Sabino Canyon Recreation Area Cactus Ramada 2

Cactus Ramada 2 is a group picnic site within the extremely popular Sabino Canyon Recreation Area at the edge of Tucson, Arizona. The facility is accessible and can accommodate up to 25 people. Groups can picnic, hike and ride horseback in this desert oasis of Coronado National Forest. Amenities include a vault restroom, a picnic shelter, three accessible picnic tables, one serving table, one bear-proof trash can and one large grill. Access is by the Sabino Canyon shuttle service or on foot, a third of a mile to the Cactus Picnic Area from the parking area. Many individual first-come, first-served picnic sites are scattered throughout the area, and a visitor center and bookstore are nearby. Hikers are drawn to Sabino Canyon for its beauty, scenery and challenge. Three popular trails begin at the recreation area and offer access to the dramatic landscape of the Santa Catalina Front Range, famous for its deep canyons and soaring ridges. A sunset hike reveals the lights of Tucson framed by the black silhouette of surrounding mountains. The self-guided Desert Nature Trail at the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center is an excellent way to get to know the plants that have adapted to living in this demanding environment. Several area trails can also be used for mountain biking and horseback riding. The recreation area is located along Sabino Creek at an elevation of 2,800 feet at the foot of the Santa Catalina Mountains. For many who come to visit the Southwest, this area provides their first close encounter with the Sonoran Desert and the fascinating variety of plants and animals that make it their home. Winter temperatures are pleasant, and springtime brings the desert to life with numerous flowering cacti and desert wildflowers. The city of Tucson is a short drive away, and other notable places nearby include Saguaro National Park and Colossal Cave.