Phoneline Loop

Length: 5.4 miles – 9.1 miles (round trip)
Elevation Gain: 1,125 ft

Overview

Make your way through the full length of Sabino Canyon both high and low by traversing its slopes and returning along the creek bottom.

Directions

From the visitor center take the Bear Canyon Trail east for a half a mile to its junction with Bear Canyon Road. Take a right on Bear Canyon Road and follow it for a quarter mile to Bear Canyon Shuttle Stop 2. Make a soft right at the Y in the road here and cross through Lower Sabino Creek. On the other side of the creek, you will come to a T in the road, however you will want to leave the pavement by continuing straight through the T and onto Phoneline Trail.

Most of the elevation gain for this route is found here at the beginning of Phoneline Trail. In the next 1.5 miles hikers will climb 700 feet in elevation. After this climb the trail generally contours along the canyon slopes for 2.6 miles to the end of Phoneline Trail and the junction of Sabino Canyon Trail. At the junction go left and follow the switchbacks down to Shuttle Stop 9. From here, take the road down through the canyon for 3.7 miles back to the visitor center.

Note: For those wishing to hike Phoneline Trail and reduce the overall mileage, visitors can ride the Sabino Canyon Crawler to Shuttle Stop 9 and complete this hike in reverse. Riding the Crawler to Shuttle Stop 9 will reduce the total mileage to 5.4 miles.

Safety

This is a long hike. Pack accordingly and plan for this hike to take at least a half day to complete. If mid hike you feel you have over committed, consider exiting Phoneline trail early via either the Phoneline Link Trail or Sabino Historic Trail.

For those who plan to return via Sabino Canyon Roadway, make sure the road is passible, and not flooded, before you depart.

Be sure to visit the Know Before You Go page for additional safety information.