Fantasy Island Trails Park
Nature preserve
358 acres13.3 mi of trail
Lone Cactus LoopBurro Pit LoopChristmas Tree LoopBo's Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Fantasy Island
Photo: John Diebolt · Public domainAOutdoors
Outdoors in Tucson
31% of Tucson’s land is conserved: 48,234 acres
363 miles of mapped trail cross Tucson, 1.5 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Fantasy Island Trails Park (13.3 mi), Lincoln Regional Park (10.5 mi), Sentinel Peak Park (7.8 mi). 88% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns · #26 of 140 in Arizona. What drives it
Conserved land
31%
48,234 acres · of 242.9 sq mi of land
Trails
363 mi
1.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
6,254 ac
11 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
88%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
662 mi
470 mi lanes · 167 mi paths
Highest peak
3,108 ft
Tumamoc Hill
Lakes & rivers
16
2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Tucson?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Tucson have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Tucson is ahead of 89% of U.S. towns, #26 of 140 in Arizona. Conserved land holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Tucson’s overall grade.
Conserved land31% of the land · typical AZ town 14% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (363 mi) · AZ 1.1 · U.S. 0.4APark land11 acres of park per 1,000 residents (6,254 acres) · AZ 8 · U.S. 13B−Parks close to home88% of residents within a half mile of a park · AZ 56% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 89%
LessMore
Arizona towns of 2,500+ (140)Ahead of 82%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Tucson ranks #96 on Outdoors.
Arizona towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 14%; the U.S., 4%), so Tucson’s 31% is ahead of 67% of Arizona towns, while its trails per square mile lead 64% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Fantasy Island Trails Park, with 13.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Lincoln Regional Park
Park
415 acres10.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Sentinel Peak Park
Nature preserve
385 acres7.8 mi of trail
Gilbert Escandón Jiménez Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Enchanted Hills Trails Park
Nature preserve
262 acres6.1 mi of trail
El Grupo LoopWild West TrailTecolote TrailFire 7 Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Santa Cruz River Park
Managed by Pima County
1,070 acres5.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Paseo de Las Iglesias
Nature preserve
265 acres5.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
100-Acre Wood Bike Park
Nature preserve
94 acres4.7 mi of trail
Advanced XC TrailEasy XC TrailIntermediate XC TrailProgressive Flow Trail #1+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Tucson Mountain Park
Nature preserve
298 acres4.1 mi of trail
36th Street TrailPortal TrailRobles Pass Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
All 177 parks & preserves
Fantasy Island Trails Park358 acres · 13.3 mi of trail
DirectionsLincoln Regional Park415 acres · 10.5 mi of trail
DirectionsSentinel Peak Park385 acres · 7.8 mi of trail
DirectionsEnchanted Hills Trails Park262 acres · 6.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSanta Cruz River Park1,070 acres · 5.4 mi of trail · Pima County
DirectionsPaseo de Las Iglesias265 acres · 5.3 mi of trail
Directions100-Acre Wood Bike Park94 acres · 4.7 mi of trail
DirectionsTucson Mountain Park298 acres · 4.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGreasewood Park162 acres · 3.8 mi of trail
DirectionsDanny Lopez Park221 acres · 2.8 mi of trail
DirectionsJulian Wash Greenway239 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · Pima County
DirectionsClearwell Reservoir233 acres · 2.5 mi of trail
DirectionsMorris K. Udall Park172 acres · 2.5 mi of trail
DirectionsSierra Morado66 acres · 2.4 mi of trail
DirectionsEstate of Isabelle Lee64 acres · 2.2 mi of trail
DirectionsEsmond Station264 acres · 2.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSweetwater Wetlands59 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsStarr Pass Resort Easements169 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsRio Vista Natural Resources Park44 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsGene C. Reid Park145 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsCastle Rock Park71 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsJohn F Kennedy Park168 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsCase Natural Resources Park54 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsTumamoc Hill281 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsJoaquin Murrieta Park49 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsPantano River Park258 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsPima Prickly Park12 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsFort Lowell Park52 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsTumamoc Desert Laboratory340 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · University of Arizona
