Redington Pass
Lower Tanque Verde Falls from Redington Road
A steep half-mile walk from the lower trailhead on Redington Road down to Tanque Verde Creek. The rocks are slick, and the canyon can flood from a storm upstream.
The March 2025 Forest Service guide says a distant storm can fill the creek fast, and that clouds over the upper watershed are not visible from the falls. It also says the bedrock and boulders are slippery even when dry, and that dozens of people have died in flash floods and in slipping or jumping accidents. Rescue crews are called each year for people stranded by high water or swept away. A National Weather Service writeup of the July 26, 1981 flood says eight people died, and rescuers already in the canyon were nearly caught.
March 2025 recreation guide. Lower Tanque Verde Falls Trail #342. NWS flash flood assessment, July 26, 1981.
Flood alerts for Pima County
These are the same Pima County flood alerts as Tucson flooding today. A quiet list is not a reason to climb into the canyon.
No flood alerts are in effect for Pima County as of Oct 18, 9:17am MST. A quiet list can change quickly. Look again at weather.gov/twc before you cross a wash.
No rating. The forecast for this trail is missing. Checked 9:17am.
Check conditions before you go.
Today
Today, hour by hour. Sunset is about 5:47pm, 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
Not available right now (no value).
Creek flow downstream
USGS 09484500 measures Tanque Verde Creek miles downstream in town. It is a creek reading, not a falls reading. Water at the falls can differ from this gauge.
Downstream creek gauge (Tanque Verde Creek at Tucson)
Discharge 0.00 cfs at 8:00am MST (Provisional).
Gage height 4.94 ft at 8:00am MST.
Tanque Verde Creek at Tucson, miles downstream of the falls: dry. The falls can still run when this gauge reads low or zero.
Gage height is the mark on this gauge, not the depth you would step into.
Provisional USGS data can be revised. USGS page.
Sabino Creek and this downstream gauge are both on Sabino and Tanque Verde creek flow.
Trail facts
Trailhead location
Tanque Verde Lower Parking Lot. 32.25443, -110.66479. The forecast pin is the lower parking lot on the north side of Redington Road. Source: USFS recreation site TANQUE VERDE LOWER PARKING LOT.
Elevation
USGS elevation isn't available right now.
Distance and climb
The Forest Service lists Lower Tanque Verde Falls Trail #342 as 0.5 miles one way, with 280 feet of climb to get back out of the canyon. Source: USFS Lower Tanque Verde Falls Trail #342.
Difficulty
The March 2025 guide says the three trails into the canyon are steep and rocky. The Forest Service trail record lists this one as trail class 3, with a typical grade of 8 to 10 percent. Source: Tanque Verde Falls recreation guide, March 2025.
Where the trail ends
The trail descends switchbacks to the creek bed. There is no trail along the creek. The 80-foot falls are viewed from the rim overlook, and that overlook has no path down into the canyon. Source: USFS Lower Tanque Verde Falls Trail #342 and the March 2025 guide.
Parking and the drive
The lower, middle, and upper trailheads have improved parking on the north side of Redington Road. From the intersection of East Catalina Highway and Tanque Verde Road, go east about 4.6 miles until the road becomes Redington Road, then continue about 3.7 miles to the lower trailhead. Redington Road is dirt and bumpy, and the Forest Service says it suits most passenger vehicles up to the falls. There is no day-use fee. The middle trailhead has a bathroom, picnic tables, and shade ramadas. Source: USFS Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Area.
Water
The Forest Service says there is no drinking water. Bring what you need. Treat creek water before you drink it. Source: Tanque Verde Falls recreation guide, March 2025.
Dogs, bikes, and horses
Pets are permitted. The guide asks you to leash them near other visitors and to pack out pet waste. These trails are open to hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians. Source: Tanque Verde Falls recreation guide, March 2025.
Hours
The recreation area is day use only, with no overnight camping. Source: USFS Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Area.
Sun and shade
The March 2025 guide describes desert hills of saguaro, ocotillo, and palo verde, so expect sun on the way down. We don't have hour-by-hour shade information for this trail. Source: Tanque Verde Falls recreation guide, March 2025.
Official links
- Lower Tanque Verde Falls Trail #342
- Tanque Verde Falls Recreation Area
- March 2025 recreation guide
- Camping closure order
- Coronado alerts
- USGS 09484500, downstream
- Tanque Verde Ridge, a different hike
Nearby trails
- Douglas Spring (1.9 miles away)
- Cactus Forest Trail (5.1 miles away)
- Tanque Verde Ridge (7.1 miles away)
See also the heat guide, the monsoon guide, and today's conditions on every trail.