Abington Short Loop

Abington Short Loop is the National Park Service’s 2.4-mile loop from A-7 in Saguaro’s Tucson Mountain District. It follows Abington Trail to Vertical Cliffs Trail, connects to Veteran’s Trail, then returns on Abington. NPS rates it relatively easy, with less than 300 feet of gain or loss and no steep inclines; allow about 1½ hours for the circuit at an unhurried pace.

A connected mapped route measures about 2.55 miles, so the official 2.4-mile figure is rounded and the tread may run a little longer. The small roadside turnout sits about 0.2 mile from the A-7 park access, adding roughly 0.4 mile of walking from your car and back.

From A-7, take Abington west to Vertical Cliffs, use the short connector to Veteran’s, then head south to Abington and return east to A-7. This is the shorter A-7 circuit, not the Belmont Loop from A-5, which adds Belmont and Animal Wash. Stay with the three named legs above at the nearby junctions. The mapped paths are natural-surface routes through desert scrub and cactus.

NPS directs drivers to a small turnout on Abington Road near a “No Outlet” sign, then about 0.2 mile up the road to park access. The A-7 latitude printed in its map appears inconsistent with the mapped trail; the route pin here uses the connected eastern end of Abington. Summer temperatures in this district can reach the low 110s, so NPS recommends hiking before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. Late-summer and early-fall monsoon storms can bring flash flooding. Pets are prohibited on this unpaved trail.