Date Hiked: 7/7/07
Total Mileage: 6.9 miles
Elevation Change: 7,410' - 8,400'
This hike consisted of 3 different trails:
Sunset Trail #8: 1.6 miles
Aspen Trail #93: 2.5 miles
Marshall Gulch Trail #3: 1.2 miles
We parked at the Sunset Trailhead off the Catalina Highway and hiked Sunset to the Marshall Gulch picnic area. To get to the trail, follow the sign in the parking lot and walk about 1/2 mile, at this point the road splits you'll need to head right through some boulders (this is unmarked) and continue following the road past cabins until the trail really begins. Sunset is a fairly easy hike towards the Marshall Gulch Trailhead. The trail descends about 500 feet through forests and rocky outcroppings which can present a bit of a challenge to hikers. However these also provide a scenic vista from which we observed a family of hawks!
Once you get to the creek at the bottom it's a short walk to the Marshall Gulch picnic area where both Aspen and Marshal Gulch trail meet.
We headed up Aspen trail...and up and up and up. We climbed most of the 900 feet in elevation during the first two miles. This is a tough trail and will tire out inexperienced hikers. There was not anything noteworthy along this trail except that it brings you to an intersection of several trailheads:
Aspen (continuing), Wilderness of Rocks, Mint Springs, and Marshall Gulch Trail.
We left the intersection on the Marshall Gulch Trail headed back to the Marshall Gulch picnic area. Shortly after starting along the path you will come to several fallen trees which totally obscure the trail - it picks up on the other side so keep on going! This trail is mode
rate and mainly follows along a creek, criss-crossing it 7 times. It takes you back to the picnic area (and bathrooms!)Once back at the Marshall Gulch picnic area it was time to head back down Sunset and to the car...Sunset is a bit tougher after a full day hiking!
All in all, this trail loop was a challenging and enjoyable hike that we'll return to. For an easier version you could stay on Marshall Gulch (and avoid Aspen Trail).
4 comments:
High-ohhh!
Nice to see you kids are getting out and about instead of playing video games all day. If only more young'ns would put on their hiking boots and explore God's great wide open.
Ryan
I bet it's hard to hike in the heat! You kids are tough!
It's about 20-30 degrees cooler in the mountains...I don't dare hike in the desert quite yet!
One of my favorite hikes of all time, I actually posted an article about it on Tucson Complete at Marshall Gulch Hike. Check it out, would love to have some of the information you have here on your blog to help the Wiki grow... great site!!!
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