Arizona · Hiking · Near Oracle

Ventana

VentanaPhoto: Richard Ricciardi, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
15.9 mi
round trip
3,951 ft
climb
7,256 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–Nov
best months

Ventana is a hard hike in Arizona, an out-and-back route that climbs from about 3,010 feet to 7,256 feet, a gain of 3,951 feet over roughly 15.9 miles. The nearest town is Skyline Bel Aire Estates, about 2.3 miles away, and the Forest Service manages the land. The most comfortable months for the trip are typically May and September, when typical averages from the Mt Lemmon Willow Canyon weather station, about 10 miles away, run near 71°F and 75°F. Winter there is cold, with typical highs around 50°F and lows in the low 30s. The trail is not accessible. It is open year-round, and the surrounding area offers plenty to pair with the hike. Esperero, a mountain biking trail, is about 1.9 miles away, and the Pontatoc Trail is about 2.1 miles away. Pontatoc Canyon, a climbing area, is about 2.4 miles away, and the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area Cactus Ramada 1 campground is about 2.6 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Sabino Canyon Recreation Area Cactus Ramada 1

    Campground

    Campground · 2.6 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Domino's

    Fast food

    On your way back · 2 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

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

    Best time to visit Ventana

    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, 9.8 mi away at 7,027 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Pontatoc TrailPhoto: desertdutchman, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Pontatoc Trail

~4 min drive

1.84-mile out-and-back trail in Arizona with 1,300 ft elevation gain and loss.

EspereroPhoto: Jeff from United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Esperero

~4 min drive

13.38-mile out-and-back trail in Arizona with 3,396 ft elevation gain.

Sabino WalkwayPhoto: H. Michael Miley, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Sabino Walkway

~5 min drive

Sabino Walkway is a 1.01-mile out-and-back trail in Arizona with 53 feet of elevation gain.

GarnetPhoto: desertdutchman, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Garnet

~4 min drive

3.08-mile out-and-back trail in Arizona with 1,688 ft gain

Bear CanyonPhoto: H. Michael Miley, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Bear Canyon

~5 min drive

13.33-mile out-and-back trail in Arizona with 1,537 ft elevation gain.

RattlesnakePhoto: treegrow, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Rattlesnake

~5 min drive

Rattlesnake is a 0.83-mile out-and-back trail in Arizona with 104 feet of elevation gain.

Blacketts RidgePhoto: treegrow, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Blacketts Ridge

~5 min drive

3.12-mile out-and-back trail in Arizona with 1,391 ft elevation gain.

PhonelinePhoto: H. Michael Miley, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Phoneline

~5 min drive

8.15-mile out-and-back trail in Arizona with 929 ft of elevation gain.

Phoneline LinkPhoto: InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Phoneline Link

~5 min drive

1.49-mile out-and-back trail in Arizona with 429 ft gain.

HIKE

Cathedral Rock

~5 min drive

5.34-mile out-and-back hike to Cathedral Rock in Arizona with 614 ft gain.