Catalina State Park

This is a really nice park . It’s close to lots of hiking and biking trails there are lots of trees. The spots are large with plenty of privacy. Relax and cut loose for a while. The bathrooms are nice and clean. There is a shopping center with Walmart, movie theater and restaurants right across the street. And Tucson only a few minutes down the road. There is wildlife wondering through your campsite and plenty of room if you have pets.

One of the nicer parks in AZ. Has nice big spots, plenty of privacy if you like to cut loose a little. It’s close to food and shopping. Beautiful trails to hike. Plenty of open space for your pets. Biking or walking your choice. Bathrooms are nice and clean. And wildlife walking through your campsite. Close to shopping and eateries. Great fun

Self supporting state park with great trails and campsites. A clean beautiful area with a grand environment.

I love my little local spot. I love the spots in A but both sites are good. I like that checkout is 12 and they have 2 dump stations.

We came on a whim the day before heading home. My husband and I had been dying to hike. Catalina State park was close so we headed over to check out the Alamo Canyon Loop Trail. I was a bit taken aback at the $20 entrance fee for the two of us in the car, but we decided to pay and check out what the area had to offer. Looking over the pamphlet the ranger gave us I saw they had some ruins off one of the trails which is awesome as well as picnic areas and more, Views from the parking lot are amazing so I knew once the hike started it would be even better. From the looks of it a fire must’ve swept through years ago because there was a lot of burnt brush. The Alamo trail starts across from a good size parking area and is easy to follow for most of the loop. It is pretty steep in some areas and a lot of lose rock so if you don’t handle that well it’s not recommended without walking sticks and boots. While there can’t any water during our hike it does show possible falls and water in the wash at different times of year or after a good rain. There was no shade most of the trail so go early and bring lots of water. While the hike is less than four miles it is a good workout. Mountain View’s were beautiful and some of the saguaro cacti were very old. Wish we had more time to explore. My husband who loves to hike said it was one of his favorite trails he’s done.

Friendly staff met us at the ranger station and provided guidances on the the various trails and difficulty levels. We did the Canyon Loop easy enough after the initial climb out of the river bed. Great visit. Noted a lot of cyclists make their way to the park.

This was the second time we stayed at the park. We stayed 3 nights, although had to make reservations for three different sites and switch to the new site each day. The camp hosts were able to update our "vehicle tag," which was easier than going back to the camp entrance. They also did a great job keeping the campground clean and sites ready for the next camper. This time, we were able to get out on a few more trails and see more of the park. Enjoyed the saguaros, the birds, and the mountain views.

My favorite hike in Arizona, so far. Our last and final day means it’s our last hike and I think Emily was saving my favorite for last, unbeknownst to her and I. Her parents live 10 minutes from the park and we paid the $20 to get in, drove to the very end and started hiking. Side note: The pass you buy is good for the whole day so you can come and go as many times as you please during the day marked on the pass. Catalina State Park took my breath away at every turn, twist and new path. I think it’s because it was a fairly easy hike, in my opinion, and I actually got to admire the scenery while walking. It does get frustrating to go out hiking and you spend 75% of your time looking at your feet so you don’t roll an ankle. The sights, the scenery, the endless saguaro, the little lizards we saw scampering across rocks all made this place an amazing place to spend the morning. If you are in the area and love to hike, this place is one to put at the top of your list. Hiking stats: -Trek: Duo -Time: 1.5 hours -Distance: 3.21 miles

