Beginners ** ONLY ** Tucson Mts : Robles Pass Trails

Length: 4.0 mi lollypop
El Gain Approx 420'

• Rated "D"- Beginner (http://files.meetup.com/372195/Hike%20Rating%20Scale.pdf)
  ** No dogs please

We will DEPART from Food City at 10:00 for the trail head.
The trail head parking area is very limited so we will need to take the smallest vehicles and fill all the seats.

The Hiking Area:
Sandwiched between busy Ajo and Irvington roads the 1000 acre Robles Pass addition to Tucson Mountain Park was purchased by Pima County with voter-approved bond funds. Using both 1997 and 2004 bond funds, the County acquired 8 properties totaling 968 acres at a total of $8,390,641. Approximately 16-miles of trails have been built.

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The properties acquired were the Lefkovitz/Lakia, Perper/Rollings, Berard, Heater, Hiett, Pacheco, Firkins, and Hyntington properties, generally located south of Ajo Highway and west of Mission Road. The Perper/Rollings property was the largest by far in this area at 746 acres. These properties preserve this corridor, protect a key scenic gateway into Tucson, buffer the effects of urban encroachment, conserve habitat in the Tucson Mountains and provide further recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. This area of Tucson Mountain Park is referred to as the Robles Pass Unit on maps and informational materials.
This area contains a significant portion of the prehistoric Hohokam Village archaeological site known as the West Branch Site, which was settled by A.D. 950, and soon became one of the largest villages in the Tucson area and a major center of pottery production, with its pottery distributed and used throughout the Tucson area. By A.D. 1150, most residents of the West Branch Site had moved away and the village was essentially abandoned. More... (http://files.meetup.com/372195/Tucson%20Mountain%20Park%20Expansion_reduced.pdf)

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/5/a/a/event_215850122.jpeg

We will see lots of baby Barrel and Saguaro Cactus on this hike as well as some outstanding mature specimens of both species.

Please Bring: Adequate water, food for a snack, sun protection

If you are new to the group please read these:

About the Tucson Hiking Meetup Group (https://www.meetup.com/tucsonhiking/about/)
Tucson Hiking Meetup Group - No Show Policy (http://files.meetup.com/372195/No%20Show%20Policy.pdf)
Tips for Beginning Hikers - Sierra Club (http://arizona.sierraclub.org/trail_guide/index.htm)
Hike Rating Scale (http://files.meetup.com/372195/Hike%20Rating%20Scale.pdf)

Hike at your own risk.