King Canyon Trailhead

Straight across from the Dessert Museum is the beginning of a great hike. Now I’m no hiker but I made it. Following the trail to the top to Wasson Peak, it took me and my dad about 3.5 hours. (round trip) It really is a great hike. It’s very quite and the views are amazing.
Don’t forget to sign your name in the log.

Not really a five star trail, but if you’ve just finished lunch downtown, and you’re looking for a good hike that will have you back for a late dinner, this probably the best option in Tucson.
The Trailhead is directly across the road from the Desert Museum.
The ideal route is to join the intersecting trails (Sendero Esperanza and Hugh Norris) to the top of Wasson Peak, a round trip distance just under 9 miles. There are signs denoting the trails along route. This route tends to be less crowded than beginning from the other trailheads, though a little longer.
If you walk up the wash from the trailhead, you will find a series of petroglyphs that seem to delineate a seasonal water seep among the rocks. The hike to the peak is moderate, a little steep at times, and yields excellent views of the valleys on each side of the mountain. You’ll pass the old gold mine, and the view from the top of Wasson peak provides one of the best views of the Tucson area you will see.
Don’t be deceived by the number of vehicles on the Trailhead. After a mile or two, you’re likely to be the only one around. Not a bad escape from the city.

Admidst the majestic, rather phallic-​looking Saugaro cacti, mesquite, and prickly pear, lies an innocous shrub enshrouded with little fuzzy leaves. It hangs its branches out as if to give you a hug. Do not be deceived, my dear friends. For this is the deadly TEDDY BEAR CACTUS, a ruthless, heat-​seeking executioner that actually envelops its prey once within breathing distance. Fortunately, my friends steered me clear before I became its next meal.
Very easy hike; be sure to catch the Petroglyphs — the first version of Unilocal as done by the Hohokam (an ancient people of the Southwest). The petroglyphs are not readily visible, but obscured within the rocks surrounding the wash.