Wild Burro Trail is a 7.1 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Marana, Arizona that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail.
dog friendly
birding
hiking
horseback riding
mountain biking
nature trips
walking
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.
Challenging hike but rewarded with views at each challenging step. Definitely worth it and will definitely be back.
Great easy warmup hike for a first time Tucson area hiker. Offers some cool views and a good opportunity to familiarize a first timer with the surrounding terrain.
Too much walking in the washes at the beginning, although maybe that’s a personal preference. Once you got into the mountains more it was very pretty but the first couple miles were through the wash, which I wasn’t a fan of. The trail(s) were tricky to find at some points. Wear layers- it was chillier than expected up there. I also would not categorize this as a hard hike- more moderate for sure. Was not too challenging although there were small spurts that were steep at times.
Great hike. It was raining. Very beautiful
Trailhead is within a resort hence the restricted road use in the directions. But very friendly and gave directions to lot. We opted to connect to upper javelina then to wild mustang and back on wild burro. 8 miles. Not as ‘hard’ as I would’ve expected. Rabbit, birds, lizards. Not too crowded even for a Saturday.
Usually I enter this trail from Lower to Upper Javelina. Initial trail hike begins in wash, climbing west out of the wash a couple miles in. Another option on this trail is to cross the wash east a tad further down and take Alamos trail south back to trailhead merge/resort area. Alamos trail popular with resort guests and dogs as you near end.
Went from Wild Burro to Wild Mustang...10 miles. Great views some nice climbing...top of the Tortalitta Mts.
Went on this trail for National Trail Hike this year. Not an experienced hiker, a bit of struggle. Was incredible beautiful scenery! Definitely jump started my interest in hiking!!
The wash was hot but trail was nice, didn't finish it in ten to go again
Great trail. The loop (which connects with other trails) is 13 miles.
Took about 2 1/2 hours to hike up Alamo Springs Trail to the dam/line house and back via Wild Burro Trail. The Trail was well maintained. Had breakfast at the Ritz afterwards.
Really good trail, there are lots of options so you can make it as hard/long as you feel like. Great views of the hills near the ritz Carlton and some evenings they have flute music playing at the hotel which echoes around the trail. The trail mixes with the lower/upper javelina trails quite a bit so read the signs carefully to stick to this trail. Bring lots of water- there is nothing en route.
There were very few people when I was on the trail- just a couple and their dog (the trail seemed very dog friendly!)
It was pretty sandy ... No shade , but def want to do it again .
Excellent hike.
Previous entry pretty much covers it.
Diana N.
This is one is beautiful! Great variety of trees, grasses, shrubs, and flowers. A plant nerds dream! It's also physically challenging. The terrain changes every 2 miles or so.
The trail is well marked.
The Wild Burro Trail System has over 25 miles of trails. The Wild Burro Trail is the core trail that basically runs through the Canyon directly in or adjacent to the drainage. The key components of the Wild Burro Trail System are the miles of Trails that leave the Wild Burro Trail near the Trail Head and switchback up to both rims of the Canyon. They continue along the ridges and below the Peaks on both sides of the Canyon before rejoining the Wild Burr Trail at Alamo Spring. This makes seven + great Loop hikes using practically all the Trails in the Wild Burro Trail System. I will try and upload a Map of the Wild Burro Trail System. Click on the following link to the Dove Mountain Hiker Website for considerably more information on the Wild Burro Canyon Trail System:
http://www.dovemountaincivicgroup.org/hiking.htm
Lots of fun. Plenty of good hills. There are a couple spots where it's pretty tight surrounded by cacti. Lots of soft sand but for the most part you can get a good fun ride in.
Beautiful, too many jumping cacti, at times sand is difficult to ride in
Dave .
I really enjoyed this hike. It was a little unclear when this hike ended. The path continued to a barb wire gate that we entered. We continued our hike another mile or so and decided to turn back. Nevertheless, it was beautiful. Reminded me of Sabino in that the beginning has beautiful canyon walls you hike thru. Have to check it out!!