Babad Do’ag and Soldiers Trail Loop in Coronado National Forest, AZ

Hike Babad Do’ag and Soldiers Trail Loop Coronado National Forest, AZ

Class 1 6.4 miles 1800 gain 3-5 hrs Loop Mar 10, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Babad Do’ag and Soldiers Trail Loop GPX Track

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I've passed both these trailheads (Soldiers Trail and Babad Do'ag Trail) a bunch of times, but neither seemed long or interesting enough to do individually, so I tried to contrive a route that linked the two. Starting at the Babad Do'ad Trailhead, follow a pretty trail, though sort of unremarkable, up rolling Tucson hills until you reach a shallow canyon leading to a trickling waterfall. The trail takes you around the canyon to the top of the fall, where the Babad Do'ag Trail official ends. From here, you'll see a light social trail past the "End of Trail" sign. Follow this most of the way, and even though you likely will lose it like I did, keep along the base of the slopes until you crest a ridge and can see the Soldiers Trail below. Locate a use trail that takes you down to the Soldiers Trail. In my opinion, the Soldiers Trail was is much more scenic than the Babad Do'ag Trail and I was happy to have made this into a loop. Follow the trail as it bypasses a major dryfall before it continues down to the Mt. Lemmon Highway. Follow the paved road for a couple miles back to the Babad Do'ag Trailhead.

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Starting up from the Babad Do'ag Trailhead
Starting up from the Babad Do'ag Trailhead
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Shallow canyon leading to a waterfall.
Shallow canyon leading to a waterfall.
The waterfall on the left.
The waterfall on the left.
Top of the waterfall, approaching the end of the Babad Do'ag Trail.
Top of the waterfall, approaching the end of the Babad Do'ag Trail.
The lightly used social trail.
The lightly used social trail.
Looking back the way I came along the social trail.
Looking back the way I came along the social trail.
Looking down toward the Soldiers Trail (you can sort of see it in the center).
Looking down toward the Soldiers Trail (you can sort of see it in the center).
Soldiers Trail.
Soldiers Trail.
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Dryfall over a cliff. Pretty big faces along the Soldiers Trail.
Dryfall over a cliff. Pretty big faces along the Soldiers Trail.
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Approaching the end of the Soldiers Trail. Take the Mt. Lemmon Highway back to the Babad Do'ag Trail.
Approaching the end of the Soldiers Trail. Take the Mt. Lemmon Highway back to the Babad Do'ag Trail.

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!