Attractions and Places To See around Valencia West - Top 20

Painted Hills Trails Park is a 285-acre natural open space park that is situated between Anklam Road and Speedway Boulevard, and access to the park’s main trailhead is located approximately 0.4 miles west of N Players Club Drive. Painted Hills Trails Park is the northern extent of Tucson Mountain Park. it allows Hiking, with dogs on a leash, Mountain Biking, and Trail Running. Painted Hills Trails Park is open from dawn until dusk, and has trailhead parking for 19 vehicles. The park has approximately 4 miles of trails that are open to all non-motorized trail users, although the trailhead is not capacious enough to provide equestrian staging. The park’s main trail, the Mosaic Trail, is wider than the singletrack Slingshot Trail and the Monsoon Loop, and provides an excellent facility for walkers. Unlike Tucson Mountain Park proper, dogs are allowed in Painted Hills Trails Park, on a leash at all times. Painted Hills Trails Park is renowned for its picturesque stands of saguaros, and is notable for its many peaks and natural quiet. Large mule deer can regularly be seen on the property, and wildlife that can be sighted include bobcat, javelina, coyotes, and the occasional Gila monster. Trails Parks are a relatively new category of parks in Pima County. Trails Parks are a key step between the parks and pathways that exist in more urban areas and the trail systems in our rural mountain parks, which take more time to access. The Painted Hills Trails Park is a “happy medium” that provides natural-surface trails close to where people live and work.

Hike by clusters of saguaros, keeping in mind some can live to be over 200 years old. Saguaros here are a protected, native plant.

The desert unfolds before you as you climb the rocky trail to the ridgeline of Brown Mountain. You will find yourself dwarfed by towering saguaros and there are often wildflowers along the trail. The northern trailhead has restrooms and the entire park is free.

Gates Pass Road sees thousands of cars filled with sight-seers every day. Checking out the mountain's scenery and environments is much more fun when done on two wheels. Here at Gates Pass is the main trailhead, which serves as a great starting or midway point for your ride.

This Trailhead leads you down the Yetman Trail through saguaros, valleys and mountains. The Bowen Stone House is further down the trail and is a good landmark to hike towards. There is parking at the trailhead and it is open from dawn to dusk.

Seriously, funky cactii everywhere along this trail!

ENJOY

The paved trailhead is located just off Gates Pass Road on the west side of the pass at the bottom of the hill. It has space for 12 vehicles and provides access to Tucson Mountain Park’s David Yetman Trail. The Bowen Stone House is further down the trail: a good landmark to hike towards. The trail is open from dawn to dusk. The trail is shared by hikers, mountain bikers, and horse riders. Equestrian staging for Tucson Mountain Park is located at the Richard Genser Starr Pass Trailhead. Dogs are not permitted on trails. The trail is named after local celebrity David Yetman, who was born in New Jersey in 1941. Due to his acute asthma his family moved to southern Arizona, Duncan, in 1954 and then to Prescott in 1955 where he went to High School. He later went to the University of Arizona where he earned three degrees in Philosophy. In the 1970’s he began trading carvings by the Seri Indians of Sonora Mexico and to study their culture. In 1977 he was elected to the Board of Supervisors where he served until 1988. While on the board he was a champion for the environment and protecting public lands. After leaving public office he became the Executive Director of the Tucson Audubon Society and in 1992 he joined the University of Arizona’s Southwest Center as a Research Social Scientist. In 2000 David Yetman began his TV career as the host of The Desert Speaks. He is a nationally known author and photographer. https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/one.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=6148