Redington Pass

Redington Pass is a lot of fun to hike, but there are several things you need to know before going.....

1. Some people spell it Reddington but the correct spell is Redington

Bring water and good shoes that can grip and may potentially get wet.  Best times to go are in March, April, end of October, and November.  Take Tanque Verde east towards the Rincon Mountains until the road ends with gravel.  Continue on the gravel uphill until you reach the first parking spot on the left.  There are several trails further up the dirt road, but this first stop will take you the Tanque Verde Falls.  Park your car and cross the dirt road until you reach a dirt path. There is a rusty brown sign by it that is hard to read. Follow this trail down to the creek. Once you've reached the creek, head north away from the city and up towards the mountains.

Follow the creek and maneuver your way around the rocks carefully always following the creek. Some days have more hikers than others.  Weekends are popular for family excursions. This is an interesting place because there are a lot of people, even Tucsonans, who do not know about this beautiful hike. 

Along the way, peek into all the little cracks and crevices, but do be careful during the warmer months as snakes and larger lizards, like the Gila Monster, wake up from the cold winter sleep.  Listen for rattles, etc and survey the area before grabbing onto a rock or you may get a little surprise:)  I find March a better month to hike because the critters are still sleeping. 

There are several places that hikers like to sit and take a break....sometimes naked.  You'll see past a certain point naked families frolicking under a mini fall or a group of naked men walking together with backpacks so make sure you wear your sunscreen as sunburn can be a real bummer.

Some people may not be used to this.  My first time on this hike, I was humming to my walkman and wasn't aware of the rules.  I was around 23 at the time, turned a bend and voila!!! Nude backpackers!  I fell and they came running to my aide. Thinking back on it, I should have asked for a picture, but at the time, I was so embarrassed. Today, I still hike with clothes and laugh about the incident, and I am a little more enlightened than I was in my earlier years....but do be aware that you'll see more naked people on the 2nd or 3rd parking stops on the gravel road. There are more trails past this first one which I'm writing about today. I believe this is the rule....on the 2nd stop, nudist families and after a certain waterfall, it's a man area.  The Tanque Verde Falls(the first stop) is more family friendly and during this visit, we didn't see nakedness.  Further down the road is a dirt biking route and also several gun ranges. I just find the whole area fascinating. It's a rougher setting and certainly not the tourist friendly Sabino Canyon.

The rocks are large and do require some skill to climb.  Remember to bring water and take little breaks.

For most humans, the trail can be dangerous, but on top of the falls, a crow lands for a cold sip of water.

Keep your eyes open for desert critters and beautiful birds and butterflies native to the Sonoran desert.

Some people hike alone while others go in groups.  It's not uncommon to see groups of 3-6 people hiking.

Here's a short video shot from our hike.

The end of this trail will reward you with breathtaking scenery.

Bring your bathing suit...or not:) for a quick or long dip in the shade and cool waters. If you are nudist, I don't want to give inaccurate information here because I know that many of you take this seriously....so it's not the first stop but the second parking on the dirt road.  The first stop is the falls trail while the second stop is clothing optional after a couple of the mini falls.

Happy Adventures!!