Oro Valley has its share of outdoor activities for residents and visitors. Multiple golf courses like The Views Golf Club in Rancho Vistoso or the private golf course Stone Canyon at The Enclave of Stone Canyon community are popular year-round. The town is home to numerous neighborhood parks and hosts a portion of the vigorous El Tour de Tucson, the annual bicycling event that travels over 100 miles between Oro Valley and Tucson.

Oro Valley is also a hot spot for several hiking and biking trails with over 54.5 miles of connecting pathways, some primitive and some paved. Their newest addition, a 1.2-mile cooperative project involving the town of Oro Valley as well as Pima County opening just south Rancho Vistas Boulevard, is called Big Wash Trail, per the Arizona Daily Star. 

Running along the trail is the controversial wash at the heart of many residents reasons for opposing future residential sites. Still, the trail has seen a vast amount of hikers and bikers for having only been open a tad longer than a month. Future trail amenities like signs, bike racks, drinking fountains, an information kiosk, and parking upgrades will be added over the next two-to-five years. 

The path has been described as “sandy” and “mostly flat” and ideal for leisurely hikers as well as mountain bikers. The cost is free and access to the trail, which is also part of the future planning process, is just over Big Wash Bridge before Del Webb Boulevard.

While it is the newest, Big Wash is far from the only trail in Oro Valley worth taking.

Catalina State Park

Catalina State Park offers eight trails that vary in length and difficulty with some designated for hiking only. Bicyclists, equestrian riders, and dog walkers have a different set of trails — some are designated for safety and others, like the 9.1 mile Sutherland Trail in the Desert Bighorn Sheep Management Area, are protected. Bikers value the steep hills while hikers appreciate the half-day walks to the Montrose and Romero Pools.

Linda Vista Trails

Farthest east of the town near the Desert Sky neighborhood, you’ll find Linda Vista Trails. Appealing to hikers looking for a short jaunt, the quick elevation into the surrounding Catalina mountains offsets the shorter time, providing a complete workout. The half-mile trail also gives you a birds-eye view of the valley below.

Honeybee Canyon Trails

Courtesy of the MTB Project

Honeybee Canyon Trails near Sun City has an elevation gain of 101 feet and offers 12 miles of smooth terrain for all levels. This stretch of trails is known for being a wildlife habitat so be on the lookout for bobcats, javelinas, even the occasional grazing cow. Bike Tucson refers to this an “epic” trail for bicyclists as part of the larger Tortolita Trail Systems.

Pima Canyon Trailhead

Pima Canyon Trailhead is a moderate and picturesque trail that ranges from an easy-going day hike to a challenging trek with 4,000 feet of elevation gain. Per the Arizona Daily Star, a popular portion of the trail is a 3.2-mile walk to the site of a dam that acts as a source of water for local wildlife.