Catalina State Park This beautiful state park was really near where I was staying and I was interested in seeing the Romero ruins trail, to see some Hohokam ruins and some wildflowers and of course birds. I have gone many times. For birds I would recommend going on one of the parks twice weekly volunteer docent birding hikes. You will see something different each time. I have seen different hummingbirds, Cactus wrens and their nests. Vermillion flycatcher, owls, Flickers, thrasher, grosbeaks, Phainopepla, ravens ,mocking birds, having gone the guided hike your eyes will be opened more each time you hike, The Romero ruins trail can be easy for someone who's fairly fit but has some areas to be careful at You can park at the second pull out. The trail does cross a wash area so if there's been recent rains it could be a area where you going to get wet. If you go directly to the ruines trail you'll move to the left at the fork. There's about 80 steps to the top of the hill You just take your time if your person of a certain age and you'll do fine coming down is always a little more difficult and you have to be careful. If I were taking kids I would only want to take kids to really listened and then didn't get too close to the edge. There's some great Saguaro cactus at the top of the hill and there's some benches along the trail to enjoy the wonderful views of the mountains. Once you're up at the top you can begin to see the archaeological site and mostly surface areas of the ruins. There's some great interpretive signs along the way so you can really have a sense of what you're seeing and get some great information to learn more. There's a Hohokam village where you can see the rock walls that surrounded the village and you can see some rock outlines of some homes if you have a good eye you can also see some pit areas and middens. There's some great interpretive material actually showing where the Romero ranchero was as well as the Hohokam village. There was also considerable looting of the site You can still see some of the holes were the pot hunters were looking for pots. There's some great views of the wash going down in the mountains It's just a really nice hike. After I did that hike and came down I noticed some wildflower fields across the way so I back to where the trail had split and took the trail to the right which is the Romero Canyon trail and went up about 90 steps so I could view the poppy fields and the other wildflower fields They had a nice flat area at the top of the stairs and again you could get some wonderful views of the valley and the mountains it was worth the extra hike up the stairs. Again you have to take your time slow is smooth and fast and safe both going up and down.. if you are going to take children you got to make sure that they're really well disciplined to stay on the trail cuz there's some really steep drops and there's no handrails or anything else the only safe place is to stay on the trail. There were some really nice poppy groves to see and I think the lupine were also plentiful and there was some groves of those as well and All in all identified over a dozen different wildflowers. The thing to remember is each time you visit it will be different.... Maybe no wildflowers or birds. Just try to enjoy what's there and remember it's a open wild place not a city park. Dress appropriately I always wear long pants and hiking boots and i try to be mindful of my surroundings. Check with volunteers at the gift shop or the entrance to get the skinny.

Went camping there last weekend and apart from the unexpected 110 record breaking heat wave at the end of September... a great park to camp and hike. The electric campsites also had water hookups. The restrooms were extremely clean and well maintained... including the showers. Lots of beautiful trails... but when the temps being high... only early morning or evening walks. An amazing place for dark skies/ star gazing even with the naked eye. Because of the time of year (and weather) attaining a spot was feasible... but otherwise it's hard to score a camping spot.

I think this is the only state park I've been to that's across the street from a Walmart and Red Lobster lol. Despite the encroaching business commercialism in the area, the park itself is a beautiful and serene place to picnic, bird watch, or hike. We stopped here for a picnic and to hike. We got a lot of good picnicking done; hikes, not so much but there's always next time I say. There are multiple picnic spots and very well kept restrooms. You can't beat the view of the Catalina Mountains while noshing on a breakfast burrito and coffee. I attempted to go on an easy trail, the birding trail, but I will have to go on this trail next time with another adult instead of a tiny tot and dogs. The dogs were more interested in sniffing the world rather than taking a nature walk, and the kiddo wanted to play in the sandy wash area near the entrance to the trail. I think I made it about 100 ft when the slow-as-molasses dog decided to turn back. I took that as a sign that a longer hiking adventure will have to wait for a future visit. The sandy wash area is pretty cool and very scenic in itself and I got to hear some birds chattering with one another in the bushes nearby. It's overall a very peaceful place to spend a day. Details: - Very dog friendly! - Poop bags available at trail entrance (For birding trail at least) - Entrance fee $7 per car for up to 4 adults

Our second time here, they have nice sites. Well maintained shower and restrooms. Park rangers are very friendly. No gates, campers can come in and out anytime during the night. Walmart and some restaurants are just across the street.

Gorgeous, breathtaking, spectacular! I can go on and on about how wonderful this state park is! I have hiked all the trails more than once and every time I do the views still get to me! The trails are always maintained, the rangers and helpful, and there's always something cool to see! We miss the nature program as it was such an awesome experience for the kids (and adults) to learn new things! Would love to see that come back! Until then they offer many other programs and activities such as star parties, music in the mountains and even guided hikes!

Happy to be camped at Catalina State Park. Great dessert campground. Plenty of space between campsites, and some sites have water and electric. Dump station is near the front kiosk. We are here in May, and it is HOT. Not much shade to be found, but the wind kicks up in the afternoon, and the nights are cooling down to 63 or 65. Not many people camped here, I believe because of the heat. Great trails here for hikers, cyclists, and horses. I've seen quite a few roadrunners, and have seen first hand how they control the lizard population. The bathrooms and showers are A+. In the "A" loop, there is a soda machine and a small lending library (take a book, leave a book), located in the alcove between the men and women's restroom. Camp host on site.

