swimming hole. So it could certainly be a place to take a refreshing dip.
Pictures don’t really do a small brook like this justice but it was such a peaceful setting — one that will make you want to just relax on a park bench and listen to the gurgling of the water all day (there are a few benches you can relax on).
Eventually, you will cross a series of small wooden bridges as you progress through the trail.
It was right at the first bridge that we noticed a beautiful deer. Speaking of wildlife, we also came across a wild turkey. Also, this is a great spot for birdwatching and we saw a few beautiful birds like the Mexican Jay.
Since the first portion of the hike is connected to several picnic areas and trailheads, it feels very recreational at first. But as soon as you pass up these picnic areas, you will venture into more secluded hiking territory.
At just over 1 mile into the hike, you will approach the amphitheater area and that is where the trail begins its ascent into the mountains.
The ascent along the hillside is pretty mild although there are some big rocky steps at times.
This is where we encountered wide variety of plant life. We saw a few different wildflowers I have not seen hiking in the Tucson area yet like the bigleaf periwinkle and Catalina Indian paintbrush.
There are also a lot of different types of trees that are marked with interpretive signs along the trail. These include different types of pines like Apache pine and Mexican pinyon. You’ll also see some alligator juniper along the way.
It’s not long after you begin the ascent that some fantastic mountain views will start to open up so be sure to look up.
There are some great look out points and even an area to relax on a bench and enjoy the view which I highly recommend.
Even when the view opens up, you still will have some shaded areas so this is an extremely comfortable hike in my opinion. We were hiking in the middle of the afternoon around 2 PM when the temperatures were in the mid to upper 80s but with a little mountain breeze, it felt great the entire way.
Perhaps my favorite part of the hike was the fresh pine scent that hits you throughout the entire journey in the mountains.
At about 1.7 miles in, the trail pretty much had leveled off and there was no noticeable incline to deal with. Had we kept going, there would have been more of an incline but nothing too difficult.
Final word
Overall, I am a huge fan of this hike. I love that it offers a break from the traditional desert scenery that is much warmer below. It’s easy to follow and there is just enough elevation to make it feel like you’re getting a little bit of a workout as you enjoy the great views. I’m also a huge fan of the relaxing brook.