One of the best ways to start your morning or clear your head after a long day is to get out and stretch your legs. And for many, the perfect place to do that is Tumamoc Hill.
From sunrise runners, to post-brunch college students, to entire families… the 3.1 mile trail located just west of a-mountain is heavily trafficked and provides some excelent people watching in addition to being a fairly rigorous workout.
Tumamoc, which itself is an O’Odham word for “regal horned lizard,” is home to important scientific research meant to deepen our understanding of the Sonoran Desert. This includes the Desert Laboratory, which opened in 1903 and a small telescope operated by the Steward Observatory.
The climb is described as being moderately difficult, with a total elevation gain of 748 feet, which is guaranteed to make you break a sweat. But as anyone who has completed the hike will tell you: the reward at the end is well worth it.
As you might expect, because of the pandemic, hikers are being asked to follow simple guidelines, like wearing a mask, limiting group size to 3 or less and social distancing, which is made easier by arrows painted on the pavement.
No matter how you decide to ascend - be it walking, running or lunging - there’s no denying the beauty and cultural significance of Tumamoc Hill... making it a true source of Arizona Adventures.
To learn more about Tumamoc Hill, click here!
