Wild Burro Trail is a 7.1 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Marana, Arizona that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from October until March. Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail.
dog friendly
hiking
horseback riding
mountain biking
nature trips
walking
bird watching
views
wild flowers
wildlife
no shade
Little known hike that is the gateway into the Tortolita Mountains. The path is graded dirt for the first half, weaving in and out of the nearby wash. The trail gets slightly more rugged as you near an old, ruined stone house that was once lived in by cattle ranchers. After the house, you begin a steep climb. This is the only strenuous climbing on the entire trial. Once you reach the top, you descend into a sandy basin. There is a canyon overlook that allows you to see your progress up the mountain. There is a nice shaded area with a huge cottonwood tree in the middle of it, and nearby is a "Lunch Overlook." Continuing on the trail, past the tree, you will follow a well-marked, winding red dirt path, leading you to a gate, which separates the terminus of the Wild Burro Trail and the beginning of the Wild Mustang Trail.
Bill Mollberg recorded Wild Burro Trail
Short hike up the Wash.
Great trail and easy to follow the signs. I was looking at other reviews that said it was hard to follow the trail. Once you drop down into the wash if you go directly left there are no signs. If you look straight across you will see the little purple arrows. They are easy to spot and follow. There is also maps at the trail head and at the main intersection. At the intersection there are many trails to follow just keep following the purple arrows almost all are labeled with wild Burro. Once I got past the lunch area and the gate. I went to the next intersection and turned back. That seems to be where everyone turns back. Even though the trail keeps going another 2.3 miles. On the way back at the lunch area I took a left at Alamo springs trail. ( that’s how the map above is shown) it makes for a nice loop my GPS said 7.9 miles. I’m assuming if you went out and back it would be around 7.1 miles.
I was impressed with this hike. It had good parking, not crowded, ruins, flat washes, steep climbs, and micro-climates depending on what ridge you are on. It’s also wildflower season and they are in bloom now which was beautiful. The back half of this loops (technically marked Alamo?) was very steep and I’m glad I too that down
2-29-2020 Move Across to Ranges! 13.5 miles...Tortilla and Catalina Mountains
Jason Rice recorded Wild Burro Trail
Overall a great hike! A lot of uphill but it was very manageable. Take walking poles if you have them as they would be of great help. There are a lot of great hiking trails in the area!
Marlee T. recorded Recording - Jan 11, 11:35 AM
quite a steep, rocky incline once you reach the remains of the house.
Glenn Mulloy recorded Recording - Jan 05, 02:11 PM
Nice day good climbs.
It’s very easy to get off trail even with the signs they have. I’ve never been able to complete this hike. Because it’s in a wash it floods with enough rain, washing away most of the trail. The signs can be difficult to follow. So when you end up off trail wandering around the big wash trying to locate the trail. You end up on other trails or heading back the way you came before you realize it’s not the continuation of your trail. Trying to head in a compass direction doesn’t help because the trail wanders around the wash. The signs need to tell you if your headed back to the hotel or away from it as it’s the only real landmark. Otherwise you keep coming across signs saying your on the trail when your on a different section of it heading the wrong way. Very easy to get turned around wandering in a wash. You almost need a rope along the trail to help you stay on trail and going in the correct direction. Especially since there’s no visible trail in the wash only on the edges. It is an easy hike if you can find the trail and stay on it. The only other issue is dogs off leash. My dogs like many on hiking trails are not always friendly with other barking dogs running at them. I find I have to yell at owners to leash their dog(s) before there’s a fight.
Malissa Ellis Martin recorded Wild Burro Trail
Very easy to get off trail.
Well maintained trail. We did with a 30lbs pack for practice and it wasn’t too bad. Beautiful weather!
Justin Bond recorded Recording - Sep 12, 08:35 AM
good ride to Alamo springs trail head out of my league going further
Justin Bond recorded Recording - Sep 04, 07:19 AM
caught a glimpse of backend of mule deere about mid way thru ride then about climb a small foothill and came face to face javalina that caused me to grab my pepper spray but we both decided to carry on.
Justin Bond recorded Recording - Sep 03, 07:10 AM
almost wiped out right at beginning of trail near dove mt blvd going down hill
