Rincon Mountain Wilderness

Located in the Coronado National Forest in Arizona.

This sharply rising, mountainous wilderness of 38,590 acres was established in 1984 and is located just east of Tucson, embracing three sides of the Saguaro National Monument. In fact, one of the primary functions of the Rincon Wilderness is to complement the Saguaro National Monument and to protect the complete ecosystems found there.

Several trails cross the area, and hikers can quickly find complete solitude in its canyon bottoms or along the ridge lines to the high elevations of the Rincons. However, access to the area is rather difficult. Only four-wheel-drive roads lead to the area except on the east side in Happy Valley, served by Forest Road 35, which is generally passable to conventional vehicles. A well-developed trail system also provides access from the National Monument.

The area is dominated by very rocky, steep terrain with elevations ranging from 3,600 feet to 7,700 feet. At higher elevations, the dramatic rock outcrops and deep canyons make many areas difficult to reach on foot and virtually impossible on horseback. Vegetation varies from desert grassland at the lower elevations to an oak-juniper-pinon pine woodland at higher elevations.

For further information contact: Santa Catalina Ranger District - Coronado National Forest