Venturing west of the freeway and south all the way down Tortolita Road, you'll hit a dead end — a parking lot.
You're at Sweetwater Preserve, with its 15 trails and more than 880 acres of desert beauty. Less than a mile of the preserve is also part of Saguaro National Park.
The land was part of the 2004 Open Space Bond measure, when the community "strongly supported acquisition of this property and worked diligently to realize the establishment of this preserve," Pima County says.
Here's what to know if you go.
Sweet Water Preserve offers views of mountains and saguaros.
Where is it located and when is it open?
Sweetwater Preserve is located at 4001 N. Tortolita Road on Tucson's west side. It's open dawn to dusk.
Many of the usual hiking rules apply: check the weather beforehand, bring lots of water, stay on the trails, don't remove any of the natural resources, don't litter, don't feed wildlife.
Are dogs allowed? What about bikes?
Yes! The trails are accessible to hikers, dog walkers and equestrians. Pima County says the area is also popular with mountain bikers.
Dogs must be leashed. Make sure to clean up after your pet.
While the Wildflower Ridge Trail in Sweetwater Preserve is mostly smooth, there are some rocky areas.
Tell me more about the trails.
The trailhead, steps away from the parking lot, will take you to 15 different trails ranging in length. Pima County says the difficulty levels are beginner to intermediate.
You'll be greeted with a map of the area when you begin. Most, if not all, of the trails are actually loops that will eventually take you back to the parking lot or onto another trail.
My go-to is starting at the Desperado Loop from the trailhead, then hopping onto the Wildflower Ridge Trail which circles back to the parking lot. It's about two miles roundtrip, but if you want to get more steps in, there are plenty of other trails to hike. Longer trails include the full Desperado Loop, or Red Tail Ridge Trail. The highest-rated trail, according to All Trails, is Black Rock Loop Trail.
Whichever trail you choose, I recommend taking a photo of the map when you start — it's helpful to have when you hit the several forks in the road.
In my experience, some areas are rockier than others. It's a mostly smooth hike, though it isn't paved and can be a bit narrow.
There are 360-degree views of the stunning mountains. The farther in you hike, the more saguaros you'll see (even a few baby ones, too). There's one spot in particular that quickly became my favorite — it's where you can see palo verde trees, prickly pear cacti, barrel cacti, ocotillo, cholla and saguaros all in one picturesque area. It's what I wish my backyard looked like.
Among the Wildflower Ridge Trail in Sweetwater Preserve, you'll see saguaros, palo verde trees, prickly pear, cholla, barrel cacti and ocotillo.
Are there restrooms?
There's a port-a-potty located in the parking lot.
What's the history of the area?
According to a sign at the trailhead, Sweetwater Preserve was homesteaded and owned by Joseph Conrad Fraps from 1927 until he died in 1963. He built and lived in a one-room wooden shack with a metal roof.
Fraps came to Arizona from North Carolina in 1908 and was a railway machinist.
My question isn't here. Where can I find more information?
Visit Pima County's website here, which has driving directions and maps.
Watch now: Sweetwater Preserve is home to 15 trails and more than 880 acres of desert beauty.
