Summiting Picacho Peak - The Lost Longboarder

The first time we drove across the country, in the article Eastward Travels, we spent time stopping at independent skate shops and checking out the local longboard scenes as we went. Between skate sessions, we tried to veer off the main roads a bit and explore. One of the fun adventures we experienced was hiking Picacho Peak in Picacho Peak State Park.

Picacho Peak State Park is about 40 miles northwest of Tuscon, Arizona. There are several hiking trails in the state park as well as RV and tent camping. There is a visitor center/park store, picnic area, restrooms and little playground.

Quick Info

Directions: From Tucson, follow the I-10 W for about 38 miles to exit 219. Turn left onto Picacho Peak Road where you’ll enter the state park.

Cost: There is a $7 fee per vehicle to enter Picacho Peak State Park.

Distance: There are a couple different routes to the top of Picacho Peak. We chose Hunter Trail and it was 4 miles round trip.

Difficulty: Moderate

Hiking Picacho Peak

Hiking Picacho Peak begins from the campground/picnic area with a steep ascent toward a cliff face. From there was a surprising change of direction as you suddenly descend and wrap around to the opposite face of the peak.

The descent was steep and rocky with exciting steel cables to assist you as needed. Once on the other side you get the view of the vast desert. This area also has Saguaro Cactus which we found out that we love!

This area is known for having some military bases nearby. We saw some A10 Warthog fighter jets flying across the desert.

Then the fun began as the ascent from there was also steep and rocky. There were more cables which were fun to integrate into the hike. Hiking Picacho Peak was a popular hike so there was a feeling of camaraderie as you watched others work their way up or down the cable lined trail. Once we experienced how awesome the hike was, we could easily see why it was so popular.

The cables gave a unique feel to the hike, allowing you to use your upper body too! Hiking Picacho Peak with the cables made it feel like more of a challenge than just walking. In some spots we decided to avoid the cables and trail and climb up the rocks instead just to make it feel more intense and get the adrenaline going a bit.

From the top you are rewarded with a 360 view of the vast Arizona desert. Naturally, it was a great place to have lunch.

Another cool part about this hike was that even the way back was fun and slightly technical, using the cables as we made the descent.

We really enjoyed this unique hike and enjoyed the challenge. It got pretty hot, as you might expect in the desert, so bring plenty of water. Don’t miss the cool little park at the bottom near the parking area!

Thanks for Reading!

This was one of our off the main road adventures during our Eastward Travels. Check out these articles to see some of our longboarding adventures along our travels!

Thanks for reading about our adventures! To help support The Lost Longboarder blog pick up some of the cool hand crafted gear we make at our Lost Coast Longboarding store!