Family Niesen - Hiking - Bear Canyon

On the day after the Wasson Peak hike I went to do the Bear Canyon - Sabino Canyon Loop. The 17.5 mile hike took me about 7.5 hours to complete. Initially I thought about doing the side excursion to Hutch's Pond which is 1.5 miles off the path but I ended up not having enough time for it.

Parking is limited at the Sabino Canyon Visitor Centers. Arriving early in the morning will increase your chances for a parking spot. The park entrance is included in the parking fee. For lazy people like me you can cut some hiking time by paying a couple bucks and taking the tram to the trail head. I decided to go first through Bear Canyon and then back through Sabino Canyon. The tram only runs on fixed times, so I didn't get off until 10 am on my hike. The tram took me to the trailhead of Bear Canyon. If you do hike that stretch make sure not to follow the street that the tram is taking. Otherwise you'll be hiking further than needed. The hiking trails are will give you a good shortcut over the road to the trailhead.

... to be continued...

Topographic Map
Trail Map