HIKE OF THE MONTH

T E X T B Y JO N A T H A NLO W E P H O T O G R A P H B Y S T E V EB R U N O From the November 1996 Issue

	Cool Your Hiker's Heels at Romero Pools in Tucson's Catalina State Park
	Sometimes the difficulty of a trek turns out to be a blessing. Such was the case that spring day on the Romero Canyon Trail in Catalina State Park north of Tucson. After ascending a steep and winding escarpment for three miles from the trailhead at the park's easternmost parking lot, we were confronted by a miracle of the desert: water. Not just a trickle, but an actual stream with a waterfall, which filled the natural bowls and chasms between the cliffs below. As my hiking companion Charles Tapio and I discovered, the depth of two of these pools was some 15 feet. We'd left early, hitting the trail at 7 a.m., armed with canteens, Indiana Jones hats, and SPF 25 sunblock lotion. Hiking along this trail, named for early-day rancher Francisco Romero, we crossed a wash and made our climb into a boulder-strewn wonderland of cactuses and fabled gold. Were it not for the ubiquitous saguaros, I could have imagined a science-fiction scenario from "Star Trek" with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock beaming down to investigate the exotic landscape. My sense of otherworldliness was heightened by the flora and fauna. Among the bizarre-sounding natives are the side-blotched lizard, the soaptree yucca, bladderpod, and devil's claw. As for birds, there are the buff-collared nightjar, the yellow-eyed junco, and the spotted towhee. Spock would have been fascinated. The impact of our arrival at the pools was heightened by the exertion of getting there. Not only was the scenery dramatic with sheer cliffs and circling Cooper's hawks, but the feel of the cool water erased all memory of dry desert heat. Dressed in shorts and walking out on the smooth but slippery rocks, I suddenly lost my footing and went under. "How deep is it?" Charlie called. "Hold on and I'll see," I replied. Taking a breath, I kicked down into the depths. When I reached the silty black bottom, I looked up along the uneven submerged stone wall to the surface. Fifteen feet? Hard to estimate. Of course the depth depends on the amount of recent mountain rain. Later we watched several teenagers jump off a cliff 55 feet above one of the pools. Fifty-five feet? That's what someone had painted on the rock face. But to me it seemed more like 155, so I declined the challenge and made a 20-foot jump instead. In late afternoon, we made our way back up the canyon trail, which to the east connects with the Mount Lemmon Trail. Without enough daylight left to tackle that, we headed back down into the setting sun with vows to return. Editor's Note: Our hike author Jonathan Lowe has published his first novel, a suspense story set in the post offices of Tucson and Phoenix, called Postmarked for Death. The $22.95 hardcover book can be ordered from Write Way Publishing, 10555 E. Dartmouth, Suite 210, Aurora, CO 80014, or by calling toll-free (800) 680-1493.
	The preceding was published as the "Hike of the Month" in the November 1996 issue of Arizona Highways. For full details on the monthly hikes, subscribe to the magazine by calling toll-free (800) 543-5432.
	For directions to the Romero Canyon Trail and a map of the area, click here. Now that you're in Arizona, come hike the ... Lava River Cave -- From the May 1997 Issue Sendero Esperanza Trail -- From the April 1997 Issue Woodchute Mountain No. 102 Trail -- From the March 1997 Issue Pico del Aguila -- From the February 1997 Issue Bassett Peak Trail -- From the January 1997 Issue Goat Camp Trail -- From the December 1996 Issue Romero Canyon Trail -- From the November 1996 Issue Black Canyon Trail -- From the October 1996 Issue Gadsden Trail -- From the September 1996 Issue Weatherford Trail -- From the August 1996 Issue Col. Devin Trail -- From the July 1996 Issue Nelson Trail -- From the June 1996 Issue Turkey Creek Trail -- From the May 1996 Issue Frye Mesa -- From the April 1996 Issue Blackett's Ridge Trail -- From the March 1996 Issue Lutz Canyon Trail -- From the February 1996 Issue Charlie Bell Pass -- From the January 1996 Issue Brown Mountain -- From the December 1995 Issue Table Top Mountain -- From the November 1995 Issue Silver Peak Trail -- From the October 1995 Issue