The Must-Do Hike in Tucson

Sitting at the top of 7 FallsSo I’m going to be very honest with you guys; not many people visit Tucson for anything other than the U of A. It’s not the worst thing in the world. The people here are very proud of our university and we aren’t always bogged down with tourism. But honestly? There’s a few really cool spots in Tucson and I’m really excited to start sharing them with all of you.

The first spot I’m sharing (one my favorites) is the 7 Falls hike in Sabino Canyon. Why is this spot my favorite and why is it the favorite of so many others? It’s beautiful.

I won’t lie to you. It’s hot and even I (with the dark skin and dark hair) am sporting a sunburn after hiking all day here. It can be intense and honestly, my back is still stinging a bit from this burn. But the view at the top is so worth it, especially after Tucson gets a good rain storm.

It’s named 7 Falls due to the seven waterfalls at the top of the hike where there are several little pools you can swim in. My favorite is on the second tier and has a little waterfall too.

What to bring on this hike:

  1. Extra Water
  2. Extra Sunscreen
  3. Good Shoes
  4. Snacks
  5. A Spare pair of socks

My boyfriend and I went through over 128 ounces of water on this hike and we wished we had more. The duration of the hike was a little rough for me too and I would have felt a lot better with a few snacks. You’ve already heard why I recommend sunscreen, but here’s the deal with the socks: there is a good to fair chance that you will slip in a puddle and no one likes having wet socks for the rest of the day. You can choose to bring a swimsuit if you wish, but I was fine jumping in the water with my shorts and sports bra.

How long is the hike?

I would plan on 2-2.5 hours on the way up and 1-1.5 hours on the way down. It really depends on your speed. We were closer to the 2 hour mark on the way up, but we were a lot more tired on the way down and it took us closer to an hour and a half. We also spent about 30-45 minutes at the top.

Bottom Line?

If you’re in Tucson and you have the time, I strongly recommend this hike. It really is a little gem in Tucson and there is so much beautiful desert landscape that you really don’t get to see when you’re closer to the university.

Happy hiking!

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Hi - my name is Kirsten! I am currently based in Chicago after a long cross-country move from Arizona. What will you find here? I love sharing all things sustainability and slow fashion, any of my day-to-day shenanigans, the latest new hobbies I picked up, and whatever concert or music festival I can find. Welcome and thanks for popping in to my little corner of the world wide web!

42 Comments

  1. 9.13.16

    Looks like y’all had such a fun time!!!!
    XO Amanda | http://www.glitterandspice.com

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      It was a great time, despite the sunburns! Thanks for stopping by!

  2. 9.13.16
    adriana said:

    I have a new found love for hiking so I’m sort of really jealous! These pictures!! SO much fun – I need to get my but to Tucson haha!

    • 9.15.16
      Kirsten said:

      It’s a great day trip to make from Phoenix if you’re ever in the area!

  3. 9.14.16

    What a gorgeous view! There are always so many cute little places hidden in college towns, and I’m so glad that you’re shining a light on yours 🙂

    XO, SS || Seersucker Sass

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      College towns are the best! I can’t wait to show more of the gems we have to offer in Tucson!

  4. 9.14.16
    Kelsey said:

    This hike looks amazing!! The waterfall area looks super fun too!

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      IT is! And it’s so refreshing after the long hike up!

  5. 9.14.16

    Those views are spectacular! Great hiking tips too! xx Merisa | Monogrammed Magnolias

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      Thank you! Just shining a light on the beauty in the desert!

  6. 9.14.16
    Willow said:

    I live in Tucson, but have not hiked Seven Falls. I’ve hiked in Sabino Canyon, but I can’t remember the name of the trail. I think I’ll wait until it gets a bit cooler!

    • 9.14.16
      Kirsten said:

      That sounds like a good idea! It was definitely a little warm!

  7. 9.15.16

    My son & I just got into hiking together over the summer. Right now we are working our way through a list of hikes here in our home state of WV, but we are already talking about adding some out of state hikes down the road. I never thought that a hike in Tucson would make our list, but it just did! 🙂 The Seven Falls Hike looks gorgeous, and you get rewarded with a dip in a gorgeous pool of water.

