Outdoor Activities

Biking, birding & hiking opportunities for all seasons surround the tri-community area of San Manuel, Mammoth and Oracle.

Oracle is situated on the north side of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Thousands of people swarm into the Catalinas from Tucson. Venturing from Oracle, however, one finds uncrowned trails and no hint of the large metropolis on the other side of the range. Several trails lead into the Catalinas from the Oracle area. The two best known are the Oracle Ridge Trail and the Arizona Trail.

The Oracle Ridge Trail is 13 miles long, from the trailhead in Oracle to Summerhaven, a small resort town on Mt. Lemmon (the high point of the Catalinas). The trail skirts Apache Peak (6440 ft.) and Rice Peak (7575 ft.), two points offering impressive views of the San Pedro Valley and the Galiuro Mountains to the east, and the northern interior of the Catalinas and the west beyond. Hiking up this trail, one encounters several life zones from oak grasslands through ponderosas, to firs and aspen trees at the top.

To reach the Oracle Ridge Trail, take Mt. Lemmon Road east where it forks from American Avenue in Oracle (just past the Senior Citizen Community Center Area). Shortly thereafter, take a right on Cody Loop Road. After 7/10’s of a mile (3/10’s from where the pavement ends), you should note a large water tank on the left. Park here and cross the road to find a discrete sign marking the trailhead.

The Arizona Trail is a section of what will eventually be a trail through the entire state of Arizona, from Sonora, Mexico, to Utah. This is a pleasant and well-constructed trail, which is completed from near the American Flag Ranch, uniting with the Oracle Ridge Trail about a mile north of Apache Peak. About a half-mile in, crossing Flag Wash, look for the diminutive, but attractive, Twin Ponds.

From Mammoth or San Manuel, you can venture east through the beautiful saguaro graded San Pedro Valley into the rugged Galiuro Mountains. This under-used wilderness area tops out a 7663 feet at Bassett Peak and is home to a variety of wildlife including bear and mountain lion. Fauna range from plains and desert grasslands to oak woodland, chaparral, and juniper/pinon to montane conifer forest. It is wild country, and one should be well prepared before entering into the Galiuros.

Check locally for access from Mammoth and San Manuel.

Aravaipa Canyon, a spectacular wildlife sanctuary north of the Galiuros, can be reached by taking Highway 77 from Mammoth about 10 miles north to the Central Arizona College - Aravaipa Campus turn-off. From there, take the road all the way to the trailhead at the end of the road. A permit is required from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). For a permit, call the BLM Safford office 520-428-4040.

When choosing outdoor activities, don't overlook the San Manuel Golf Course, and the Summer swimming programs in San Manuel and Mammoth.