Recreation Region: Santa Rita Mountains

Oak Tree Canyon Trailhead

This trailhead provided improved access to the Arizona National Scenic Trail at the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains, ancestral lands of the Tohono O'odham and Chiricahua Apache.

This once-popular parking area had been closed for nearly 20 years due to natural and cultural resource impacts from off-highway vehicles. The ATA has been diligently to restore public access, and we were delighted to have been granted permission to construct a trailhead at this scenic location. In addition to earthwork and steel fence construction, the trailhead also includes two steel gates and an interpretive kiosk that celebrates the Santa Rita Mountains as a cultural landscape that was developed in collaboration with the Tohono O’odham Nation.

Oak Tree Canyon is located just west of Hwy 83 between mile posts 44 and 43, north of Gardner Canyon Road. The trailhead provides ideal access to the oak woodlands of the Santa Rita Mountains — just follow FR 4037 for one mile to the AZT. The trailhead is large enough to accommodate up to 40 passenger cars plus 8 trucks and horse trailers.

Oak Tree Canyon Trailhead Photo Gallery

General Information

Download the Kentucky Camp Recreation Guide in English.

Descarga la guía de recreación en español a Kentucky Camp.

Year-round

Day use only; no overnight camping allowed

No fees are required for this site

Entry sign outside of the Nogales Ranger Station. The sign reads: "Nogales Ranger Station. Coronado National Forest."

Address: 303 Old Tucson Rd. Nogales, AZ 85621
Phone: (520) 761-6000
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday (Closed on federal holidays)

Getting There

Latitude / Longitude

Latitude: 31.81083

Longitude: -110.71142

Directions

From Interstate 10 -
Take Interstate 10 to exit 281 for AZ-83 S toward Sonoita/Patagonia. Drive 15.2 miles, the trailhead is on the west side (right) of the street. The trailhead is 9.9 miles north of Sonoita.