New features coming to Sabino Canyon

CATALINA FOOTHILLS, Ariz. (KGUN) — With its hiking trails and waterfalls, Sabino Canyon has always been a place of rest and relaxation for Tucson residents.

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People like Jim Sanders have been going to Sabino Canyon for about forty years. He’s seen a lot of changes, but what he feels stays consistent are the picturesque views.

“The mountains are wrapped around. This time of day they turn purple, blue!” Sanders said.

Angela Jakacki just moved to Tucson from Phoenix and it was her first time visiting Sabino Canyon. She felt like the people hiking were a lot friendlier than the other places where she has lived.

“People are very nice, friendly, more active, outgoing,” Jakacki said.

Starr Farrell, public affairs officer for the Coronado National Forest, said back in the day, people would ride their horses in the canyon and use it as an area where they could water their horses.

Then, when cars became more popular, she said people would start driving up the canyon.

“And then in like the 1970s, that’s when we were starting to see that peak, and we were seeing folks out and parking all around,” Farrell said.

It was around that time when Sabino Canyon put in trams that eventually became electric in 2020, Farrell said.

Keith Gross was recently visiting from out of state and said the Sabino Canyon Crawler tram was his favorite part about the recreation area.

“Interesting to see how the bridges and things were built to resist the flowing of thunderstorm wash outs,” Gross said.

The trams are located next to the visitor center, which Farrell said has been through many remodels. She said the last remodel was done in the nineties.

However, they’re planning a new visitor center. The group, Friends of Sabino Canyon helps to plan new things at the canyon, like the new visitor center.

“With big windows where visitors will be able to really feel immersed in the canyon as soon as they arrive,” Farrell said about the plans.

She said they’re also planning on redesigning and having a new parking lot. On Dec. 14 she said they are also debuting their new outpost, which is a stop on the Sabino Canyon Crawler. It will have new information for tourists on interpretive panels.

The spot is located a mile from the bottom of the canyon where Farrell said people can see an amazing view of the river when there’s water in it.

Those kinds of natural features make Sabino Canyon so attractive to people from all over the world, Sanders said.

“It’s in our backyard, especially for Tucsonans. This is fantastic!” Sanders said.