The Long Way
Pima County
A dirt hiking trail winds through a desert landscape dotted with saguaro cacti.
Plate I. Desert trail at Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Area. From fs.usda.gov
A scenic overlook with a stone wall looks out over a canyon with a waterfall.
Plate II. Canyon overlook, Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Area. From fs.usda.gov
An outdoor restroom building sits along a desert path under a cloudy sky.
Plate III. Restroom facility at Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Area. From fs.usda.gov
A shaded picnic table sits along a desert path under a cloudy sky.
Plate IV. Shade shelter, Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Area. From fs.usda.gov
A covered picnic shelter in a desert landscape under a cloudy sky.
Plate V. Picnic shelter, Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Area. From fs.usda.gov
A shallow river flows through a desert canyon with rocky walls and cacti.
Plate VI. Creek canyon, Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Area. From fs.usda.gov
People hiking and swimming in a rocky canyon with desert vegetation.
Plate VII. Tanque Verde Canyon, Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Area. From fs.usda.gov
A rocky desert landscape featuring a small waterfall and a stone retaining wall.
Plate VIII. Canyon overlook, Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Area. From fs.usda.gov

Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Area

Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. Recreation Area; Year-round.

Details

Map. Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. Larger map
Where
Tucson, Pima County, AZ. No street address stated. Directions
When
Day use only; no overnight camping allowed.
Getting there
From the intersection of E. Catalina Highway and Tanque Verde Road, head east on Tanque Verde Road approximately 4.6 miles where it will turn into Redington Road. Continue another 3.7 miles to the Lower Tanque Verde Trailhead. Continue along the road to reach the other two trailheads.
Fees
No fees are required for this site.
Access
A short section of the road up to the trailhead parking areas is dirt and bumpy but is suitable for most passenger vehicles up to Tanque Verde Falls.
Walk-in or reserve
Walk-in; no reservation required.
Phone
(520) 749-8700
Website
fs.usda.gov
Managed by
Coronado National Forest.
Coordinates
32.254434, -110.664794.

New trails and amenities at this popular recreation destination invite visitors to experience the stunning desert, beautiful rock formations, and seasonal creek and waterfalls of Tanque Verde Canyon.

Notable Events

  1. 1868Don Emilio Carrillo established a cattle ranch on the property, originally called Rancho Buena Vista (later renamed La Cebadilla), in what came to be known as the Tanque Verde Valley. tanqueverderanch.com
  2. 1920sRancher Jim Converse purchased the property from Carrillo's heirs and transformed the working ranch into a guest ranch; in 1928 he added accommodations for Eastern visitors. tanqueverderanch.com
  3. 1957Reynolds Frederick "Brownie" Cote, a Minnesota native with roots in hospitality, took ownership of the ranch; his son Bob Cote took over operations in 1969. tanqueverderanch.com
  4. 1970Since 1970, over 30 fatalities have occurred in Tanque Verde Canyon as the result of drownings, heat-related incidents and other preventable factors. content.govdelivery.com
  5. 19818 people drowned in flash flood at Tanque Verde Falls. library.pima.gov
  6. 1990A Tucson man was killed when he fell 40 feet over a waterfall in the Tanque Verde Falls area. library.pima.gov
  7. 1998Anton Bakker, 21, was swept over the Tanque Verde Falls when he drowned while trying to save a friend's dog that was caught in the current. library.pima.gov
  8. 2016The Friends of Redington Pass, a local nonprofit, led a volunteer planning effort with the Coronado National Forest that culminated in the Redington Pass Collaborative Area Management Plan, released in May 2016. content.govdelivery.com
  9. 2018The Coronado National Forest's Santa Catalina Ranger District opened a 30-day scoping period on the Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Enhancement Project. content.govdelivery.com

People

  • Don Emilio Carrillo, Established the cattle ranch in the Tanque Verde Valley, originally called Rancho Buena Vista (1868).
  • Jim Converse, Rancher who purchased the property from Carrillo's heirs and converted it to a guest ranch, adding accommodations in 1928 (1920s).
  • Reynolds Frederick "Brownie" Cote, Minnesota native who took ownership of Tanque Verde Ranch and expanded it as a guest ranch (1957).

Sources

  1. fs.usda.gov/r03/coronado/recreation/tanque-verde-falls-recreation-area
  2. fs.usda.gov/r03/coronado/alerts/tanque-verde-falls-camping-closure
  3. fs.usda.gov/media/233418
  4. fs.usda.gov/r03/coronado/recreation/trails/lower-tanque-verde-falls-trail-342
  5. fs.usda.gov/r03/coronado/recreation/trails/upper-tanque-verde-falls
  6. realtucson.com/2019/01/02/tanque-verde-valley
  7. tanqueverderanch.com/blog/tanque-verde-ranch-history
  8. content.govdelivery.com/attachments/USDAFS/2018/05/21/file_attachments/1010961/20180514_TVREP_ScopingLtr_FINAL.pdf
  9. library.pima.gov/content/flash-flood-deaths-in-the-tucson-area
  10. tucson.com/news/local/jumpers-still-courting-death-at-tanque-verde-falls/article_f84b3578-9d71-5cf1-a09c-03c36aeb85f3.html