I visited Tucson in August. If you don't wake up at 6am for you hike, you'll be cutting it short for sure. It's hot by 8am. I took the Short hike, Romero ruin trail, as it was hot and I'm not really a morning person. The hike has no shade, but it was worth it. It's a beautiful hike. You'll definitely see saguaros up close. Make sure to wear hiking boots. It is sandy and there's many sharp plants out there. Take plenty of water. Use the all trails app to guide your hike. The entrance fee is $7 per car. They have a small gift shop and restrooms at the entrance. Dogs are allowed in the park

Catalina State Park, Tucson, Arizona, May 27, 2023 They have water and electrical hook ups, but no sewer hook ups. They do have a dump station. The overall campsite is very well-maintained and there are lots of areas throughout the campground that are covered with a lot of picnic tables and plenty of parking. We pulled in on a Memorial weekend Saturday at about 1:15 PM. First order of business, after checking in, was to dump the black and gray water. We had been dry camping for about four days prior to our arrival. They have a nice water Spicket with about a 12 foot hose that you can use to flush your black water system as you are dumping. We got into site A-8, which is a pull through. We have stayed at this site before; however, there is actually an issue with the site. Because you have to take the one-way road to the site, it puts you into the site facing away from the picnic table and the camp site itself. Fortunately, no one was in site A-7 when we arrived and we were able to pull through their site and flip our rig round so that it was opening out to the campsite. The hook ups are then on the wrong side of your rig, so hopefully your water hose and electric chord are long enough to go under your rig and to the hook ups. Ours barely made it with only a couple feet to spare. It's about a 30 foot stretch depending on how you align your rig. There is a pretty substantial westerly sun exposure, so don't expect any shade. When we were here, it was 100° out and it was hard to get our rig to cool down. Fortunately, we were able to put up a tarp that blocked the sun and helped us to manage our heat. Other than those challenges, the site is fantastic. It's very large (40x80') with only one neighbor to the south. The bridal hiking trail is right next to the site. All the sites here have a picnic table and a standup barbecue grill. Trails are both hiking and biking. If you're looking for some more modern amenities, there is plenty of shopping and restaurants only a mile or so away.

Went to Catalina State Park for a short pre-Thanksgiving hike. Read some reviews online and had to see this place for myself. The hiking trails are pretty well marked and the paths are clear. There are long hikes and short ones. I chose to walk the "nature trail". The trail is a loop, about 2 miles long all together. The scenery is that of mountains and desert plants (this is Arizona). Cactus, desert plants, and maybe some wildlife can be scene in abundance. It was a great visit. I liked it so much, I bought the year parking pass for $75. This is the third State Park that I've visited in Arizona. So far, I find that Arizona State Parks keep their grounds in excellent condition.

Came here with a friend to get some fresh air and sunshine. Not even sure what trails we hopped on but they were beautiful! We even saw some running water which was surprising and very cool! I noticed they had some animal exhibits in the parking lot on our way out which looked cool for kids.

Lovely place with lots of great trails and so many big friendly dogs. Folks were great about keeping them on leash, unfortunately :). Lots of snow run off created several water crossings and rivers.

A great place to walk, hike or ride a bicycle. Trails and trails seem to go on forever. Friendly staff with plenty of parking. Unbelievable views

Numerous trails to choose from but a favorite of mine is the two-mile loop. Photos are from January 2023 when water was flowing across the loop trail in about four places. Dry as dust when you are there in July so very different experience. The park is dog and horse friendly. There's a fee at the gate. An annual pass is a great value if you plan to visit a few times. If you are strapped for cash there may be the option to park just outside the gate and walk in. Not 100% sure though. Two parking lots. Restrooms. A gift shop was open in January on a Sunday when we visited. It gets busy on a nice weather weekend so parking gets full. No matter when you go please be prepared! Use a trail map (all trails app is great and free). Stay on the trail. Do not wander among the cacti. Wear hat and sunglasses. Supportive sneakers or hiking boots recommended. Sunscreen and SPF clothing highly recommended. Take water for each person and pets. Have fun!

