Hikers on the Linda Vista Trail (photo by Bruce Landeck)
Bruce Landeck
On May 6 SaddleBrooke hikers took to the close-by Linda Vista Trail. Talk about a trail that lives up to its name! The Linda Vista Loop doesn’t disappoint. Translated from Spanish, Linda Vista means “beautiful view,” and these four hikers saw precisely that as they made their way around this short loop trail on a perfect early-May morning.
Led by hiking club guide Jeff Love, the hikers included Nancy Reed, Claire Guidas, and Bruce Landeck. Linda Vista Trail tracks within the Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area, with the trailhead just off Oracle Road and E. Linda Vista Blvd., on the western edge of the Catalina Mountains. This Wilderness Area, established in 1978, comprises 56,430 acres in the Coronado National Forest.
While a relatively short 2.9 miles, the hike can be challenging during the first half, with large, rocky step-ups and numerous switchbacks. The recommended direction for this hike is clockwise, although one can reverse that direction and even use an interim shortcut. Along the route, there are impressive views of the Tucson area mountain ranges and of Oro Valley. Hikers see many saguaros, juniper, pinyon pine, mahogany, and ocotillo.
With the temperature in the 70s at this hike’s conclusion, clear blue Arizona skies, impressive mountain views, and such diverse Sonoran Desert vegetation, it’s no wonder they experienced a true Linda Vista Morning.