Bike The Loop at The Santa Cruz River Park

Tucson, Arizona

Save

View all 9 photos

All 9 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

22 miles

Elevation Gain

500 ft

Description

Added by Josiah Roe

Excellent views of downtown Tucson, the Santa Cruz River, and the Tucson Mountains.

The Loop is an in-development series of shared-use, hard-surface paths meant to connect all of Tucson by following the Santa Cruz River and its major tributaries.

The Santa Cruz River Park contains 22 miles of The Loop (with another 40 in development) that runs along the western shore of the Santa Cruz River through the heart of Tucson from Valencia to El Rio Park in Marana. Paseo de las Iglesias, which translates to "the path between churches", a 1.5-mile park that completed the link with the Julian Wash Greenway, was completed as part of a flood control project in 2015.

The trail through the park is an excellent way to travel north and south through downtown, taking any east/west artery to dining, lodging, and entertainment options. It is also a fantastic way to see some of the murals for which Tucson is famous.

To get to the The Loop in Santa Cruz River Park, take any east/west road from downtown till you reach the west side of the river.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Cycling

Photography

Running

Hiking

Dog Friendly

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Food Nearby

Forest

Groups

Picnic Area

River

Romantic

Scenic

Wildflowers

Wildlife

Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Catch a Sunset on "A" Mountain

In 1910 a group of University of Arizona students took local basalt rock and constructed a 160' block "A" on the east face of Sentinel Peak overlooking Tucson, giving the prominent peak its most commonly known name. Now the area is part of the 272 acre Sentinel Peak Park, and features a great network of hiking and running trails, and massive saguaro cacti. Because of its ease of access (you can...

Hike Tumamoc Hill

Tumamoc Hill is urban adventuring at it's finest. Park on Anklam Road, directly across from St Mary's Hospital, and follow the other hikers and runners to the trailhead.Tumamoc Hill is a one-lane paved road, trafficked infrequently by University of Arizona employees who work on the Hill's ecology research center. A sign at the base asks that the public stay off the road from 9:00am to 5:00pm du...

Hike to the Bowen Stone House via Bowen Trail

The Tucson Mountains are home to Saguaro National Park and the Tucson Mountain Park, the latter of which is a massive 20,000 acre park that is home to huge forests of giant saguaro cacti, a wide diversity of desert wildlife, and several long-abandoned farms and ranches like the Bowen Homestead, colloquially known as the Bowen Stone House. The Bowen Stone House is most easily accessed via the Bo...

Catch The Sunset on Gates Pass

Get on E Speedway Blvd, and follow it West until it turns into W Gates Pass rd. Follow this for 3 miles and the parking lot will be at the top of the pass. There are a few viewing platforms that offer shade from the desert heat. There are numerous trails that you can follow to get whatever view you choose. It is especially stunning during sunset. You escape the heat of the day, and get to witne...

Mountain Bike the Desperado Loop

The Desperado Loop in the Sweetwater Preserve is a great introductory mountain biking loop that is perfect for beginners, yet the Loop can also be tied into the larger Sweetwater Trail System for more advanced riders. Beginning from the parking lot, the Desperado Trail loop quickly rises to a ridge system that looks out over the alluvial plain on which the city of Tucson is built, and then lead...

Hike the Brown Mountain Trail

I really enjoyed this hike. I recommend doing the hike as an out and back from the Kinney Road parking area. Also, the best time to hike is just before sunset. The hike is just over 4 miles total out and back with only about 500 feet of elevation gain. It has a climb at the beginning then rolls along a ridge with beautiful views of the Tucson Mountains. Be prepared for the trail conditions. Th...