If you and your family are looking for family friendly hikes in the Tucson area, then the Canyon Loop Trail at Catalina State Park should be on your list. There are several beautiful places to hike in the Tucson area, but we like Catalina State Park because of the variety of trails. The Canyon Loop Trail is an easy hike for children in Tucson, and there’s usually enough water in the streams to make it adventurous for families. There are also stairs scattered throughout the trail, as higher elevations approach.
If you’re looking for an easy hike for children in Tucson, then the Canyon Loop Trail at Catalina State Park should be on your list.
Catalina State Park: An Easy Hike for Children in Tucson
I’ll let the pictures do the talking. The first time my husband and I took our toddler through the trail, my husband put on the ergo baby carrier and used it to carry our son up the stairs.
Less than a year later, my son didn’t need the carrier - he went up the stairs faster than I could!
Because the trail is a loop, it doesn’t matter where you begin (the entrance or the exit). It seems that we travel in the opposite direction as most other hikers. I’m okay with that - not only is it less crowded for us, but also because we climb up the stairs as opposed to going down the stairs, this is a great form of exercise.
My son sees the hike as an adventure, but he’s definitely tired by the time we get to the parking lot. He especially likes looking at the different plants. So for those of you in the Tucson area with young children, I’d definitely recommend the Canyon Loop Trail at Catalina State Park. Eventually we’ll try to go out of our comfort zone and try different trails within the park. Plus, I’d like to take our son to Sabino Canyon, which is also one of my favorite places to hike in the Tucson area. But in the meantime, we are perfectly fine with the Canyon Loop Trail.
Catalina State Park: An Easy Hike for Children in Tucson, Arizona