Autumn light bathes the soon-to-flutter-down leaves of Bear Wallow in hues of red, yellow and gold.
Hikers pad quietly down a trail in the wallow, a shallow woodsy canyon high in the Catalina Mountains, letting the peace of the place keep their voices mostly soft and their pace unhurried.
The air is perfumed with the earthy musk of fall. Maple trees, aspens and oaks are near their peak of autumn color, and they could continue the show for the next week or two.
βBeautiful,β murmurs one passing hiker.
βI had no idea this was here,β says another, carefully composing a photo to take home as proof.
Bear Wallow is near mile marker 22 on the Catalina Highway northeast of Tucson. Its elevation of nearly 8,000 feet means the autumn air can be chilly, so itβs wise to bring warm clothing if you plan a hike.
There is no official trailhead. Most hikers simply find a convenient spot to descend into the bottom of the wallow and then follow a mostly flat trail in either direction.
Other spots in the Catalinas that often show plenty of autumn color are the Mount Lemmon Ski Valley area and Marshall Gulch, which is about a mile south of the village of Summerhaven.
