Hike Agua Caliente Hill Coronado National Forest, AZ

Directions

Route Map

Download GPX

Agua Caliente Hill GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

Add to Cart

View Cart

Agua Caliente Hill is a lump on the horizon when viewed from Tucson, AZ between the larger peaks of the Santa Catalina Mountains (Mount Lemmon) and the Rincon Mountains (Mica Mountain). The trail leading to its summit is fairly popular, but that means it's in excellent shape and makes for a nice out-and-back to a local peak. Austin and I started along the trail, which initially leads along one of the southwestern ridges of the peak before descending for a short time down to Cat Track Tank. This little water source is dirty, but provides a nice contrast to the surrounding cactus-filled landscape. Past the tank the trail ascends through a drainage and makes its way up to the west ridge of Agua Caliente Hill, where the slope grade of the trail becomes more steep and slightly more rocky. At the top of the slope on the ridge, we reached a trail junction, where heading right continues to the summit. Once along the ridge crest, the views became pretty excellent, especially toward the Santa Catalinas.

A false summit a short time along the ridge tricked us, but Agua Caliente Hill was now visible ahead. A pleasant meadowy-feeling stroll along the ridge took us to the final steepest part of the hike, which led to the summit of Agua Caliente Hill. We returned the same way after admiring the massive bulk of Mica Mountain and Mount Lemmon on either side.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Agua Caliente Hill

5369 ft

1089 rise

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

Agua Caliente Hill trailhead.

First switchbacks along the Agua Caliente Hill trail.

View back toward the trailhead as we make our way up to one of the far-reaching ridgelines of Agua Caliente Hill.

Mica Mountain in the distance.

Along one of Agua Caliente Hill's southwestern ridgelines. The peak is hidden above in the distance.

The trail drops down to Cat Track Tank.

Cat Track Tank.

Looking back toward Cat Track Tank as we ascend along the Agua Caliente Hill Trail.

Another short drop. The trail ascends to the ridge on the left.

View back as we ascend a steeper section to gain the west ridge of Agua Caliente Hill.

At a trail junction once we reached the ridge.

Along the ridge, the false summit of Agua Caliente Hill visible ahead. The true summit top right.

View back along the ridge. We ascended from the drainage on the left in this photo.

Agua Caliente Hill ahead.

Some nice meadowy-feeling stuff along the ridge.

View back along the ridgeline.

The trail steepens a bit as we ascend the last bit to the summit.

Just below the summit of Agua Caliente Hill, view back toward the Santa Catalina Mountains.

Agua Caliente Hill ahead.

View toward Mica Mountain and Rincon Peak.

View toward Mount Lemmon.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!