Length: 13.2 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Moderate

Wilderness Area: Pusch Ridge Wilderness

State Park: Catalina State Park

Journal: "Where's Wayne?"

From Tucson at Ina & Oracle, take Oracle Road north 6.2 miles, and turn into Catalina State Park. Follow signs to Romero Trailhead. There is a fee to get into the park.

Trail Description:

The first part of this trail is a walk along a wide sandy trail. The sand make this flat area seem much worse than it should be. After 1/3 mile the trail becomes "normal" and narrows. The trail enters the wilderness and climbs a small ridge before dropping into Romero Canyon.

The trail in this section is difficult to follow and you must look carefully for the cairns. If you get lost, backtrack to the last cairn and look around for the next one.

Once in Romero canyon the trail follows a series of pools that often have water in them. We did this trail in September 1998 and found lots of water. The trail follows the contour of the canyon as it climbs from desert to riparian to pine trees. After about 2 miles all trace of civilization is removed from the scenery and the solitude is yours to enjoy.

After about 4 miles you enter the upper canyon. Several campsites are available in this area. Water is not as plentiful, but we still found some. The trail continues until it reaches Romero Pass at 6.6 miles. Extended trips are possible from the pass or return the way you came.

This is not a summer hike.