View from Finger Rock, Tucson, Ariz.
One of Tucson’s most popular hikng trails is gaining a couple of extra miles.
The Coronado National Forest (CNF) announced that construction will begin on the Finger Rock Trailhead Connector Project, linking Finger Rock Trail #42 with Pontatoc Trail #410.
The two-mile connection will create a 6.5-mile loop in the front range of the Santa Catalina Mountains, helping distribute visitors and offer more opportunities for solitude.
This is the first major project from the Santa Catalina Trail Plan to break ground and is the result of the long-term partnership between the CNF, the National Forest Foundation, and the trail community.
Funding for the project comes from the Heritage Fund, a grant administered by Arizona State Parks and Trails.
The Santa Catalina Trail Plan aims to build a more sustainable trail system in the Santa Catalina Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest.
Planned improvements include 23 trail development projects, 13 access or trailhead projects, and eight supporting projects like visitor information upgrades.
All projects are in the planning phase and will undergo environmental impact studies consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), like the Finger Rock Trail Connector Project which was fully reviewed to assess potential impacts on bighorn sheep, other species or cultural resources, according to the CNF.
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