The Loop (Tucson)
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The Loop is a network of shared-use paths in metropolitan
Tucson, Arizona , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...
maintained by
Pima County Pima County ( ) is a county in the south central region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,043,433, making it Arizona's second-most populous county. The county seat is Tucson, where most of the population ...
. Once complete it will comprise of paved trails dedicated to
cyclist Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...
,
pedestrian A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In modern times, the term usually refers to someone walking on a road or pavement, but this was not the case historically. The meaning of pedestrian is displayed with ...
, and
equestrian The word equestrian is a reference to equestrianism, or horseback riding, derived from Latin ' and ', "horse". Horseback riding (or Riding in British English) Examples of this are: *Equestrian sports *Equestrian order, one of the upper classes in ...
use. By 2014, the network was 85% complete, with over one hundred miles in place. Pima County estimates the Loop is used by an average of 2,000 visitors each weekday and more than 5,000 on weekends.


Characteristics

All but one of the Loop's trails follow the Santa Cruz River or one of its tributaries to the east. Although rivers within the city are dry for most of the year, ground water near the surface supports a variety of wildlife. Riverbank alignment allows for trails to pass under bridges at major streets. Many trailheads are equipped with bathrooms, drinking fountains, shade structures, benches, and parking. Horse trailer parking and decomposed granite paths which parallel the asphalt trails for significant stretches support equestrian use of the Loop.


Routes


Santa Cruz River Park

The Santa Cruz River Park runs north–south on the west side of town, passing through Tucson's downtown. As of 2014, the park contained over 40 miles of paved paths, with another 22 miles in planning or under construction. Paseo de las Iglesias, which translates to "the path between churches", a 1.5-mile park that completed the link with the Julian Wash Greenway, was completed as part of a flood control project in 2015. Completed in March 2016, the Midvale Park Segment extends the west-bank path from Drexel Road to Valencia. With this addition the park extends for more than 22 miles from Valencia to its northernmost trailhead at El Rio Park in Marana. Work to extend the park north from El Rio Park to Avra Valley road began in 2017.


Rillito River Park

The most established and highly trafficked of The Loop's six trails, with paths running on both sides of the river in all but one or two stretches, is the
Rillito River Park Rillito River Park is a 12-mile-long linear park in Tucson, Arizona, that runs along the north and south banks of the Rillito River from Interstate 10 to North Craycroft Road. The park is part of The Loop, a network of linear parks serving Tucs ...
, which runs east–west along the northern edge of Tucson following region's most significant tributary of the Santa Cruz. From where it meets the Santa Cruz near the intersection of Thornydale and the Interstate 10, the park follows the Rillito for 12 miles to Craycroft, where the river forks into the Tanque Verde and the Pantano. The park contains more than 25 miles of paved trails.


Julian Wash Greenway

Feeding into the Santa Cruz River Park's east-bank trail three miles north of its southernmost trailhead, at the edge of the City of
South Tucson South Tucson is a city in Pima County, Arizona, United States and an enclave of the much larger city of Tucson. South Tucson is known for being heavily influenced by Hispanic, and especially Mexican, culture; restaurants and shops which sell tr ...
, is the Julian Wash Greenway, which runs to the southeast, paralleling the
Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
to
Rita Ranch Rita Ranch is a masterplanned community located in southeastern Tucson, Arizona. It is home to the Vail School District. It borders the small towns of Vail Vail is a home rule municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The popula ...
on the city's southeast side. Completed in 2014, the park has 16.1 miles of paved trails.


Pantano River Park

The Pantano River Park was the last piece in the continuous circuit of trails around the city of Tucson to be completed. It now runs from the Rillito trail at Craycroft Road, south-south-east to the Harrison Greenway connection at Sellarole Road.


Harrison Greenway

The Harrison Greenway, the only stretch of the Loop that does not follow a watercourse, provides a link between the Pantano River Park and the Julian Wash Greenway. Its trail parallels Harrison Road for 1.3 miles from Sellarole to Irvington. From here it continues south for three miles through undeveloped desert east of the
Davis Monthan Air Force Base Davis may refer to: Places Antarctica * Mount Davis (Antarctica) * Davis Island (Palmer Archipelago) * Davis Valley, Queen Elizabeth Land Canada * Davis, Saskatchewan, an unincorporated community * Davis Strait, between Nunavut and Green ...
reserve. It then crosses Valencia Road before continuing through a residential area to Rita Road. A 1.5-mile on-street section of the Loop using Rita Road bike lanes leads to the easternmost trailhead of the Julian Wash Greenway.


Cañada del Oro River Park

The Cañada del Oro River Park leads north-east from its intersection with the Santa Cruz Park through Casas Adobes into
Oro Valley Oro Valley, incorporated in 1974, is a suburban town located north of Tucson, Arizona, United States, in Pima County. According to the 2020 census, the population of the town is 47,070, an increase from 29,700 in 2000. Dubbed the "Upscale Te ...
. It is one of two major Loop feeder trails leading north from the intersection of the Santa Cruz and Rillito River Parks, the other one being the continuation of the Santa Cruz River Park itself, which leads both north-west through the City of
Marana Marana may refer to: * Maraña, a village in León, Spain * Maraṇa, the Pali/Sanskrit term for death * Marana, Arizona, a town in Pima County, Arizona, United States * Marana, Estonia, a village in Estonia * Marana, Syria, a village in Syria ...
, and south to Valencia Road. A 1.6-mile section of the trail scheduled to be completed in 2017 will bring the CDO linear park's continuous length to 7.3 miles.


References


External links


Tucson Loop Tucson Loop Bike Path Map
''BikeAZ.org'' * {{coord, 32, 13, N, 110, 56, W, region:US-AZ, display=inline,title Bike paths in Arizona Transportation in Tucson, Arizona Tourist attractions in Tucson, Arizona Geography of Tucson, Arizona Parks in Pima County, Arizona