Always a nice nature break, good views. Park is provides an inexpensive interlude to a Tucson visit

Catalina State Park is a gem for hikers, mountain bikers and outdoor lovers. There are tons of trails that range from flatish for walking to hiking. Catalina State Park is most famously known for its trail access to Romero Pools. There is a $7 entrance fee into the park or you can pay for an annual pass. Road access to the park is paved and very clean. You will find plenty of parking if you arrive early and clean bathrooms in the parking lot. There are also picnic tables for those looking to enjoy a bite before or after a hike. If you're looking for something easy, the Canyon Loop is the trail to go on. It's more of a walking trail with a few inclines and stairs but very manageable and great for dogs. Several trails are exposed so be sure to pack plenty of water and sunscreen. Some of the trails are closed due to the Bighorn Fires from this summer so keep an eye on the signage for the restricted areas. Weekdays are ideal if you want to avoid the crowds!

Beautiful well marked trails. Did the romero canyon trail to the romero pools this past weekend - wildflowers in bloom (though it's definitely towards the end of the wildflowet season). Some water at the pools. Would recommend hiking early as it gets much hotter by 9ish. Day pass for the state park is 7$ (national park pass is NOT accepted as an fyi).

Nice little gem tucked next to the mountain range, this regional park has trails for hiking, camping, and a nice picnic area at Trailhead. Park was effected during last years fires and the damage can be seen, the trails are in great shape and beautifully maintained. There seems to be a very involved Volunteer Team and could be seen around the Park (Thank U). We only did the birding trail (some great pics of a Hawk), and had a picnic in area near stage at picnic tables. It was a beautiful warm day with a breeze and you cannot beat the views while having lunch. Plenty more trails to explore and we will definitely be back to further explore the opportunities that this beautiful Park has to offer.

Absolutely stunning views! After the summer monsoon there are wild poppies everywhere and it's so green. There is nothing as beautiful as the Catalinas! There is a special Ramada that you can stop at and just take in the beauty .. facing the Catalinas peaks. So very beautiful. I usually just make a day trip if it but there are places to camp as well.

Catalina State Park offers an abundance of hiking options with several trails crossing into the Coronado National Forest. This review is for the popular Romero Canyon Trail to Romero Pools. With a steep top section, we recommend that you add hiking poles to your gear for this one. Once you arrive at the park, drive to the furthest parking lot, which is across the street from the trailhead for the Birding, Nature, Sutherland and Romero Canyon Trails. Follow the signs across the Sutherland Wash, which flows seasonally. After you climb the hill on your left, Cathedral Rock will be dominant to your right as you approach the path to Montrose Pools. Past this point, no dogs are allowed since it's a big horn sheep area. The trail narrows and turns rocky as you wind your way up another 900 feet over 1.7 miles. The path rises and falls as you make your way down to the first set of pools. Should these be filled with fun-loving hikers splashing in the cold water, cross on over and pick up the Romero Canyon Trail. With a 10-minute walk, you'll find a quieter set of pools (the 'adult' pools as one ranger called them). When you've finished soaking in the beauty of the wilderness, use the same trail to make your way back to the parking lot. The descent is where those hiking poles come in handy.

Very belated, but we hoped to make it this year to this park but won't be able to. We love this park. The rangers are excellent and always willing to help. The park is really stunning. Lost our pup but he really loved the trails. He especially enjoyed it when he came across horses. There are lots of things close by. We got our leave date off by one so we didn't get out when we should have and the staff were all very nice and understanding. My apologies to the people waiting. Got out fast when we finally realized it. Really miss not making it this year.

Nice campground! Beautiful views, spacious, clean sites. Would definitely come back and stay longer.

Yup. This is one beautiful park. It's well designed and it's well maintained. We hiked here today, (Sutherland, Canyon loop & Romero Canyon routes) had to cross washes 4 times that were flooded but it was worth it. Such a pretty place. It cost us $7 to enter. It's dog friendly for the most part. Ask when you enter about restricted areas. N

Fantastic State Park in the Oro Valley area. We did a great hike followed by a picnic lunch. The view of the rugged Catalinas is awesome. $7 per day fee and your NP pass is not valid. We will be back.

This park is located near neighborhoods and shopping so it can get crowded. The fee is $7 a car of four people, and $3 each person more. The parking lot is large and paved. Unisex bathrooms are available. Dogs are allowed on leases. The trails are sandy and range easy to medium to difficult. We walked the Loop trail. We passed very old Saguaro cacti that had many arms--amazing. The river bed was dry and rocky and a few people walked there. Friends walked part of the Romero Trail which is closed off at one point due to a fire, and headed up to the dry pools which was more difficult hike.

