About Us
Each year Pima Trails strives to better our trails community. That means attending endless meetings and working with other advocacy groups, homeowners and local governments to reach that goal. Below are a few of past years’ activities.
1987-1996
• Pima Trails Association formed in November 1987 in response to loss of trails in the Catalina Foothills; seeks to develop a comprehensive trails system linking the mountain ranges and re-establishing many of the trail access points in the County’s 1976 plan which were lost over the years
• Asks Board of Supervisors to fund a master trails plan; volunteers from the trails community perform most of the field work to prepare the plan’s base map
• Board of Supervisors unanimously approves the Eastern Pima County Trail System Master Plan (EPCTSMP) in resolution form; legally protects trails from development
• Wins access to the Cactus Forest Trail in Saguaro National Park—the first shared-use single-track trail in the National Park System
• Pima Canyon Trail access secured when Board of Supervisors approves the abandonment of the old alignment of Skyline Road through the property below Pima Canyon in exchange for a 40-car parking lot and 15-foot wide trail across the property to the Coronado National Forest boundary
• Supports the creation of the Arizona Trail Association.
• Pima Trails plays a key role in the passage of the Saguaro National Park Expansion and Establishment Act, adding 3460 acres of prime open space the to the Tucson Mountains District and establishing Saguaro National Monument as a National Park
• Finger Rock trailhead access secured and plans drawn for a 31-vehicle parking area
• Ventana Canyon Trail is dedicated after more than twelve years of negotiations, seven proposed trail alignments and a court condemnation case
1997-2006
• Pima Trails advocates for trails funding in 1997 Open Space Bond; $2 million secured as bond is
passed by voters
• National Trails Symposium is held in Tucson with Pima Trails Associations’ assistance. Event is well attended and highlighted Tucson’s abundant outdoor recreation.
• Agua Caliente Hill South trailhead opens after three-year access battle; Fort Lowell trailhead and Loma Alta trailhead open also
• Pima Trails submits an Arizona Preserve Initiative application to the State in an effort to protect bicycle trails at Fantasy Island
• Pima Trails negotiates for better trail placement at the Old Spanish Trail road realignment due to construction of new retail development at Old Spanish Trail and Harrison
• PTA assists Diamond Ventures and Mesquite Ranch in the design of the first planned trail along the Houghton Greenway
• Pima Trails helps to reopen the Cactus Forest trail in Saguaro National Park to mountain bikes
• Pima Trails enters effort to protect El Paso and Southwestern rail corridor in downtown Tucson; argues for the development of a greenway
• Pima Trails serves on both the recreational use and steering committee for the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan (SDCP)
• Pima Trails Association participates in design of the Brandi Fenton Memorial Park at River Road and Dodge Blvd; it includes a multiuse trail that links the foothills to the Rillito Linear Park
• Pima Trails is involved with the design of a section of the Pantano Linear Park at Lowes near Speedway and Pantano; innovative cantilevered design allows construction in a constrained space
• Pima Trails joins hundreds of other users of the Fantasy Island mountain bike trail system to save it from development
• Starr Pass trailhead access secured
• El Paso and Southwestern Greenway master plan adopted by City Council
• Pima Trails board members and members donate 300 hours of work on an assessment report on the Rillito River Park Divided Urban Pathway; will be used by county and city planners to maintain and upgrade the linear park
• PTA works with Saguaro National Park to develop SNP’s trail plan as part of a new General Management Plan which evaluates trails in both east and west units
• City Council unanimously adopts Fantasy Island Master Plan
2007-2016
• Pima Trails celebrates twenty years of advocating for non-motorized trails access and preservation
• Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation completed the Sweetwater Preserve trail system northwest of Tucson. Pima Trails helped open this 700-acre preserve that features a sustainable 10.4-mile system of shared-use trails celebrated by users with rave reviews
• Key player in completing 2.6 miles of Julian Wash Greenway segment across University of Arizona Science and Tech Park
• Provided $3000 for construction and design of signs along the Rillito River Park to educate users about trail etiquette and the park’s safety rules
• Promoted public awareness of stoplight push buttons for equestrians to safely cross intersections in interviews by the Arizona Daily Star and KVOA-TV
• Partnered with Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation to resolve user conflict issues on Sweetwater Preserve Trails
• Celebrated the completion and subsequent adoption of the Pima Regional Trails System Master Plan, a necessary update to the previous trails system ordinance
• Assisted with the design for Wild Burro Trail in the Tortolita Mountains northwest of Tucson. The trailhead was dedicated February 2012.
• Advised Pima County on project allowing connection of Canada del Oro River Park to Rillito River Park.
• Assisted planning team designing the Gabe Zimmerman - Davidson Canyon trailhead and equestrian bypass of the Arizona Trail at Cienega Creek
•Partnered with city of Tucson on El Paso Southwestern Greenway Rails-to-Trails project. This downtown passage links the south and west sides of the city to central Tucson via nonmotorized pathway
• Participated in the biannual International Trails Symposium in Fountain Hills, AZ. Exchanged strategies for furthering nonmotorized trails access to recreation areas.
• Represented trail users in planning and construction of Canyon del Oro River Park from La Cholla Blvd. to La Canada Drive.
· PTA contacted the State Land Department about an access road ownership issue regarding the county-owned McKenzie Ranch site so a bike park could continue development.
2017-Onward!
· Advised on trailhead design for westside’s Painted Hills and Enchanted Hills, and Oro Valley’s Big Wash.
· Provided guidance to City of Tucson for a new equestrian trail on the west side of Silverbell Road to enable riders in the area to get to Christopher Columbus Park and the Santa Cruz.
· Consulted with Pima County to remedy a dangerous Arizona Trail crossing at Marsh Station Road. For crossing the roadway, warning signs and flashing lights are trail-user activated by a push button. The guard rail was cut so that equestrians could cross the road and go under the railroad bridge quickly.
· PTA again advocated for the Hope Camp Trail connection through Rocking K property to Saguaro National Park East.
· Participated in plans for Tucson Mountain Park trail improvements and Marana’s Focus Group for their 2040 plan.