Chiva Falls - Tucson, Arizona

Chiva Falls is located in the Redington Pass Backcountry Touring area and is part of the Coronado National Forest. Currently most of the area is open to 4x4 vehicles and offers a wide range of off road difficulty. Not forgetting the beautiful landscape and great views of the Rincon Mountain Wilderness area. 

From a stock 4x4 to heavily built rock buggy's, there's a wide range of difficulty that should suit everyone's off road preference. There are a total of three difficult areas that may be of concern for the less experienced driver, but choosing your line should ensure safe travel.

Craig (06RubicAn), guided us through the entire route to Chiva Falls. The falls were running which ended up being a great trail feature and a nice place to cool off in the refreshing water.

With the recent Monsoons the area was green throughout and the trail footing itself consists mostly of decomposing granite. The biotic community vegetation types includes Sonoran desertscrub and western plank. (Palo Verde, Mesquite, Saguaro, and prickly Pear). As you reach higher elevation you will enjoy semi-desert grasslands in addition to Juniper, Chaparral, Manzanita, and many verities of oak. A rare treat for us desert dwellers.

This area was well planned by the Santa Catalina Ranger district to provide a great location for our off road and hiking community. They have gone to the extent of making sure there are plenty of loops and difficult 4x4 lines all coupled with easier bypasses.

Despite it being a well planned area, Redington Pass is still a fragile place to visit. Please do not travel cross country and stay on designated paths. Also do not mud through cattle ponds! This does not just create an issue for livestock, but creates long term problems for local wildlife in a region where water is a scarce commodity.

I would like to personally thank Josh Taiz, the district wildlife biologist for his input on this trail description. His department works hard to make sure all of us can enjoy our land responsibly. And lets face it, there are quite a few who off road irresponsibly.

This trail can be found using the 'Guide to Arizona Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails' book. Discover this and many more trails in Arizona by purchasing your own copy today! With maps, turn-by-turn directions and GPS coordinates remove the guesswork and enjoy the beauty of the Arizona outdoors! If you’re planning a 4x4 trip, this guide is an invaluable resource. Click here for a full description and a where to buy!