When discussing where to go hiking with a visitor to Tucson you can count on the [link slug="marshall-gulch-trail"/] and the [link slug="aspen-trail"/] getting mentioned in some loop/combination/variation - and certainly there can be NO argument about these being sublime and incredible trails.

But as lovely as those trails are the loop that - for me - has come to best represents the spirit of the Santa Catalina Mountains is the Oracle Ridge - Catalina Camp - [link slug="red-ridge-trail"]Red Ridge[/link] loop. This loop has astounding views, steep descents, cows, mines, water, washed out two-track, a bit of pavement, the Arizona Trail, flowers, steep climbing, more steep climbing, bones, big trees, burned areas, One Park Place and even an occasional cactus...

The harshness, history and beauty of this loop may be without parallel in the range - 9 miles, 2550' of elevation gain/loss - with the great company of Korey Konga!