Catalina State Park

Tucson, AZ U.S.A.

Nine miles north of Tucson, at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains, this desert park offers numerous nature activities just minutes away from the city.

The 5,493-acre park is surrounded by the Coronado National Forest and is popular with hikers and equestrians, for whom there is a dedicated camping facility.

Although the state park offers 120 campsites, many backpackers use the park as a base for backcountry camping in the national forest.

Eight trails, totaling 12 miles, are shared by hikers, cyclists and equestrians. They include a mile-long loop through different birding habitats and an interpretive trail through the site of a 1,500-year-old Native American village.

Hikers tackle one of the more challenging trails at Catalina State Park.