Step into this scenic wilderness and you’ll feel your senses awaken. The endless views to the horizon, the scent of sage and mesquite, the calls of strange birds will all have you in wonder at this beautiful desert landscape. With 2,400 acres to explore there’s a lot to see in Colossal Cave Mountain Park. Hiking, running, mountain biking and horseback riding are popular activities on our trails. Take your pick. There’s no trail use fee or permit required. Need more information? Trail maps are available in the Cave Shop.

Step into this scenic wilderness and you’ll feel your senses awaken. The endless views to the horizon, the scent of sage and mesquite, the calls of strange birds will all have you in wonder at this beautiful desert landscape. With 2,400 acres to explore there’s a lot to see in Colossal Cave Mountain Park. Hiking, running, mountain biking and horseback riding are popular activities on our trails. Take your pick. There’s no trail use fee or permit required. Need more information? Trail maps are available in the Cave Shop.

Think the desert is uninhabitable? The scarcity of water and blazing sun can be deceiving. In fact, the Sonoran Desert is a rich ecosystem alive with more than 300 bird species, 100 reptile and amphibian species, 1,000 bee species, and more than 2,000 plant species! And Colossal Cave Mountain Park is where you can discover many of them.

That majestic icon of the old west, the saguaro cactus, is everywhere but while you’re traversing the canyons, washes and bajadas you could encounter many other residents of the Park. Watch for owls, hawks, shrikes and other birds of prey. Sharp eyes may also spot scorpions, snakes, tarantulas, tortoises, Gila monsters, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, coatis and many others.

La Posta Quemada or the burnt station, has a long and storied history that includes bandits, stagecoaches, ranchers, hotel-owners, cowboys and the Civilian Conservation Corps among others. Its name is derived from a nearby Butterfield Stagecoach stop that burned to the ground in the 1860s. The station was rebuilt, only to succumb to fire a second time. Now as a part of Colossal Cave Mountain Park it is once again serving travelers and adventurers.

Geologically speaking, the Colossal Cave system is a relative newcomer to the neighborhood. About 300 million years ago much of the American Southwest was covered by a vast sea populated by giant sharks, tetrapods and other primitive amphibians. Eventually the waters receded. Organic material left behind dried out and was compressed to form the limestone you see today. Then 80 million years ago the heaving earth thrust limestone and granite together to create new landforms such as the Rincon Mountains where Colossal Cave is located. After eons of water erosion, the Cave reached a dry state, and today Colossal Cave is one of the largest dry caves in north America — a snapshot of the formations as they were created millennia ago.

Westward expansion in the 19th century attracted ranchers and homesteaders. Solomon Lick was among them. He rediscovered the Cave in 1879 while searching for stray cattle. The Cave became legendary when train robbers used it as a hideout after pulling a job. But there were riches inside that the robbers did not appreciate: Bat guano. As fertilizer it was a valuable commodity. In 1905 a tunnel was excavated to mine the guano until it ran out. Next, a boom in Cave tourism was about to begin.

There is a cool shaded retreat for your picnic in the Park. It’s a wooded area in a narrow, steep-walled riparian canyon that was originally developed in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps as part of their larger Park building initiative. Located below Colossal Cave, there are spots to accommodate large or small groups alike. The El Bosquecito and La Selvilla areas can entertain up to 72 and 96 people respectively. All have tables and most have grills. Restrooms and water are also available at both La Selvilla and El Bosquecito.

Didn’t bring your lunch? No problem. The Terrace Café has delicious grab-n-go Tucson specialties and other favorites so pick your spot, relax and listen for the birds to serenade your lunch.

Depending on your belief in vampires, this could be a deal breaker. Colossal Cave Mountain Park is both a home and a way-station to nearly half of all bat species found in Arizona, including some rare and threatened ones. Contrary to common belief, bats are best described as shy, gentle and intelligent creatures. And even though they are among the least appreciated mammals, they are a vital part of our entire ecosystem as insectivores and pollinators.

The females of two species hibernate during winter in nearby cool caverns and crevices, usually at higher elevations. In the spring they move to lower elevations to bear their young in “maternity colonies.” These colonies may be in buildings, mine tunnels, or caverns like Colossal Cave. The two species are: Townsend’s Big-eared Bat and Cave Myotis Bat, a threatened species. Three other species use Colossal Cave, as a summer home or a stopover point in their migrations. They are: the Mexican Long-tongued Bat, the Pallid Bat, and the Pipistrelle Bat. And many other bat species can be seen in Colossal Cave at certain times of the year.

For more specific information, check out their website at: https://colossalcave.com/ .

Given their south east of Tucson location, Colossal Cave Mountain Park is located closest to Corona de Tucson, Rita Ranch and Sonoita Ranch neighborhoods, and the City of Vail.

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