Desert Trails Bed & Breakfast

Desert Trails Bed & Breakfast is a stone's throw from Saguaro National Park East and only fifteen miles from downtown Tucson. Located on the eastern end of Speedway Boulevard - where this main thoroughfare is just a two-lane country road - we offer you the best of both worlds. Just far enough out to be away from noise, traffic, and light pollution of the city (on a clear night you can see the Milky Way), but still close enough that a twenty minute drive takes you to some of Tucson's finest east-side restaurants.

Situated on three acres of natural desert bordering the national park, Desert Trails lies in the shadow of the Rincon Mountains where the cacti of the Sonoran Desert give way to the mesquite bosques of the Tanque Verde Valley. Our goal is to provide guests a relaxing stay in a casual, rural setting. Hiking, birding, and horseback riding are literally just outside our door.

Throughout our fired adobe, hacienda-style home you'll find rustic woodwork and cathedral ceilings; hardwood, brick, and Saltillo tile floors; and works of noted local artist and astronomer William K. Hartmann.

Outside are courtyards, patios, desert picnic tables, and a swimming pool where you can enjoy the tranquility of the desert without leaving comfort behind. Sociality or seclusion: the choice is yours.

Breakfast is served in the dining room from 7:00 to 9:30 AM. You choose the time you'd like to eat; a take-out breakfast is available for folks who want to get going before 7 AM. In addition to a full breakfast which changes daily, we also serve a continental buffet that includes cereals, yogurt, fruit, and fresh baked goods. Variety is the spice of life and full breakfast offerings range from regional specialties, Huevos Rancheros Con Platano Frito and Eggs with homemade Chorizo and Green Chiles, to Banana-Walnut Pancakes, Eggs Florentine, and vegetarian favorites such as Poached Stuffed Apples Topped with Yogurt and Berries.

Be sure to advise us of any special dietary needs and/or preferences you may have and we will do our best to accommodate them. Fruit, snacks, teas and instant coffee are available throughout the day in the breakfast room and complimentary soft drinks and bottled water can be found in the guest refrigerator.

In the breakfast room you'll find the guest phone, microwave, and tea kettle and a collection of books, videos and games. All guest rooms and the guesthouse have wireless internet access, TV/VCR/DVD, clock radio and hair dryers.

In the Great Room you'll find a collection of restaurant guides and menus, trail guides and maps and area guides. The pool is open year round but is unheated and can be extremely invigorating during the winter.

Man spricht Deutsch. Se habla español.

Hiking

Desert Trails Bed and Breakfast is located directly across Speedway Blvd. from Saguaro National Park; the Wentworth Trail Corridor is 5 minutes from our doorstep by foot. Two other trailheads (our favorites) are within 2 miles and both have parking areas: the Douglas Spring Trailhead (at the end of Speedway Blvd.) provides access to the lower desert and foothills trails of Cactus Forest Trail System as well as the Douglas Spring Trail which leads into the higher elevations of the Rincon Mountain Wilderness Area; the Broadway Trailhead provides access to the lower elevation trails of the Cactus Forest Trail System. The Saguaro National Park Visitor Center and the Cactus Forest Loop Drive are about 6 miles from Desert Trails.

John and Steffi are experienced backpackers who can help you plan hikes ranging from a casual walk in the lower elevations of the park to a demanding climb into the ponderosa pines of the Rincon Wilderness.

The nearby Catalina Mountains of the Coronado National Forest have hundreds of miles of trails and Mt. Lemmon (9000' elevation, approximately 1 hour drive) is home to the southernmost ski run in the continental United States.

Horseback Riding

Our neighbor, Bobbi Houston, gives riding lessons and leads trail rides into Saguaro National Park. For more information and reservations visit her website at Houston Trail Rides.

Biking

If you prefer two wheels over four hooves, the side roads and trails of the Coronado National Forest at Redington Pass (approximately 30 minutes away) offer mountain bike rides ranging from sedate to extreme. There are a number of bike shops nearby that rent mountain bikes. The Cactus Forest Loop Drive at Saguaro East and the Old Spanish Trail to Collosal Cave rides are favorites of local road bikers.

Birding and Wildlife Observations

Saguaro National Park is a great place to observe the flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert and most of our property is natural desert and mesquite bosque. We are visited often by javelina, coyotes, roadrunners and other desert dwellers. We have landscaped some areas to attract butterflies and hummingbirds and have seen seven different species of hummingbirds at our feeders. We have numerous bird feeders of different types scattered around our property.

Coming from Phoenix on Interstate 10 (approx. 2.5 hrs.):

As you get into Tucson on I-10, through traffic will continue on the interstate and local traffic will be diverted onto a frontage road at the Prince Rd. exit. Follow the frontage road for approximately 4 miles until you come to Speedway Blvd. where you should see a sign for the University of Arizona. Turn left and follow Speedway east through Tucson for 15 miles. At approximately 12 miles you will cross Houghton Road which is the last traffic light you encounter. At 15 miles you will go through a big dip in the road where Wentworth Road turns off to the left. Desert Trails is located 0.2 miles past Wentworth on Speedway. We are the third driveway on the left after Wentworth Rd; if you are arriving after dark look for a barely illuminated, hanging white sign.

Coming from Tucson International Airport (approx. 40 min.):

As you leave the airport on Tucson Blvd. (which is the only way out of the airport) the first traffic light you encounter is Valencia. Turn right on Valencia and go east for 10 miles until Valencia ends at Houghton Road where there is a flashing stop light. Turn left onto Houghton and drive north for 8 miles until Houghton intersects Speedway Blvd.. Turn right (east) on Speedway and drive for 3.2 miles. At approximately 3 miles east of Houghton on Speedway Wentworth Road turns off to the left. Desert Trails is located 0.2 miles past Wentworth on Speedway (the third driveway on the left after Wentworth Rd).

From El Paso on Interstate 10:

Before you reach Tucson you will come to the Houghton Rd. exit. Turn right (north) on Houghton and follow it until it intersects with Speedway Blvd.. Turn right (east) on Speedway and drive for 3.2 miles. At approximately 3 miles east of Houghton on Speedway, Wentworth Road turns off to the left. Desert Trails is located 0.2 miles past Wentworth on Speedway (the third driveway on the left after Wentworth Rd).