Arizona Trail Passage 9: Rincon Mountains

Passage 9 is a 24.3-mile, one-way crossing from Saguaro National Park’s southern boundary to Redington Road, climbing over the Rincon Mountains and continuing into Coronado National Forest. It is a point-to-point route, not a loop, so arrange a shuttle. The first 14 miles gain more than 6,000 feet. Allow about 16 hours on foot for the passage itself, or plan an overnight trip; this is a hard backcountry route, not a casual day hike. The 0.4-mile Mica Mountain summit spur is separate from the passage distance.

The route begins where the Arizona Trail meets Saguaro’s south boundary near Hope Camp, not at a parking lot. The practical vehicle access is the limited parking at Loma Alta Trailhead. From there, follow Hope Camp Trail about 2.8 miles east to reach Passage 9; the final half-mile of road to the lot is dirt. At the other end, the trail crosses remote Redington Road. Plan the shuttle and both road approaches before you set out.

The climb starts among dense saguaros and follows Quilter Trail before joining Manning Camp Trail. Over the first 14 miles, the landscape moves through six plant communities: desert scrub, desert grassland, oak woodland, pine-oak, pine forest, and mixed-conifer forest. The rapid change in elevation is the point of this passage, but it makes timing matter: the low desert can be very hot in summer, while high elevations can hold snow after winter storms.

Manning Camp is a memorable stop in the high country. Its cabin began as Levi Manning’s summer homestead; he filed his claim in 1904, had a log cabin built, and even brought a piano up the mountain. The cabin later served fire crews and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A junction below Mica Mountain offers a separate 0.4-mile climb to the Rincons’ highest summit; the Arizona Trail stays below it. An old 100-foot lookout tower once stood on Mica.

Past the high country, the route descends the north side on switchbacks. As the trees thin, broad views open east across rugged country. That is the best place for a photo that shows the scale of the crossing: keep a little of the thinning forest in the frame. Farther north the route returns to lower desert, crosses into Coronado National Forest, and ends at Redington Road. The national forest stretch can bring noise from OHVs or target shooting, and the road crossing needs care.

Water sources are seasonal and scarce. Check a current report before leaving, carry a realistic supply between verified sources, and treat every natural source. There are no food stops or dependable potable-water taps along the route. The Saguaro section requires a park entry permit; an overnight inside the park requires a separate advance reservation at a designated campground such as Manning Camp or Grass Shack. Dispersed camping is prohibited, and pets are not allowed in Saguaro’s wilderness. Saguaro’s saguaros also have deep cultural importance to the Tohono O’odham, while the elevation change supports hundreds of plant species along the way.