Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail - Tumacácori to Tubac

Trail Information:

Name: Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail – Tumacácori to Tubac

Park’s agency:

Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (National Park Service), Tumacácori National Historical Park (National Park Service), and Tubac Presidio State Historic Park (Arizona State Parks & Trails).

Much of the trail crosses private lands. The Anza Trail Coalition of Arizona Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, is responsible for protecting and maintaining the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail in Arizona. The Friends of the Tubac Presidio and Museum, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, operates the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park on behalf of Arizona State Parks and Trails.

Contact:

Tumacácori National Historical Park, 520-377-5060

Arizona State Park Tubac Presidio, 520-377-5063

Anza Trail Coalition of Arizona Inc., 520-841-6944

Friends of the Tubac Presidio and Museum, Inc., 520-398-2252

Tubac Nature Center, (520) 812-6654

Location:

Tumacácori trailhead: 1891 I-19 Frontage Rd, Tumacácori, AZ 85640

Tubac trailhead: 1 Burruel St, Tubac, AZ 85646

Parking fee: None

Tumacácori National Historical Park, Park Annual Park Pass: $35

Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, Adult Daily Entrance Fee: $5

Trail hours: Open 24h/day, 7 days/week. Trailheads are available outside the park boundaries for access at all hours.

Nature & Interpretive Center hours:

Tumacácori National Historical Park Visitor Center hours: 7 days/week, 9am-5pm

Tubac Presidio State Historic Park Visitor Center: Closed Monday, Tuesday – Thursday 9am-3pm, Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday-Sunday: 9am-5pm

Transit: None

Trail length plus more: 4.1 miles one-way, starting and ending at two different locations.

To take the one-way route, hikers need two cars with two drivers to create a “car shuttle.”

Instead, shorter hikes can be started at either end of the trail, returning to that starting point.

Trail surface: The Anza Trail has steep slopes, deep ruts, wooden bridges, and heavy gates.

Dogs: Allowed.

Description:

The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (abbreviated Anza Trail) follows a 1200-mile route taken by Anza with soldiers and civilians in 1775 from Tubac Presidio in Arizona to the Presidio of San Francisco in California. The 4-mile section from Tumacácori National Historical Park to Tubac Presidio State Historic Park starts and ends at important sites and passes through the same riparian landscape taken by the Anza party. The trail crosses the beautiful Santa Cruz River twice on wooden bridges under a canopy of large mesquite and cottonwood trees. Hikers navigate fenced enclosures with large sturdy gates that protect cattle grazing on private land.

The trail starts at Tumacácori National Historical Park where hikers have ample accessible parking, a ramp leading to the Visitor Center, and gender-neutral restrooms. The Visitor Center provides information about the trail and a gift shop with snacks, maps, gifts and hiking gear. The trailhead can be found by walking through the park’s historic O’odham settlement and past the Jesuit adobe mission which was completed in the 1800s. The signage in the park directs hikers to the Anza trail which parallels the park’s eastern boundary.

The trail is well maintained and flat most of the way, but is often sandy, with some sections of sand deeper than 2 inches. Ruts, rocks, and roots are common along the trail and some inclines can exceed 8 degrees. The route is partly sunny; but in some sections, the dense vegetation canopy over the trail forms a shady green tunnel. The trail offers a few benches, educational signs, and one shady ramada with a picnic table near the Tubac trailhead. Wayfinding is easy due to wooden signs posted at stream crossings and intersections with other trails and roads.

This perennial stream running through the Sonoran Desert supports a high diversity of plants and wildflowers that attract birds and other wildlife. Bird watching is a popular activity along this river corridor and hikers will often pass groups of birders organized by the local Tubac Nature Center.

The trail ends at the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Museum where hikers can view an 1885 schoolhouse and an underground exhibit of the Presidio Ruins. The park has gorgeous gardens, a gift shop, accessible restrooms, and a large accessible parking lot. Hikers will be tempted to take their sack lunch to one of the park’s two peaceful picnic areas under the shade of large mesquite trees.

Disclaimer: The information provided is for general guidance only and may not reflect current conditions. Users must assess trails, consider their abilities, and assume all risks in the trail. We accept no responsibility for any injuries or incidents that may occur. Always use caution and prepare appropriately when visiting trails.