Love it here. Park is clean, quiet, well maintained...and the views!!!!! The park rangers at the gate aren't the friendliest. They act like you're more of a hassle when you ask questions. But everything else is outstanding- including the park hosts!

We live near Catalina State Park and come often. The year pass is worth it if you think you'll be visiting at least 10 times a year or want to go explore other state parks. We take our kids "hiking" so we usually stick to the nature loop trail. I love that it's got signs and animal prints to keep the kids interested and moving to the next landmark. I've done a couple longer loops with girlfriends as well. The trails are great for trail running.

What a beautiful place! And so close to Tucson. I've been there twice now and I like more each time. The first time was August of 2021 and it was so wet that the guard advised us against going in. We did anyway. The road was muddy but beyond that the wash was running and the birding was incredible. Tiny frogs were everywhere. We only walked the birding trail that time. We went again in early April 2022 and hiked up to Romero pools. Strenuous hike but rewarding. Well over 1,000 foot gain. Incredible sights. I can't wait to go back again.

Beautiful park with lots of trails from short to long from beginner to more challenging. I bring friends and my dog here all the time! I suggest getting the annual membership over the daily rate. You get access to all AZ state parks for $75! Solid deal. It's $7 for daily access.

Love this place was going to go hiking with my love of my life. But she wanted a king and she got one but you don't talk to your king like you talking to your Lisa because a king won't even stand for it . So ladies if you want to Keep your king treet him Like a king and he will treat you like a queen..

The perfect retreat to get out and enjoy the incredible beauty of Tucson. Great diversity of hiking trails from very easy to challenging.

This little park is such a safe camping location for beginning or the not-so-outdoorsy wannabe campers. The campground has an extremely clean and heated bathroom with showers and mirrors. for $30 you can reserve a camping spot with a picnic table, grill, and water spout. And hey- if you forget something- Wal Mart and World Market are less than a 10 minute drive away. Even though you are close to a shopping hub in Oro Valley- once in the park- you feel completely separated from the urban sprawl. They have really nice hiking trails located in the park- also great for beginners. We usually do a hike in the evening after we set up camp and again in the morning. Check the schedule for educational events for families. We ran into an event today showing cool reptiles of the desert-with live frogs, snakes, and even a 14 year old gila monster. :)

Conveniently located 10 minutes from Oro Valley. Excellent hiking experience with beautiful waterfall throughout. You'll have to cross the water approximately 4 times on the loop and takes about 1.5 hours with stops for pics . Stairs at one point with breathtaking views of saguaro cactus and other dessert foliage. There's also a horse trail. Gift shop at entrance and restrooms as well. Peaceful experience to get away from the city.

This is the second time we've stayed at the Group area - ringtail loop. Bathrooms clean, and Ramada/pavilion has plenty tables/benches

This is by far the best state park in Tucson because it's pet friendly with the exception of Romero Pools it is not pet friendly. When doing Romero Pools we ran into this older gentleman who maintains the trials with his wife every cool season. So if you're out there and you see the rocks are perfectly placed so you can walk on them just know it's a sweet older man and his wife who placed it there. Canyon loop is the easiest trail and takes you to a flat summit with the serene view. I let me dog play in the river there and she loves it.

Trails are excellent and verging on difficult in many sections classed as moderate--made me happy to find this right outside Tucson. The rivers are great too. Though upper trails don't allow dogs there are plenty of lower trails that do! You'll want at least a week if you want to get deep into the mountains and you'll need to book WAY in advance...the snowbirds rule this place and book a year in advance.

My perspective is a little different than most - I am a backpacker as well as a hiker. Romero Canyon is my go-to route when I just need to get out for an under-24-hour outing. In addition to your park pass, if you go for an overnight you'll need an overnight parking pass. It is $5 if you have an annual pass. The volunteer staff rarely knows how to do this and what to charge, tell them to ask the ranger. There is a small campsite right after the Pools, another at the 5-mile point, and another at the 6-mile marker. All three have access to water if the creek is running. We also come here with visitors, normally to do the 3-mile Canyon Loop trail. This offers great views of the Catalinas, nice wash crossings, and great photo ops with the saguaro cacti along the way. Catalina SP is not as jaw-dropping as Sabino Canyon, but it is a LOT less crowded, and parking is much less of a hassle. Kids also love to play around in the water at the pools, which are 2.5 miles from the trailhead.