DirectionsTodd M. Harris Sports Complex50 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsEl Paso and Southwestern Greenway23 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsDesert Haven Natural Resource Park17 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsMeander Bend Park14 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsArroyo Chico32 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsPainted Hills Natural Resource Park30 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsMehl Foothills Park23 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsJulian Wash Archaeological Park18 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsSoutheast Houghton Area Recharge Project35 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsHimmel Park29 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsFrancisco Elias Esquer Park8 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsEl Presidio Plaza2 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Directions36th Street Corridor163 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsRillito Park and Racetrack66 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsChuck Ford Lakeside Park61 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSilverbell-Boyer Open Space59 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsFreedom Park43 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsLimberlost Family Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSilverlake Park50 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsThomas Jay Regional Park48 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsRudy Garcia Park47 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLa Estancia de Tucson41 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsAirport Wash Greenway37 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Tucson
DirectionsPurple Heart Park36 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Tucson Parks
DirectionsDan Felix Memorial Park28 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Pima County
DirectionsMesquite Ranch19 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMcCormick Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMichael Perry Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLas Milpitas de Cottonwood Community Farm6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsAlvernon Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsNavajo Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMidvale Fitness Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsRobert A Price Senior Park42 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Davis-Monthan Environs Open Space32 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Robles Pass Trail Park29 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsChildren's Memorial Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsEast Point Estates7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Mesquite Trails6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTiffany Place6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsArmory Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGrijalva Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJácome Plaza1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCampana de Plata1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Ed Pastor Kino Environmental Restoration Project152 acres
DirectionsValencia Site68 acres
DirectionsMission Park43 acres
DirectionsJacobs Park40 acres
DirectionsJesse Owens Park38 acres
DirectionsBlackhawk35 acres
DirectionsEl Pueblo Park31 acres
DirectionsSan Juan Park30 acres
DirectionsSanta Rita Park24 acres
DirectionsSilverbell-Goret Open Space22 acres
Doris J. Thompson Park19 acres
DirectionsRodeo Wash Greenway17 acres
DirectionsTucson Radio Control Club14 acres · Tucson Radio Control Club
DirectionsJuhan Park13 acres
DirectionsMission & 36th13 acres
DirectionsSears Park13 acres
DirectionsDavid G. Herrera and Ramon Quiroz Park12 acres
DirectionsCienega Creek Natural Preserve11 acres
Sierra Morado Community Center11 acres
DirectionsReddington Hills11 acres
DirectionsJames C Thomas Park11 acres
DirectionsLinear Park11 acres
DirectionsMenlo Park10 acres
DirectionsJacobs Park Soccer Complex10 acres
DirectionsVista del Prado Park10 acres
DirectionsEstevan Park10 acres
DirectionsGroves Park8 acres
DirectionsSam Lena Recreation Area8 acres
DirectionsWillie Blake Junior Community Park8 acres
DirectionsWingate8 acres
DirectionsIron Horse Park7 acres
DirectionsDesert Shadows Park7 acres
Swan Park7 acres
DirectionsLaMadera Park7 acres
DirectionsGroves Park II7 acres
Sarah Ann Miller Park6 acres
DirectionsSanta Rosa Park6 acres
