Arizona · Hiking · Near Oracle

Bigelow

BigelowPhoto: treegrow, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
1.7 mi
round trip
580 ft
climb
8,510 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–Nov
best months

Is Bigelow open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Santa Catalina Ranger District. It doesn't name Bigelow, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Santa Catalina Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Bigelow is an easy out-and-back hike in the Santa Catalina Ranger District of Coronado National Forest in Arizona, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 1.7 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 580 feet, taking you from a low point of about 7,930 feet to a high of about 8,510 feet. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows bikes, and it is not an accessible route. The Bigelow Trailhead, with parking labeled BIGELOW TH, is the trailhead, and the route is open year-round. For comfortable weather, late spring and early fall are the sweet spots. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mt Lemmon Willow Canyon show May highs around 71°F and September highs around 75°F, though that station sits roughly 1,500 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. The Palisades Ranger Residence Cabin is just 0.1 mile away, and the Bigelow Trail #520 mountain biking route is 0.2 mile off. Climbers can head to Upper crag, about 0.3 mile away, and the Knagge hike is about 0.6 mile away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Palisades Ranger Residence Cabin

    Campground

    The next 8 weekends are full on Recreation.gov
  • Eat after

    Butler Hall

    Fast food

    On your way back · 1 mi
  • If it rains

    Wildlife Viewing Area

    Viewpoint

    On your way back · 14 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Oracle
  • Best time to go · Mar–Nov

    Best time to visit Bigelow

    Best months: March–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      50° / 34°

    2. Feb

      50° / 33°

    3. Mar

      55° / 37°

    4. Apr

      62° / 43°

    5. May

      71° / 51°

    6. Jun

      80° / 60°

    7. Jul

      80° / 63°

    8. Aug

      79° / 62°

    9. Sep

      75° / 59°

    10. Oct

      68° / 49°

    11. Nov

      59° / 40°

    12. Dec

      49° / 33°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mt Lemmon Willow Canyon, AZ, 1.9 mi away at 7,027 ft. The station sits about 1,500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Rose Canyon Lake

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Bug Springs Trail

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HIKE

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Box Camp

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Box Spring Trail #22A

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Marshall Gulch Trail #3

~7 min drive

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Aspen

~5 min drive

7.87-mile out-and-back trail in Arizona with 1,610 ft elevation gain.

Maverick Spring Trail #704Photo: Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Maverick Spring Trail #704

~4 min drive

0.76-mile out-and-back hike to Maverick Spring in Arizona with 242 ft gain.

Mint SpringsPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Mint Springs

~7 min drive

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Route details

Distance
1.7 mi round trip
Climbing
About 580 ft
Starts at
Bigelow Trailhead (about 7,931 ft)
Summit
8,549 ft
Difficulty
Easy
Time
About 1 hour

Getting there

Park at BIGELOW TH.

Season

Season: Year-round.

Questions about this route

How long is the Bigelow on Mount Bigelow?

About 1.7 mi round trip from Bigelow Trailhead (about 7,931 ft).

How much elevation gain is on the Bigelow?

About 580 ft of climbing round trip.

How hard is the Bigelow?

It is rated easy.

Where does the Bigelow start?

Bigelow Trailhead (about 7,931 ft).

How long does the Bigelow take?

About 1 hour round trip.

When is the best time for the Bigelow?

Year-round.

Conditions and forecast on Mount Bigelow

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.