Rincon Peak

At an elevation of 8,482 feet, Rincon Peak is the second highest peak in the Rincon Mountains. The most common route to the top of Rincon Peak is to start on the Miller Canyon Trail and eventually finish on the Rincon Peak Trail. This trail is nearly 15 miles long and gains over 4,300 feet of elevation. The route starts in the Rincon Mountain Wilderness, but the majority of the trail is within Saguaro National Park.

This trail begins at the Miller Creek Trailhead which has no amenities. To get here, you will have to travel on an unpaved road for about 12 miles. Once here, you will see a sign pointing you towards the Hiker’s Gate. Through this gate is the beginning of the Miller Canyon Trail. This trail is mostly flat for the first 1.5 miles and you will go through another gate as you enter Saguaro National Park. After this the trail gets a bit steeper. 

Once you have been hiking for almost 4 miles, you will reach a junction with the Heartbreak Ridge Trail. At this point, you have gained around 1,800 feet of elevation. You will now hike through a flat, forested section of trail and pass by the Happy Valley Saddle campsites. You will reach one last junction after hiking for about a half mile. From here you will take the Rincon Peak Trail.

Once on the Rincon Peak trail you will have 2,400 feet of elevation to gain over slightly more than 3 miles. The last half mile to the summit is very steep and strenuous, but you will be rewarded with breathtaking views after finally arriving at the rocky summit. 

The summit is marked by a large cairn that is easy to spot. From here you can see various mountain ranges across Southern Arizona as well as the city of Tucson. You will also have a spectacular view of Mica Mountain, the highpoint of the Rincon Mountains.

The hike up Rincon Peak is very demanding, and the trailhead can be difficult to access. Don’t let this dissuade you from hiking up this beautiful mountain that sees fewer crowds than most of the other summits in the area.