DirectionsToumey Park6 acres
Bravo Park6 acres
DirectionsMacalester Park6 acres
Butterfield Ranch6 acres
DirectionsRolling Hills Park6 acres
DirectionsEscalante Park6 acres
DirectionsMontage Vista5 acres
DirectionsPueblo Grande Park5 acres
DirectionsDe Anza Park5 acres
DirectionsCatalina Park5 acres
DirectionsTierra del Sol Park5 acres
DirectionsManuel Herrera Junior Park5 acres
DirectionsCasa de Kino5 acres
DirectionsRoy Schoonover Trailhead5 acres
DirectionsBristol Park5 acres
DirectionsTahoe Park5 acres
DirectionsHarold Bell Wright Park5 acres
DirectionsSoutheastern Regional Park4 acres
Rocking K4 acres
Mirasol Park4 acres
DirectionsOrmsby Park4 acres
DirectionsLinden Park4 acres
Highland Vista Park4 acres
DirectionsWilshire Heights Park4 acres
DirectionsCountry Club Annex Park4 acres
DirectionsThe Villas at Starr Pass4 acres
DirectionsCanyon View4 acres
DirectionsParkview Park2 acres
Vista Del Pueblo Park2 acres
DirectionsMonument Estates2 acres
Hacienda Del Oro Park2 acres
Pueblo Gardens Park2 acres
DirectionsHoffman Park2 acres
DirectionsQuail Ridge2 acres
DirectionsSwanway Park2 acres
DirectionsMesa Village Park2 acres
Sonoran Heights2 acres
DirectionsConner Park2 acres
DirectionsPaseo Estrella2 acres
DirectionsMitchell Park2 acres
DirectionsDeer Park2 acres
San Paulo Village Park2 acres
DirectionsVeinte de Agosto Park2 acres
DirectionsPainted Sunset Greenway2 acres
DirectionsHealth and Heritage Trail1 acres · City of Tucson
DirectionsSentinel Plaza Gateway Park1 acres
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Plaza1 acres
DirectionsBonita Park1 acres
DirectionsPinecrest Park1 acres
DirectionsBalboa Heights Park1 acres
DirectionsArcadia Fields Park1 acres
Villa Serena Park1 acres
DirectionsJacinto Park1 acres
DirectionsNorth Sixth Avenue Dog Park1 acres
DirectionsJefferson Park1 acres
DirectionsArmory Park del Sol1 acres
DirectionsRiverview Park1 acres
DirectionsEl Parque de San Cosme1 acres
DirectionsFelix Lucero Garden of Gethsemane1 acres
DirectionsBarrio San Antonio Park1 acres · City of Tucson
DirectionsKeeling Desert Park1 acres
DirectionsMesquite Cove1 acres
DirectionsCherokee Avenue Park1 acres
DirectionsStreet Scene Park1 acres
DirectionsWaverly Circle Park1 acres
Plaza de la Mesilla1 acres
DirectionsMariposa Park1 acres
DirectionsRosendo S. Perez Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
48,234 conserved acres
31% of Tucson’s land. Who manages Tucson’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State Department of Land40,246 ac
Town or city4,940 ac
County3,247 ac
Regional agency396 ac
Other state land367 ac
Joint300 ac
State fish & wildlife65 ac
State Resource Management Area · 40,246 acLocal Park · 4,870 acLocal Conservation Area · 2,413 acLocal Recreation Area · 1,484 acUnknown Easement · 428 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 124 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 31 of 228 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Trust Land State Resource Management Area | State Department of Land | 40,246 | Restricted |
| Flap Local Conservation Area | County | 976 | Unknown |
| Santa Cruz River Park Local Park | Town or city | 511 | Open |
| Silverbell Municipal Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 470 | Open |
| 36th Street Corridor Local Conservation Area | County | 372 | Unknown |
| Fantasy Island Trails Park Local Park | Other state land | 367 | Open |
| Sentinel Peak Park Local Park | Town or city | 350 | Open |
| Tumamoc Local Conservation Area | County | 300 | Unknown |
| Randolph Park Local Park | Town or city | 292 | Open |
| Esmond Station Regional Park Local Park | County | 271 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
1,522 places to go in Tucson
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Tucson
Amphitheater Pool
DirectionsArcher PoolIn San Juan Park
DirectionsArcher PoolIn San Juan Park
DirectionsCatalina Pool
DirectionsClements PoolIn Lincoln Regional Park
DirectionsEastern Hills Aquatic Club
DirectionsJesse Owens PoolIn Jesse Owens Park
DirectionsPurple Heart Park PoolIn Purple Heart Park
Directions1 more public pool
Sunnyside Pool
DirectionsPlus 2 public pools without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Tucson
Children's Outdoor Performance CenterIn Lincoln Regional Park
DirectionsDunbar Spring Playground
DirectionsMcDonald's PlayPlace
DirectionsWild Katz
Directions746 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Tucson
Christopher Columbus Dog ParkIn Danny Lopez Park
DirectionsMiko's Corner PlaygroundIn Gene C. Reid Park
DirectionsPurple Heart Dog ParkIn Purple Heart Park
DirectionsSmiling Dog Ranch Dog ParkIn Mehl Foothills Park
Directions31 dog parks are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Boat launches in Tucson
Silverbell Lake SlipwayIn Danny Lopez Park
DirectionsSilverbell Lake Slipway SouthIn Danny Lopez Park
DirectionsFishing spots in Tucson
