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 Reporter |
Summary: The trail begins at the same trailhead as Finger Rock Canyon Trail. Shortly (within 50 yards) you'll come to a junction and you'll take the right trail up to Pontotac. At one time the Pontatoc Ridge Trail was called the Old Spanish Mine Trail. There are some old abandoned mines at the end of the trail. Be careful around these dangerous old mines if you happen to travel up to them. The Pontatoc Ridge Trail branches off the Pontatoc Trail about 0.8 miles from the trailhead. You'll climb out of the canyon and head up to the ridge top and to follow it north to Pontatoc Saddle. At the saddle you have great views of Tucson and the Santa Rita and Tucson Mountains. You'll also get a closer look at the Pontatoc Cliffs and the abandoned mine shafts. Trailhead: Drive north from Tucson to Oracle Road (US 89) to Ina Road. Turn right (east) on Ina and drive about a mile to Skyline Road which branches off to the south (right). Follow Skyline (have to make a left to stay on Skyline) to Alvernon Way and turn left (north) to the trailhead and parking lot at the end of the pavement. (Lat:32.33705 Lon:-110.91053) Trail Guides for Pontatoc Ridge Trail: Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Winter, User Groups: Hikers, Ranger Contact: Santa Catalina Ranger District - (520) 749-8700 - www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Sean Benesh, who has posted 21 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Connie on 5/6/2008 This is a lovely spring hike, where the flowers and cacti increase as one goes farther into the canyon. The trail is not as arduous as is implied in the overview. Wear good hiking boots, since part of the pathway meanders over giant granite rocks. The great thing about Pontatoc, compared to Finger Rock, is the gradual rise in elevation. This is a good choice for hikers who want to get a feel for the lush canyon area but do not want the "stair-step" rise in elevation that challenges hikers on Finger Rock trail.
Reviewed by SM on 12/31/2006 Have hiked this one a couple times, last time we had good enough flash lights to go all the way to end of the mine. Would say it is much farther than the "75-80" ft. damon claims. We made 3 turns (r,l,l), I would estimate at least 200 ft total to the end - last portion the air was pretty stale. Did not see any bats or evidence of other animals. 
Reviewed by damon on 9/18/2006 pontatoc ridge is a great hike. i like to hike because of its great views and the old mine shafts. the one that is to the far left goes in about 75-80 ft in before it dead ends, it is a little scary but worth the trip inside. from the mine shafts i like to climb left around the side of the ridge and make my way to the top. *warning* if you choose this route to the top be aware that there are parts where you will have to do some bouldering up some steep cliffs. the top is amazing, bring a flash light if you choose to explore the shafts. 
Reviewed by ronnie on 8/7/2006 i hiked the pontotoc trail along the ridge. it was very easy. great views of finger rock. well maintained.saw a mohave rattlesnake, he was hiding under some brush. 08/05/06 ronnie
Reviewed by W. Hancock on 4/7/2006 There is another trail that is not mentioned on your excellent site. It is the Pontotoc Canyon Train. It begins about .9 miles from the point where the Pontotoc Trail splits off from the Finger Rock Trail. It goes down the Pontotoc Canyon, crosses the wash and climbs the side of the hill. After doing this several times, it makes one long climb up a hill. At this point, we were wondering if it would ever end. But it does and it is at the point where the vegetation is starting to change from desert to mountain. It was almost an eight mile round trip hike and we saw no other hikers. It would be be a good overnight camp hike after getting the proper permits.
Reviewed by Mark Beans on 4/10/2005 Tremendous scenic view of most of Tucson. The view of Finger Rock is also beautiful. There are metal plates marking the turn off for the Pontatoc ridge trail from both the Finger Rock trail and the Canyon trail. As you approach the saddle the trail is pretty hard to follow, look for the rock cairns. You really don't want to loose the trail on this one. It is amazing to think that people actually worked the mines up there! They must have used some heavy equipment because you can see the drill hole remants from their blasting back in the mine. Don't let the bats hit you in the face if you go in (the floor is very solid and relatively level). The area around the opening of the main mine shaft is very treacherous with a drop of 150' or more.
Reviewed by jery hall on 11/21/2004 i would like to know more about. the old spanish mines. what did they mine. what was the old cotton. camp. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Arizona Hiking, Arizona Trails, Arizona Hikes, Pima County Hiking, Pima County Trails, Pima County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||