Madera Canyon - Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona

Location: West slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, AZ 

Activities: Biking, +Hiking option

Duration: 1 to 2 days

Distance: 152 miles from Phoenix, 43 miles from Tucson

Set at 6,000 feet, Madera Canyon is one of the top birding sites in the U.S., home to over 200 bird species including 15 species of hummingbirds.

This biking route includes options for moderate or more challenging routes. Madera Canyon is nestled into the west side of the Santa Ritas. This outing includes a place based wilderness cuisine picnic in Madera Canyon. This can be done as a one day or two day trip.

Madera Canyon is known for being the third best birding site in the USA with over 200 species  of birds, (15 species of humming birds).  This outing includes a place based wilderness cousine picnic in Madera Canyon. This can be done as a one day or two day trip. 

Highlights

• Cycling routes with moderate to challenging options

• Place-based picnic in the shaded canyon

• Optional Mount Baldy summit hike (9,100 ft)

• Visits to Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory

• Hike to seasonal waterfalls

• Optional cycling through Saguaro National Park

Accommodations

• Bog Springs Camp Ground

• Santa Rita Lodge

• Congress Hotel, downtown Tucson’s historic hotel