Parking
Manning Camp has no road access. Reach it by an authorized Rincon backcountry trail from a park trailhead; overnight stays require an advance campsite reservation and permit.
Overview
About Spud Rock Loop from Manning Camp
Why go
- A signed rock overlook on a compact loop above Manning Camp.
Heads up
- Reaching the start requires a separate hike into the remote Rincon backcountry.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Saguaro map
Full mapElevation7,992–8,514 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Saguaro alerts
- ClosureTucson Mountain District road closuresSeveral Tucson Mountain District roads are closed; follow posted closures and use McCain Loop to bypass the Kinney Road closure.Official details
- CautionVehicle break-ins reported at trailheadsVehicle break-ins have occurred at King Canyon Trailhead and other park trailheads; secure your vehicle and valuables.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Saguaro Tour Guide
Your drive to Spud Rock Loop from Manning Camp, narrated.
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See the Saguaro audio tour- 43 audio storiesacross Saguaro’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Mule Deer, and 13 more
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Trail guide
Hiking Spud Rock Loop from Manning Camp
A side trip from Manning CampSpud Rock Loop from Manning Camp is a 2.
Spud Rock Loop from Manning Camp is a 2.5-mile clockwise loop to the signed rock viewpoint and back through the high-country trail network. Allow about two hours. It makes sense if you are already at Manning Camp; reaching camp is a separate, much longer backcountry hike, so this is not a roadside day-hike trailhead.
Follow the loopWalk past the camp cabin on Cowhead Saddle Trail. After about 0.
Walk past the camp cabin on Cowhead Saddle Trail. After about 0.6 mile, turn right onto Fire Loop. The signed Spud Rock outcrop appears roughly 1.4 miles from camp. Keep going around the loop on the Spud Rock and Mica Mountain trail connections to return to camp. That 1.4 miles is to the viewpoint, not the complete loop distance.
The view, and the higher rockA large boulder outcrop stands behind the simple Spud Rock sign, with a broad view south across…
A large boulder outcrop stands behind the simple Spud Rock sign, with a broad view south across the Rincon high country. The mapped loop passes through natural, unpaved trail and climbs about 600 feet cumulatively, from around 8,000 feet to roughly 8,500 feet. The sign can be easy to miss until you are close. For a photo, frame the outcrop against the ridgelines to the south.
There is no official trail to the top of the rock. A short social track beyond the signed viewpoint includes a sloped rock slab and exposed wind; that scramble is outside the mapped loop.
A little history at campThe camp you pass on the way out began as former Tucson mayor Levi Manning's family summer home.
The camp you pass on the way out began as former Tucson mayor Levi Manning's family summer home. Today Manning Camp is a high-country base for park research and fire work, shaded mostly by ponderosa pines.
Plan for the accessManning Camp is hike-in only.
Manning Camp is hike-in only. Overnight stays require an advance campsite reservation and permit. There is no documented water source along this loop; Manning Camp's spring is usually available, but check the current water report and treat surface water before relying on it. Pets are not allowed on this trail.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Saguaro
19 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
56 sightingsMountain LionMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
266 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
113 sightingsCollared PeccaryMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
53 sightingsBobcatMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
127 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Saguaro. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