Catalina State Park is a wonderful place to be if you love the outdoors. If you have a state park pass you are covered when you enter. If not, the cost is $7 per car. After you leave the ranger station, you have several choices as to what activity you can do. There are several hiking trials, varying in difficulty- camping grounds, and other neat things to do on the right days such as geocaching, guided walks, photography outings, etc. Usually my family and I will take our dog and complete a walk that has several places where you can stop and play in water. If you feel like hiking, Romero Pools is a great site to see, filled with plenty of places to make memories. From time to time you catch the wide variety of animals too. The whole park is breathtaking. The park also offers live music on certain Saturdays. The park fills fast so it is best to get there early and bring chairs.

Birding, MT/road biking, hiking, horse back riding, star gazing, sun bathing or sitting watching sun sinking or rising--this is another great Arizona SP to visit. Concerts and guided hikes are among a few other activities you'll enjoy. You can camp here with RV, trailer or tent. We're trailer camping for the week and digging it everyday. Over 5,000 acres to get lost into the natural world of cacti (lots of Saguaro), desert plants and wildlife abundant. Packs of coyotes are singing together every night. The park is on the edge of the Catalina Mountains. Miles upon miles of easy to follow trails exist. Some are quite strenuous so be ready to use them legs, feet and booty--get up that booty on the trail. It is 2.8 miles to the Romero Pools, just one of the awe-inspiring hikes to work "dat-butt" climbing over rocks, up and down hard packed dirt. The payoff--close your eyes, enjoy your respite while listening to the waters cascading thought the canyon. Open eyes wide and take in (dip your toe in) large natural pools among the canyon rocks. Sit and reflect awhile. The 50 year trail exits the park boundary after 3-4 miles. You can open a cattle gate and continue on the trail through open range. The 50 year trail is like a muse. It lulls me along. The further I pedal, the more I want to see. On my mountain bike I was lulled in 10 miles before heading back, 20 miles round. Fast furious fat tire fun through many technical rock gardens, curvaceous in-flow motion single track and deep chutes with whoopdeedoo's like made for bobsleds but in hard pack dirt. And a terrain filled with desert flora and fauna, rocks and boulders and towering mountains--lulls you down the 50 mile trail--so muse on!

Be ready to deal with the rude female Filipino attendant. Just pay and don't ask questions. If you ask one question or need any kind of assistance, get ready for the rude unprofessional answer. The Park Ranger was nice and tried to defuse the situation but the damage was done. I live up the street from this place to bad they hire people like this.

Can't believe that we've lived here for six years and this is the first time we have come to this park. So close, only a 25 minute drive. It was a great quick getaway for a three day weekend camping trip. The location couldn't be better--right across from the Oro Valley Marketplace. Forget something? Just make the five minute drive to Walmart. LOL. Bored? See a movie. And it is only less than 10 minutes from one of the best gelatos in Tucson (Giovanni's Gelato Cafe). Yet, the campsites were still in wilderness, and even though you could still hear an occasional semi truck rumbling down Oracle Blvd., after a while, your brain tuned them out and you could just hear wilderness. This park is great for RV's as all sites have water and electricity. We snagged the last site that they allow reserving with the electricity turned off. All sites seemed to have shade to one degree or another. There is a grill at every site, as well as a table and the aforementioned water and electricity. It was so convenient to have water at our site. The restrooms are modern, clean, and brightly lit. There are bathroom stalls with regular flushers. And bonus--they have showers. The sinks have mirrors, shelves, hot & cold water, and GFC electric outlets. There is also a tiled sink area to wash dishes. There are trail heads offering varying degrees of hike difficulties. We went on an easy birding walk with a guide. We also made an appointment with Ranger Jack to see the Romero Ruins. Highly, highly recommended. Ranger Jack has been doing this for 20 years at the park. He's only in his 40s. Yep, being a ranger was his first and only job out of college. He loves it, and you can tell. He has a giant size ranger smile to go with it. The only way you will want to visit the ruins is with Ranger Jack, believe me. Full of interesting information (not yawn-inducing information) and full of great stories. He is larger than life! Many of the trails are great for horse back riding and mountain biking. There is an area for those who bring their horses. I enjoyed listening to the coyotes call back and forth at night. I also enjoyed looking at the stars. Tucson is not a bad night light pollution (because of the telescopes in the area) but it is even better to look at the night sky out of the city. There are two small visitor's centers with gift shops, one at the entrance and one at the main trail head. They are small. But they do have maps, some information about the area, a few displays, and stocked with visitor center items and gifts. They also have cold pop, ice cream novelties, snacks, etc. 5* = A top favorite. Mind-blowing good. I will definitely return and I will go out of my way to go here. Worth every dime of my money. 4* = Outstanding. Tucson-top-tier. Some elements not quite as good as it gets, but it still is worthy of my regular business. 3* = Good experience. I might do repeat business if it is convenient, the only option, the only one in its category, or on a whim, but would not be among the first thing to come to mind. Would definitely recommend you trying it to get your own take on it. 2* = Not so good. Would not recommend at all. Waste of money. 1* = How are they still in business? Stay away at all costs!

