Tortolita Mts: Wild Burro and Alamo Springs Loop

Length: 7.00 mile loop
Accumulated Elev gain: 1700'

• Rating: Intermediate
  No dogs

We will carpool from the Safeway parking lot at 2140 W Grant Rd @ Silverbell.
We will leave the Safeway at 9:30 and head to the trail head. We will arrive at the trail head 10ish.

The Hike
This hikes starts in Wild Burrow wash and head up to the old Cush Cayton homestead and then ascends up the canyon via the Alamo Springs Trail. We will take the Canyon overlook spur on the way up.
When we get to Alamo Springs we will have lunch and then continue on the Alamo Springs trail back to the wash.

This trail has some rocky steep sections with loose and imbedded rocks along with with steps both up and down.
We will stop along the way to take in the views, and catch our breath.
The hike will last at least 4 hours.

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/e/2/f/5/600_434398101.jpeg

There is a trip log with photos here for part of this hike:

http://EpicRoadTrips.us/2012/az2012-13/tort-wink/ (http://epicroadtrips.us/2012/az2012-13/tort-wink/)

Directions to the trailhead : From Tangerine, travel north on Dove Mountain Blvd and take a right at the traffic circle at the end of the road toward the Ritz Carlton. Let the Gatekeeper know you will be hiking. He will tell you where the trailhead parking is. Please give yourself plenty of time to get there. The drive up Dove Mountain Blvd is further than most people anticipate.

So that we may all enjoy the quietude of this area please talk gently and use cell phones for 911s only...

If you have any questions please email me or call 304.290.8066

WV-Mike

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More info on the Tortolita Mountains:

Tortolita Hiking Guide (http://files.meetup.com/372195/Tortolita_Mts_Hiking_Guide.pdf)

"The Town of Marana, Pima County and Cottonwood Properties have developed over 25 miles of hiking trails in the Tortolita Mountains. Parking for the Wild Burro Canyon trailhead is located at the Ritz-Carlton and is open to the public. This expanding network of trails offers a variety of hikes of different difficulties over changing terrain." More... (http://dovemountaincivicgroup.org/hiking.htm)

"More than 10 miles of Dove Mountain's boundary are against either formal preserves or Arizona State Trust owned mountains. The Tortolita Mountain Park borders Dove Mountain to the northeast offering 3,000 undisturbed acres for hiking, camping, horseback riding or the simple enjoyment of experiencing some of the most eye-pleasing vistas in the Southwest. The 2,400 acre Tortolita Preserve frames Dove Mountain to the south presenting still more natural high Sonoran Desert wonders for generation after generation to come." More... (http://dovemountain.com/lifestyle/yourbackyard/borderingpreserves.shtml)

Required:

• 2-3 liters of water
• Snack/Lunch

Hike at your own risk.