Explorer
- 0.5 mi
- round trip
- 137 ft
- climb
- Out and back
- route
- Nov–Apr
- best months
Explorer is a short out-and-back mountain biking route in Tucson Mountain Park, Arizona, on county land about half a mile from the park's center. It's a beginner-friendly ride that gives riders a taste of desert mountain biking without a long commitment. The trail is under a mile long, with a total climb of about 137 feet, and it likely has rocky sections and desert vegetation that help build skills for longer desert rides. The most comfortable months for riding are typically November and March, when typical averages from a nearby weather station in Tucson run around 75°F for highs and 48°F for lows. Summer is hot, with typical July highs near 100°F. Sunset Pass Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and 360 Vista Trail and Robles Pass Trail are each about 0.4 mile off. Climbers can find the Tucson Mountains climbing area roughly 4.5 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Caballo Loco Ranch & RV Park24 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Sunset Pass TrailMountain biking0.1 mi
- 360 Vista TrailMountain biking0.4 mi
- Robles Pass TrailMountain biking0.4 mi
- Explorer TrailHiking0.4 mi
- Ledge Surfer TrailMountain biking0.6 mi
The "Gimme Some" DomeRock climbingPhoto: «Gaurav», CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)4.5 mi- Tucson MountainsRock climbing4.5 mi
Gate's PassRock climbingPhoto: Daniel Ramirez from Honolulu, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)4.7 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Sunset Pass TrailMountain biking · Next door
- El Grupo LoopMountain biking · ~2 min drive
- Explorer TrailMountain biking · ~3 min drive
- 360 Vista TrailMountain biking · Next door
- Rift TrailMountain biking · ~2 min drive
- Little Cat TralMountain biking · ~3 min drive
- Sunset Pass TrailMountain biking · Next door
- Rock Wren TrailMountain biking · ~3 min drive
- Golden Gate TrailMountain biking · ~8 min drive
- Robles Pass TrailMountain biking · Next door
Also worth it near here
Yetman TrailHiking · ~6 min drivePhoto: Bryan Pocius, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
The "Gimme Some" DomeRock climbing · ~8 min drivePhoto: «Gaurav», CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Black MountainSummit · ~11 min drivePhoto: $1LENCE D00600D, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Gilbert Ray CampgroundCamping · ~11 min drivePhoto: lamblukas — CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Best time to visit Explorer
Best months: November–April. 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.
Jan
66° / 41°
4 wet
Feb
69° / 43°
4 wet
Mar
76° / 48°
3 wet
Apr
83° / 53°
2 wet
May
92° / 62°
1 wet
Jun
101° / 71°
2 wet
Jul
100° / 76°
8 wet
Aug
99° / 75°
8 wet
Sep
95° / 70°
5 wet
Oct
86° / 59°
3 wet
Nov
75° / 48°
3 wet
Dec
65° / 40°
4 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Tucson Intl Ap, AZ, 6.1 mi away at 2,549 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors