Palisade #99

You’ll enjoy good views and get a tour of most of the biological life zones that grace the slopes of the Santa Catalinas along this more difficult trail. From its upper terminus near Showers Point Group Campground, Palisade Trail starts out through stands of ponderosa pine and drops down the ridge that separates Palisade and Pine canyons. The first mile of the upper section of the trail is shaded and carpeted with pine needles. Views through the trees extend into both canyons and to the Sabino Basin below. In the distance, the city of Tucson spreads across the broad Tucson Basin. Mud Springs (2.8 miles from the trailhead) is the only reliable water source along the Palisade Trail and does not flow into the spring box anymore, making collection challenging. After dropping into Pine Canyon, the trail sidehills back to the ridge to treat you to expansive views of Pine Canyon, parts of the central canyons of the Santa Catalinas, and the Front Range. The next section of the trail should not be attempted by those with vertigo or fear of heights, as it travels adjacent to sheer drop-offs. At 4.2 miles from the trailhead, the trail quickly descends switchbacks down to Sycamore Canyon. Views of the East Fork Trail #24A (6.8 miles from the trailhead) greet hikers approaching from Palisades Trail #99.