Arizona · Hiking · Near Oracle

Palisade

PalisadePhoto: 666isMONEY ☮ ♥ & ☠, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
12.7 mi
round trip
1,161 ft
climb
7,822 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–Nov
best months

Is Palisade open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Santa Catalina Ranger District. It doesn't name Palisade, 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.

Palisade is a hard hike in the Santa Catalina Ranger District of Coronado National Forest in Arizona, about 13 miles long with an elevation gain of 1,161 feet from the trailhead to the high point of 7,822 feet. The trail is an out-and-back on natural surface, and it is not accessible. Bikes are allowed, which makes it an option for riders as well as hikers. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mt Lemmon Willow Canyon run from highs around 71°F and lows near 51°F in May to highs around 68°F and lows near 49°F in October, while winter highs sit near 50°F. That station sits about 800 feet below the peak, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. The Palisades parking area is the trailhead, and the route is open year-round. Showers Point Group Site and Whitetail Campground are both about a mile away for camping. Climbers will find the West Face and East Face climbing areas roughly half a mile off.

Around this trail

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

    Camp Whispering Pines

    Campground

    Campground · 0.4 mi from the trail
  • 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 Palisade

    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, 2.1 mi away at 7,027 ft. The station sits about 800 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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