    • 9.15.16
      Kirsten said:

      Wow I am so excited that I inspired you to come visit! There’s a lot of great hiking in the Tucson area and you could even make it a roadtrip and go see a few Arizona sites like the Grand Canyon and Antelope Canyon!

  8. 9.15.16

    What a gorgeous hike…I love the beauty in the desert! And thanks for the practical tips on what to bring…always helpful!

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      The desert really does have some hidden gems! It’s starting to grow on me 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

  9. 9.16.16
    Sydney said:

    How awesome! I just love hiking! I always bring lots of extra water and good snacks to keep us going! Looks like an awesome place to hike 🙂

    Happy Friday!
    lots of love… Sydney
    http://styledbys.ca

    • 9.16.16
      Kirsten said:

      We forgot our snacks in my car and we were really regretting it on the way back! (We stopped at the nearest gas station for more water, gatorade, and ice cream!)

  10. 9.16.16

    Ahhh that waterfall is awesome and so is that cactus! I went on a 3 mile hike the other day and died…I need to get on your level, lol.

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      This one wasn’t easy! I definitely had to take breaks and bring EXTRA water!

  11. 9.16.16
    Anna said:

    This hike looks like it has tons of gorgeous views! Thanks for sharing!
    -Anna | http://www.fivefootandfabulous.com

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      Of course! Thanks for stopping by!

  12. 9.16.16
    Alix Maza said:

    Bring extra, extra, extra water! Looks like you guys had tons of fun.

    Alix | http://www.apintsizedlife.com

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      Oh we learned that the hard way! But it was so much fun! Thanks for stopping by!

  13. 9.16.16

    How funny… I am headed to Tucson late October for the Family Travel Association Summit and so I will keep this in mind in case I have some extra time to kill. Thanks

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      No way! I hope you get the chance to see 7 falls. It’s long, but beautiful at the top!

  14. 9.16.16

    This place is beautiful!! Looks like you guys had a ton of fun! I used to love hiking, jungle trekking and all that. Then, life just happened, I guess. I really need to find more time to get back to it! If I’m ever in Tucson, this would be on the top of my list!

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      I hope you do! Jungle trekking sure sounds interesting! I’d like to try that.

  15. 9.17.16
    Bella said:

    Looks like an awesome hike. Hiking is one of my favourite things to do. The view is gorgeous!

    http://xoxobella.com

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      It’s one of mine too! It’s absolutely my favorite way to exercise and get outdoors!

  16. 9.18.16
    Annaliese said:

    How beautiful! If I ever visit this part of AZ I’ll have to keep this in mind!

    xoxo A
    http://www.southernbelleintraining.com

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      It’s a little far south, but there are some other cute things to see here if you ever stop by!

  17. 9.18.16
    amy said:

    I love hiking when I was back in my hometown! I would love to visit AZ one day and hike this trail!
    xoxo
    Amy | Pastel N Pink

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      You can always shoot me an email if you having any questions about hiking in Tucson! 🙂

  18. 9.18.16
    Alex said:

    This is awesome! My husband had never visited Arizona, so I would LOVE to take him there to see all of the beauty!!

    • 9.20.16
      Kirsten said:

      There is definitely a specific beauty you can find in the desert that you can’t find anywhere else. The sunsets take your breath away too!

  19. 9.18.16

    Oh my God, that is absolutely incredible!! Looks like you two had so much fun.

    xo // http://www.thematerialgirl.co

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      We did! Thanks for stopping by!

  20. 9.19.16
    Ashley said:

    I’m saving this in case I’m ever in the area 🙂 My fiance and I LOVE to hike and are always looking for a new adventure! I love all of your photos!
    xoxo

    • 9.20.16
      Kirsten said:

      Thank you! Maybe I’ll even see you on the trail 😉

  21. 9.19.16
    Kayla said:

    This hike looks beautiful and I love your photos! So fun!

    Kayla | kaylablogs.com

    • 9.27.16
      Kirsten said:

      Thank you! It is a beautiful hike!

Comments are closed.