Santa Catalina front range
Finger Rock Trail hike
Finger Rock Trail #42 from the north end of Alvernon Way into the Pusch Ridge Wilderness.
Lower heat exposure before 11am (90F forecast at 4pm, USFS describes exposed bedrock beyond Finger Rock Spring). Moderate exposure from 11am to 6pm. Sunset about 6:01pm. Forecast updated 4:07am.
Check conditions before you go.
Today
Today, hour by hour. Sunset is about 6:01pm, and later hours aren't rated.
Tomorrow morning
Tomorrow from 5am to noon, if the forecast goes that far.
Photos
NWS alerts
No weather alerts for this trail as of the last update.
NWS HeatRisk, experimental
Level 1 (Minor) for 2026-10-07. HeatRisk is an experimental NWS product. For official heat warnings, go by NWS watches, warnings, and advisories.
Trail facts
Trailhead location
Southern end of USFS trail line Finger Rock #42 (0.1 mile segment). 32.33687, -110.90997. The pin is the end of the mapped trail line, not a surveyed parking spot. The March 2025 guide lists the trailhead address as 7119 N. Alvernon Way. The Census geocoder did not match that address. The USFS page says a 35-vehicle lot at the northern end of Alvernon Way, open sunrise to sunset. Source: USFS EDW TrailNFS Publish, retrieved Oct 2, 2026.
Elevation
3,073 ft. From USGS elevation data for the map pin. The pin location is approximate, so this number is too.
Forecast area elevation
3,533 ft for the NWS forecast area near Catalina Foothills, AZ. The NWS forecasts for squares about 2.5 km (1.5 miles) across, so it can be hotter or cooler on the trail itself. Forecast updated 4:07am MST.
Water
USFS trail page: potable water is available at the trailhead. The March 2025 guide says the same for the Finger Rock trailhead, and says to carry plenty of water. Finger Rock Spring, at about mile 1, is seasonal, so don't count on it for drinking water. Source: USFS Finger Rock Trail #42 and front-range guide (RG-R3-05-33, March 2025).
Sun and shade
The guide says the first mile meanders through a forest of saguaros. The trail page says bedrock sections beyond the spring are steep and exposed. We haven't confirmed hour-by-hour shade. Source: USFS Finger Rock Trail #42 and March 2025 guide.
Distance and climb
Guide, one way: 3 miles to Linda Vista Saddle, 4.5 miles to the Pima Canyon junction, 5 miles to Mt. Kimball. Beyond the spring the guide says the trail gains 2,000 feet in 2 miles. Source: USFS front-range guide, March 2025.
Hours and pets
Parking lot open sunrise to sunset. No day-use parking fee on the trail page. Pets are prohibited in the bighorn sheep area. Off-trail travel more than 400 feet from the trail is prohibited in lambing season. The page says January 1 through April 30 in one place and April 15 in a bullet. We haven't confirmed which end date is right. Source: USFS Finger Rock Trail #42.
Official links
Nearby trails
- Pima Canyon (2.5 miles away)
- Ventana Canyon (3.4 miles away)
- Phoneline Trail (5.4 miles away)
See also the heat guide, the monsoon guide, and today's conditions on every trail.