Here are 9 tips to help you keep you safe while hiking in Tucson and around Southern Arizona during the hottest months of the year.
Hikers start up the Finger Rock Canyon Trail north of Tucson. There’s no need to hike the entire route.
Doug Kreutz / Arizona Daily Star
A sign at the entrance to the Pima Canyon Trail warns hikers of dangers after the Bighorn Fire damages hiking areas.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily StarIn the event of an emergency, call 911 or send someone to get help.
The Adams family, from Denver, stops for a water break along the Bear Canyon Trail at Sabino Canyon.
Mike Christy / Arizona Daily StarBringing water with you should be a given. But it's important to turn around before half of your water is gone.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department recommends bringing along around one liter of water for each hour you'll be hiking.
Groups of people walk at Sabino Canyon Recreation Area in Tucson, Ariz., on September 21, 2020.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarIt's always important to communicate with your friends and family. Tell a responsible person where you are hiking and when you expect to be back.
In 2019, Saguaro National Park attracted more than 1 million visitors for the first time in the park’s history.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarIt's always best to hike with other people. Plus, it's more fun to venture into hiking trails when you have friends or family with you.
Judy Scharringhausen takes a picture of a patch of greenery along the Bear Canyon trail at Sabino Canyon Recreational Area, 5700 N. Sabino Canyon Rd., in Tucson, Ariz. on July 26th, 2021.
Rebecca Sasnett, Arizona Daily StarTake a fully charged cell phone with you. Turn your phone off or place it in airplane mode to save its battery life. You never know when you'll need it.
Your cell phone may not work in the back country. You may have to move to a higher or more open location to place a call.
Several bolts strike in the foothills of the southern Rincon Mountains as an intense monsoon cell rolls into Vail, Ariz., July 30, 2021.
Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily StarPlan your hike so you are not hiking during the hottest part of the day or when monsoon storms are likely to cause heavy rains, lightning, and flooding. Always check the day's weather before leaving for your hike.
Hikers find cooler temperatures in forests of the Catalina Mountains than in desert areas.
Doug Kreutz / Arizona Daily StarHike within your ability. Know what's within reasonable distance or elevation for you.
A pair of deer watch from the cover of tall grasses as a hiker passes nearby in Madera Canyon south of Tucson.
Doug Kreutz / Arizona Daily StarWhile on a hike, you're bound to see some animals.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department recommends keeping a safe distance from desert wildlife.
The hikers diverged from the hiking trail.
The hiker was taken to a hospital.
A 51-year-old man who was hiking the Linda Vista Trail in Oro Valley was airlifted from the area before 11 a.m. Monday, officials say.
A 16-year-old boy died Saturday while on a hike with a Boy Scout group in Picacho Peak State Park
A hiker who had been missing since Saturday after leaving on a hike in Oracle State Park was found dead on Monday, officials said.
A woman was rescued after possibly suffering from heat-related issues near Tanque Verde Falls Friday afternoon, an official said.
The Tucson airport recorded 111-degrees as the high temperature Thursday. According to the National Weather Service, it's the hottest August 13th on record. It was also the second hottest August day on record.
From Thursday through Sunday, Tucson will be seeing temperatures three to 10 degrees above normal due to an excessive heat watch.
Two fests, geared toward the city's youngest, are set to take place within the next month, starting with Tucson Kids Fest, to be held at the Tucson Convention Center.
On Monday, Tucson had a high of 97 degrees, making it the new record high for April 10th.
If you're looking to run, jog or just take a nature walk, here are some spots where you can enjoy desert views while getting your steps in.
Tucson is looking pretty green! Check out the views from Sabino Canyon following this summer's above-average rainfall.
Photos of the 2021 monsoon season storms, flooding, high water, rain and wind damage and water rescues by Arizona Daily Star photographers.
For Star subscribers: Tucson needs to record 1.98 inches of rain before Sept. 30 to break the wettest monsoon record from 1964.
Doug Kreutz, The Star’s outdoors expert, shares his favorite summer hikes:
Any summer day is a perfect day to head up to Mount Lemmon, where it's usually about 20 degrees cooler than it is down here.
For Star subscribers: Tucson made an abrupt U-turn from record heat in June to record rainfall in July. In our hotter climate, we need to plan for all sorts of extreme weather, not just heat.
Through Thursday night, Tucson was less than half an inch away from the amount of rain it usually sees in an average year. And more storms are on the way. Check our map to see how much your part of town has received.
The video shared by Pima County shows debris flowing in the CDO Wash Aug. 10 after rain carried it from the burn scar in the Catalina Mountain…
An estimated 75 bighorn sheep are in the Santa Catalina Mountains after the Tucson area's monsoon livened up local habitats, according to a We…
Take a trip up to the top of Mount Lemmon with drone footage showcasing breathtaking spots along the way.
A look at the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area in pictures from the Arizona Daily Star and Tucson Citizen over the years.
Temperatures forecast through Monday are the highest yet this year. It's expected to reach 110 degrees in Tucson Saturday and Sunday.
Subscriber exclusive: Find some new ideas for your next hike with our guide to these Tucson trails.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department has started to receive its first confirmed reports of bear sightings this year as the weather gets warmer.
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Tucson's 2021 monsoon is inching its way to becoming the wettest on record