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A hike along the road to the top of Sentinel Peak is an easy way to combine a workout, a history lesson, and an overview of Tucson. The 2-mile hike loops around a 2900’ peak that served as a lookout for Tucson settlers as far back as the 9th century. Today, the peak is most notable for the 150’-tall stone letter “A” constructed by University of Arizona students in 1915. From the base of the big “A”, hikers peer down on the historic Mission Garden which was once a Native American village and is now a living agriculture museum. As the trail climbs the 300’ gain from the lower parking lot to the summit, hikers get a fantastic 360-degree view of Tucson and the Santa Cruz valley.

The paved trail is literally a road that leads from the lower parking lot at the trailhead to the upper parking lot at the peak. As such, hikers share the 10’-wide trail with cars, except when vehicle access is prohibited in early mornings and all day on Mondays. Dogs are always welcome on-leash.

The trail is surfaced with asphalt that can be bumpy, has cracks greater than 1” wide, and poses steep grades of 5-8° in some sections. Along that paved trail, hikers will enjoy multiple overviews of the city, the river, and the mountains, as well as a chance to see a spectacular sunrise or sunset. From the upper parking lot, dirt trails lead up to the Sentinel Peak summit, the Starr Valley overlook, and several picnic ramadas along the Mission View Trail. Unlike the road, these dirt trails are probably not accessible by people using wheelchairs due to steep grades, rock stairs, and sandy sections.

Several accessible parking spaces are available at both the lower and upper lots. However, there are no facilities on this trail aside from a few benches, ramadas, and picnic tables. There is no drinking water along this trail. With the black asphalt and the lack of any shade, hikers can expect a dangerously hot, dry trek in the afternoon. The best times to hike this trail are mornings from November through April.

Sentinel Peak Park is located only a few miles from downtown Tucson and just minutes away from other city attractions.  Before or after the hike, it is a short drive to visit the San Agustin Mission Garden to learn about Sonoran Desert agriculture, or to stop at the popular San Agustin Mercado for a cold drink, a snack, and some shopping.  In any case, the hike in Sentinel Peak Park deserves repeat visits for either quick workouts with your dog or leisurely strolls with your friends.