Truth be told, Arizona has some absolutely amazing state parks. Accessible, vast, well maintained and many extra "park perks" keep visitors coming back. Catalina State Park is really no different. A little on the smaller side in terms of number of trails, there certainly no skimping on scenery. We paid $7 to enter the park. The roads are well paved and easy to navigate with many areas dedicated to lunch gatherings big and small. We saw a realtively new area that seemed dedicated to weddings and looked pretty cool with stunning background imagery (photo opp!). The park remains open through the pandemic (bring a mask), and attendance was low. We hiked the Romero trail and saw no other hikers. The trails was well laid out with plenty of trail markers to keep us heading in the right direction. There are some ruins on one Romero trail that was cool to walk through and learn about (plenty of placards to detail history of what you're seeing). Bring a camera/phone as there are plenty of prime photo opportunities along the way. We saw plenty of wildlife. The park is known for bighorn sheep so keep your eyes peeled. We saw quite a few roadrunner, which was a nice surprise. They are curious little birds, sort of followed us around while keeping their distance. Lots of birds too so brid watchers will be kept busy (and happy). Oh, and the vegetation.... awesome. Saguaros of all sizes, chollas everywhere, yuccas, mesquites, etc. Really cool stuff. Park is immaculate. We saw a couple of rangers roaming around picking up trash (!) and available for any questions or help one might have. There's a very small gift shop at the park entrance but we couldn't tell if it was open during the pandemic so we skipped it. There are bathrooms and soda machines scattered around if you need an extra cold drink. Remember to bring some sort of trash bag to keep all of your stuff together. Some of the picnic ramada areas have trash bins so you can leave it all there before exiting the park. We saw RV parking in a few spots and it looked like there was a small fee ($20?) per night for RV'ers. A great spot to spend the night, relax, etc. Saw a dumping station on the way out of the park for blacn and grey water tanks. Also a line for non-potable water. Bring sunblock on those sunny days, lots of water, and a camera. Have fun!

Lots of variety, beautiful scenery with mountains and saguaros, many trails, entertainment with music in the park and ranger talks. You either have to pay ~$7 to get in or use your annual State Park Pass which is $75/year but very worth it!

This Park is awesome. ' Many hiking and biking trails. Dogs are welcome. Very cool after a rain with many pools and streams. You'll will not regret visiting.

Beautiful park with of kid friendly trials. We went when there was lot of water in the creek, and it was fun for both adults and kids We want to go to Romero pools sometime!

This is a beautiful park. Great location, and great hiking. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because of the amount of dog poop on the trails. What's wrong with dog owners who just let their dogs poop on the trails. Highly suggest more poop bags and garbage cans be placed along the trails and that this job be assigned to volunteers.

Trails are fun to walk, the scenery is gorgeous! We bought a pass because we go so much. Dog, horse and bike friendly trails make this park a great one for everyone!

Arizona State Park Campgrounds are the best. Large, clean, hot, untimed showers. Just don't make the same mistake I did and book a site in the middle of a Boyscout Group campout! Avoid Ringtail-25. Located minutes away from commercial area. Crazy busy trailhead. Loop trail had 100 people on it, I was the only one without a big,fat,wet dog. The Romero Pools hike is a good workout. It appears late March is past prime time. A mostly exposed and heavily traveled trail.

I haven't hiked here. I just went for a day party at the Ringtail group spot. It was so nice! Completely private, big parking lot, clean bathroom, lots of picnic tables, and trailheads. We had a small campfire which I'm told you can't have in the campground area. Lame. It was a great spot for a big group. The $7 day pass was admittedly annoying but I guess that's why the bathrooms and picnic grounds are so clean. Overall a good experience.

Very nice park outside Tucson. $7 for a day of fun and exercise for 2. Much cheaper and more scenic then any health club. Love going here and the views are exceptional.