La Mesa del Oso Loop Rincon Mountains Tucson, Arizona Distance: 14.6 miles Type: jeep trail, loop Time: 4-7 hours Season: not summer Elevation Range: 3720-4600 ft Quick Rating: beautiful death march Chiva Area Trail Map (left half) (526 Kb JPG) Chiva Area Trail Map (right half) (359 Kb JPG)

Description

This is all jeep trail, all open desert, and (seemingly) all uphill. Loosely translated, La Mesa del Oso is Bear Mesa. And it's a bear. But you'll be rewarded with great views from the top. Although the Chiva Falls area is very popular, this trail isn't. You'll have it all to yourself.

Rating

Do you like steep and loose downhills with steep and loose climbs? Are rocky jeep trails your forte'? Then this trail is for you. Don't try it unless you're ready for at least 4 hours of tough riding. Take at least a gallon of water and plenty of snacks. We only had 3 quarts each (in December) and ran out with an hour to go.

How to get there

Take Tanque Verde Road east of town where it turns into Redington Road. Entrance 1 parking (the main trail access area) is 4.5 miles after the paved road ends and the dirt road starts. There's a corral on the left and a cleared area on the right. Unless you're early there will already be a bunch of cars parked there.

Trail Log

0.0	Start from the parking area. You can take the trail at the left or right. They join down the hill. We prefer the right trail since we come up the left one.
2.0	Pass Chiva Tank on the left.
2.3	Trail 4417 joins from the left. Stay right.
2.7	Trail 4405 joins from the right. Take it. You'll start a long climb and drop quickly into Tanque Verde Canyon.
4.7	You may see a jeep trail on the right. Ignore it.
5.2	Tanque Verde Canyon/Wash/River depending on season and water.
5.7	From here on it's all uphill.
6.8	Trail joins from right. Don't take it. It dead ends at private property and is probably marked as such. Stay left.
7.3	May see trail on right to La Mesa del Oso Tank. Stay left.
8.6	Drop down into Canyon del Pino.
9.1	Steep climb out of Canyon del Pino. Are we almost there?
9.8	May see trail on right. Stay left.
10.0	Trail 4426 joins from right. Stay left. After a brief climb the trail will drop very fast and loose.
11.1	Trail to Chiva Falls on left. Stop for a snack or stay left to exit.
11.6	Trail crosses Joaquin Wash and Tanque Verde Canyon Wash.
11.8	Turn left on Trail 4426 at the corral.
11.9	If you're still conscious you'll recognize Trail 4405 joining from the left. Continue right on Trail 4426. There's a singletrack shortcut on the north side of the intersection you might like to try.
12.3	Trail 4417 joins from the right. Stay left. Chiva Tank will appear shortly on the right.
14.6	Back where you started (I hope). Eat, drink, rest.

Notes

Start early to avoid traffic on the trail. The Chiva Falls section of the trail is probably the busiest around. It's also very popular with 4WD and quad enthusiasts. You'll find the vehicles noisy but the riders friendly and helpful. More than once we've been offered food, water, and a ride.

Watch out for hikers and yield the trail, smile, and wave. They're not common but that's all the more reason to watch for them.

Trail maps are not complete. 4WDs are adding trails even as we speak so not all of them are mapped. The important intersections still had trail markers last time I looked.

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