https://www.summitpost.org/mt-wrightson-best-hike-in-arizona/402354 The trail begins at the end of Madera Canyon. It's only 5.4 miles away on foot, but it's way up there. Trails in the Wilderness crisscross forests, canyons and ridgetops, accessing panoramic views and cool, shaded glades Highlights. mount wrightson This 9,453-foot summit is the high point of the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson — and the 5½-mile Old Baldy Trail is the most direct route to the top. Mt. Wrightson Wilderness Area over the past week was killed over the weekend by an officer from the U.S. Water is a must, I took 1.5 gallons in my pack. However, with its four-wheel-drive access, the Madera Canyon options are more appealing coming from Tucson. The Santa Rita Lodge is the gateway to Madera Canyon, nestled on the northwestern side of the Santa Rita Mountains. This trail can best be described as a "nice stroll" and very well maintained with a bit of elevation gain through a … Wrightson Wilderness range from well-used pathways to primitive routes. Madera Canyon has over fifty miles of trails to hike. Mount Wrightson Wilderness: This wilderness of 25,260 acres includes most of the high peaks and ridges of the mountain range. A climb to the summit of Mount Wrightson is one of the more popular hikes in this wilderness, but it is only for the very fit. A few of the most popular access points are located within the Madera Canyon Recreation Area, where roads and parking areas are paved. I’d encourage anybody try it. Even if you're not a bird-watcher, you have to appreciate the unique nature of this place. As seen in the Wrightson Wilderness map, several trails ascend Mt Wrightson. Mount Wrightson is the highest point in the Tucson region at 9,456 ft. Named after William Wrighston, a miner and entrepreneur who was killed in 1865 by Apaches during the battle of Fort Buchanan. Summit the tallest mountain near Tucson; Unbeatable panoramic views; Shady forest to beat the heat; Hike Summary. In February of 2020, I hiked the Old Baldy Trail to the summit. Directions to Mount Wrightson and Hiking Basics. Surely that's enough of a reason to hike it but the real draw is the Madrean Sky Island environment which is exceptionally unique. Wrightson is the highest point in the Santa Rita Mountains. There are two trails to the summit from Madera Canyon, the Old Baldy Trail and the Super Trail. A male alpine goat that had been terrorizing hikers in the Mt. Make sure to go in a group of 3 or more, read the trail head for list of essential equipment, and have a great time! Trails within the Mt. You can always turn back and there are plenty of places to rest given time. Technically the shortest ascent to the summit is via the Garden Canyon Trail #143. While Mount Lemmon seems to get all of Tucson's fame and glory, lesser known Mount Wrightson is perhaps a more fun and scenic climb thanks to the lack of development on its summit and heavily shaded trail to shield you you from the Arizona heat. The Mount Wrightson hike is intermediate but forgiving. At an altitude of 9,456', Mount Wrightson is the highest mountain near Tucson. And it looks even farther than that — at 9,453 feet, Mount Wrightson, also known as Old Baldy, is the highest point in the Santa Rita Mountains. The Nature trail starts at the Santa Rita Lodge and makes its way on the west side of Madera Creek and continues for 2.7 miles to the Mount Wrightson picnic area. The former is steeper and shorter, while the latter seems to pretty much circumnavigate most of Mt. Most notable is the Old Baldy Trail that leads up to Mount Wrightson. Wrightson. 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