Tumacácori - Anza Trail Junction
in Arizona · centroid 45 mi from Tucson
The Santa Cruz River has long been a highway of trade and travel. Prehistoric people followed the river to trade with neighbors. The O’odham farmed along the river, using the floodplain and low banks to grow crops.
Later, missionaries and explorers would rely on these existing networks to colonize the area. In 1775, an expedition of approximately 240 people and nearly a thousand head of livestock followed this river on the first part of a journey that would establish the first European settlement on the San Francisco Bay. The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail was designated to commemorate this massive and important movement of settlers across the nation.
Today the Anza Trail preserves this important history while also providing valuable outdoor recreational space. At Tumacácori, it passes through habitat that supports the most diverse migratory bird population outside of the tropics. Hikers, runners, and riders can travel along this route.
- States
- Arizona
- Trail type
- National Historical Park trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Tucson, AZ · 45 mi · ~1.3 hr drive
- Centroid coords
- 31.5695°, -111.0470°
About Tumacácori National Historical Park
This trail is inside Tumacácori National Historical Park, a national historical park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Entrance fee: $10 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/anza-trail-junction.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/tuma/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Tumacácori - Anza Trail Junction and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Stay nearby
Other trails within 50 miles
Self-Guided Tour - Anza Trail Junction
0 miles from this trail's centroid
Crest Trail #103
45 miles from this trail's centroid
Pull-off along Cactus Forest Loop Drive
47 miles from this trail's centroid
Crest Trail
47 miles from this trail's centroid
Arizona National Scenic Trail
47 miles from this trail's centroid
Javelina Wash Trail
48 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.