Springtime in Tucson — especially during a pandemic — is the perfect time to explore the great Sonoran Desert outdoors.

But for many people, the thought of hiking along a dusty trail or tackling the paved path up Tumamoc Hill is just not their thing.

We’ve got you covered.

What about an urban hike, one that requires less energy, can be done in an hour or two and offers a retail/dining/adult beverage pitstop along the route?

We thought so.

Here are three urban trails that you can bike or walk that fit that bill. We’re kind of cheating a bit; two of the trails — the Rillito River and Santa Cruz River park trails — are part of the larger Chuck Huckelberry Loop, more than 136 miles of paved paths stretching from the east side, South Tucson, Oro Valley and Marana. But since the trails are separated by Interstate 10, we figure we can get away with it.

Friends Rebecca Werner, left, Annbell DeVinney and Bill DeVinney walk past a mural in downtown Tucson during “Meet Me at Maynards” on April 5. “Meet Me at Maynards” has found a new home with the Beyond Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the Tucson community.

Meet Me At Maynards

When and where: Meets at 5:30 p.m. Mondays at Maynards Market & Kitchen, 400 E. Toole Ave.

Cost: Free; registration is required at meetmeatmaynards.com

The hike: This is a family-friendly affair that also can double as date night, if your idea of date night includes walking more than 4 miles throughout downtown. You can opt for a shorter route of 2 and 3 miles, as well, and you can also choose to run or jog the route. Along the way, you’ll pass historic sites, city landmarks and a whole slew of beautiful homes and businesses including restaurants.

The longer route takes you from Hotel Congress across Toole from Maynards west to Fifth Avenue toward East Congress Street before you make it to Church past Pennington and north onto North Court Avenue, near the original El Charro Café. Among the highlights of the journey: Crossing through El Presidio Park and the pedestrian bridge at Congress and Broadway, crossing the Rattlesnake Bridge and strolling along North Fourth Avenue before winding back to Hotel Congress.

The shorter route skips the Rattlesnake Bridge and Fourth Avenue. For detailed routes visit meetmeatmaynards.com/route, and no matter which you choose, masks are required and social distancing is encouraged.

New leadership: Beyond Tucson, the nonprofit organization that promotes healthy lifestyles through physical activity, took over the weekly downtown events when Meet Me At Maynards relaunched on April 5.

“It’s bigger than anything we’ve done before, but it’s everything we want to do in this community,” said Beyond board member Damion Alexander.

Alexander, a local realtor and lifelong cyclist and outdoor enthusiast, said the weekly event falls into Beyond’s mission of bringing the community together to focus on physical and mental well-being.

By the numbers: Since it was launched in August 2009, 253,953 people have participated in Meet Me At Maynards’ weekly walks. The event was on hiatus for most of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When it relaunched on April 5 — the 632nd event since it started — 340 people participated including five kids, according to the Meet Me At Maynards website.

The Rillito River Walk, near North Campbell Avenue and East River Road in Tucson, Ariz., is a 21-mile trail which runs along the Rillito River from North Craycroft Road to I-10 near West Orange Grove Road.

Rillito River Park Trail

Where: The 12-mile trail runs along the Rillito River from North Craycroft Road and East Glenn Street, off East Grant Road, to West River Road not far from West Orange Grove Road and Interstate 10. You can park at either end.

The route: This is the trail you take when you crave some me-time and want to hear yourself think above the din of life. As you plod along the path, let your mind wander to the summer monsoons when all of Tucson waits to see the sun-worn cracks and seams get muddy as the river fills up with rain. Your thoughts will occasionally get interrupted by passing cars whizzing along the busy thoroughfares, especially at afternoon rush, but once you get in the groove and find your mind space, it’s easy to tune out the world and focus on the journey.

“I joke about it because it’s called the river walk and there’s no water,” said Judith Jacobskind, a New Yorker who retired to Tucson with her husband more than 20 years ago. “It’s really just fine because it’s quite level and it’s more manageable for us.”

The couple, who are both in their mid-80s, have been walking the Rillito River trail since the pandemic led to the closure of their usual walking trail in Sabino Canyon. The couple walk about a mile at a time every other day.

Bill Pattinson walks his dog Kona along the Rillito River Walk Trail near North Craycroft Road and East River Road in Tucson, Ariz., on April 13. The path is used for cycling, horseback riding, running, walking, dog walking and wildlife viewing.

“It’s important to exercise,” she said. “I see lots of people on the walk who are not so able, but they want to be as able as they can be. That’s what older people do. It’s a case of use it or lose it.”

Cyclists, skateboarders and walkers share the Rillito trail, which at times could be a recipe for disaster if users aren’t mindful of one another, Damion Alexander cautioned.

“It comes down to being courteous” to other users, said Alexander, who usually takes to the trail daily on his bike, clocking 250 miles a week.

Alexander suggested that people who want a more challenging workout should consider using the less busy Santa Cruz River Trail.

By the numbers: County officials estimate that nearly a million people use the Loop every year, making it one of the most used parks in the state.

A walker gets in some exercise along the Santa Cruz River Walk near Cortaro Road in Marana on April 15.

Santa Cruz River Park Trail

Where: The 40-mile paved trail runs the length of the Santa Cruz on both sides of the historically dry riverbed, stretching from North Saunders Road in Marana to West Valencia Road on Tucson’s south side.

You can hop on the trail at any point along the way that intersects with the river, but your best bet for park-and-walk is to park near the ballfields off El Camino del Cerro west of the river, or at West Silverbell Road’s Christopher Columbus Park. Other parking opportunities include off North Riverview Boulevard, just north of where it meets North Apache Drive and at the end of West Ontario Street at North Riverside Road.

The route: There are pockets of the Santa Cruz River Park Trail that are hugely popular with walkers, including on the far northwest side a couple miles from where it starts — or ends depending on the direction you are heading — in Marana.

You will often see couples walking while their young children circle them on bicycles. The further east you go, the more likely you are to see cyclists pushing themselves to their physical limits as the trail becomes less populated.

In the mid sections of the trail, especially in areas where there is little to no residential pockets, you will see more cyclists and runners.

“The Rillito is a really great place to go slow. If you are going out for a workout and you’re going for speed, take the Santa Cruz trail,” said Alexander, who regularly rides his bike on both trails.

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Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Twitter @Starburch