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Seven Falls Out-and-Back
Hiking Trail
Hard
8.26 mi
1,036 ft
A beautiful set of waterfalls in the Sonoran Desert.
Seven Falls is a gorgeous set of waterfalls hidden deep in Bear Canyon in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. As you might imagine, a series of seven waterfalls in the desert is an attractive destination, and the trail is almost always crowded with other hikers.
The hike to the falls gains elevation consistently, but the grades are all quite mellow, and you might barely notice that you're climbing. Over the course of the 8-mile round trip, you'll only climb a bit over 1,000 vertical feet—an easy hike, even by Tucson standards.
While the objective is to reach the gorgeous waterfalls, the raw, wild Sonoran Desert landscape along the way will captivate you. "On the trail, you will find yourself immersed in Sonoran Desert beauty, surrounded by towering saguaros, many species of cholla, and ocotillos," writes Kat Rumbley on [](
The climb to the falls crosses the stream numerous times. The first six of these water crossings are located in a mere 0.6-mile stretch. Rumbley recommends that you double check the conditions and how much rain has fallen recently. "During monsoon season, the trail can be inaccessible and flash floods are a real thing in the desert," she writes.
Once you reach the falls, the unbelievable view will make the 4 miles of hiking that it took to reach them disappear into the recesses of your memory. "Water cascades down the granite cliffs into clear pools that you can relax around, and swim or wade into," writes []( Some people even choose to cliff jump into the pools when they're deep enough.
Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
Seven Falls is a gorgeous set of waterfalls hidden deep in Bear Canyon in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. As you might imagine, a series of seven waterfalls in the desert is an attractive destination, and the trail is almost always crowded with other hikers.
The hike to the falls gains elevation consistently, but the grades are all quite mellow, and you might barely notice that you're climbing. Over the course of the 8-mile round trip, you'll only climb a bit over 1,000 vertical feet—an easy hike, even by Tucson standards.
While the objective is to reach the gorgeous waterfalls, the raw, wild Sonoran Desert landscape along the way will captivate you. "On the trail, you will find yourself immersed in Sonoran Desert beauty, surrounded by towering saguaros, many species of cholla, and ocotillos," writes Kat Rumbley on [](
The climb to the falls crosses the stream numerous times. The first six of these water crossings are located in a mere 0.6-mile stretch. Rumbley recommends that you double check the conditions and how much rain has fallen recently. "During monsoon season, the trail can be inaccessible and flash floods are a real thing in the desert," she writes.
Once you reach the falls, the unbelievable view will make the 4 miles of hiking that it took to reach them disappear into the recesses of your memory. "Water cascades down the granite cliffs into clear pools that you can relax around, and swim or wade into," writes []( Some people even choose to cliff jump into the pools when they're deep enough.
Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dirt Road Parallel to E Remount Pl | 0.36 mi | -20 ft | -0.7% |
| Bear Canyon Tram Road End to 7 Falls | 2.50 mi | 643 ft | 4.2% |
| North Sabino Highlands Place Climb | 0.37 mi | 138 ft | 7.0% |
| E Sabino Estates Dr Climb | 0.77 mi | 203 ft | 4.8% |
| Historic Sabino Trail Climb | 0.49 mi | 253 ft | 9.4% |
| The Only Real Climb on Trail | 0.58 mi | 259 ft | 8.4% |
| Bear Canyon Trail Climb | 0.19 mi | 151 ft | 14.5% |