Silverbell LakeIn Danny Lopez Park
DirectionsScenic views in Tucson
3 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Tucson
Tumamoc Hill3,108 ft elevation · In Tumamoc Desert Laboratory
DirectionsSentinel Peak2,901 ft elevation · In Sentinel Peak Park
DirectionsPoorman Range2,815 ft elevation
DirectionsTolson Peak2,805 ft elevation · In Starr Pass Resort Easements
DirectionsEnchanted Peak2,792 ft elevation · In Enchanted Hills Trails Park
DirectionsPlus 11 peaks without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Tucson
710 picnic areas are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Community gardens in Tucson
Doris J. Thompson Community GardenIn Doris J. Thompson Park
DirectionsPlus 1 community garden without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 16 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 41.8 miHorses · 13.5 miUnpaved · 82.6 mi
Lone Cactus Loop5.9 mi
Bunny5.7 mi
El Grupo Loop2.6 mi
Burro Pit Loop2.3 mi
Snake Dance2.1 mi
Bunny's Revenge1.6 mi
Bo's Loop1.4 mi
East Via Rio Pico1.4 mi
Advanced XC Trail1.4 mi
Christmas Tree Loop1.3 mi
15 more trails
Rock Wren Trail
1.0 mi36th Street Trail
1.0 miJulian Wash Greenway Path
1.0 miAround the Block
1.0 miJullian Wash Greeway Path
1.0 miGilbert Escandón Jiménez Trail
1.0 miPortal Trail
0.9 miCentral Pike
0.8 miCentral Pike Loop
0.7 miWild West Trail
0.7 miDirt path
0.7 miJack and George Mountain Trail
0.6 miOld Nogales Highway
0.6 miEasy XC Trail
0.5 miTecolote Trail
0.5 miBiking & sports
662 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
470 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
167 mi
off-road bike paths
25 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
532Basketball
325Tennis
278Baseball
170Soccer
169Equestrian
130Golf
76Pickleball
57Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →135 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 80 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Old Adobe PatioBuilding · listed 1971
About itSosa-Carrillo-Fremont HouseBuilding · listed 1971
About itEl TiraditoSite · listed 1971
About itOld Main, University of ArizonaBuilding · listed 1972
About itCordova HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itVelasco HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About itSolomon Warner House and MillBuilding · listed 1976
About itArmory Park Historic Residential DistrictDistrict · listed 1976
About itEl Presidio Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1976
About itPima County CourthouseBuilding · listed 1978
About it123 more on the History page.
When to get out
April is the best month for walking in Tucson
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.3 | 11.0 | 11.9 | 12.9 | 13.8 | 14.2 | 14.1 | 13.3 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 10.5 | 10.1 |
| High (°F) | 67 | 69 | 75 | 83 | 91 | 101 | 100 | 98 | 95 | 86 | 75 | 66 |
| Rain (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.2 |
May is the driest month (0.2 in) and June the warmest (highs of 101 °F). 2.3 inches fall in August, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 101 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Tucson →
Next door
Tucson and its neighbors
Tucson has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Tucson363 miTanque Verde36 miTucson Mountains34 miCatalina Foothills32 miDrexel Heights31 miCasas Adobes15 miFlowing Wells2.5 miSummit0.2 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson | 31% | 1.5 | 11 | 88% | A |
| Catalina Foothills | 1% | 0.8 | 1 | 22% | C |
| Casas Adobes | 3% | 0.6 | 8 | 68% | B− |
| Tanque Verde | 4% | 1.1 | 15 | 22% | B |
| Tucson Mountains | 11% | 1.3 | 46 | 47% | A− |
| Flowing Wells | 6% | 0.7 | 3 | 58% | B− |
| Drexel Heights | 14% | 1.6 | 42 | 79% | A |
| Summit | 1% | 0.1 | 2 | 44% | C− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Tucson
Where can I hike in Tucson?
The longest trail networks: Fantasy Island Trails Park, 13.3 miles; Lincoln Regional Park, 10.5 miles; Sentinel Peak Park, 7.8 miles; Enchanted Hills Trails Park, 6.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Tucson is conserved land?
31% of its land, against a typical 14% for an Arizona town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Tucson’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Sentinel Peak Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Tucson?
662 miles of bike routes are on the map: 470 of painted or protected lanes, 167 of off-road paths and 25 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Tucson?
94,967 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Tucson or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 6,293 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Tucson have?
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #26 of 140 in Arizona. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Tucson neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →