August anywhere is hot. However, August in Tucson Arizona is a whole other level. You absolutely need at minimum 3L of water for any hike longer than 2 hours. You’ll sweat through your clothes for sure & you need to make sure you’re staying hydrated in the desert heat because it’s no joke.
Pusch Peak Trail
Alright so the basic specs- It says online that its 1.9 miles from point to point, however I think its a bit longer than that & the total elevation gain is 2,605 ft. (So basically another stair stepper hike. I seem to love picking those.)
You definitely need long pants & hiking boots for this one because of the brush along the trail & the fact that your going at about a 25% incline over rocks the entire time. I’d plan to bring a sandwich or snacks if you plan to spend a bit of time at the top, which you’ll probably want to. The novice hiker would probably be fine with this one, I’m not sure about a beginner because of the steep climb the entire time but you could get it done with some grit. The path is marked up until you get close to the summit, which then you’ll have to figure out a way to get up. Not impossible to find, but you may need to do some exploring.
The views at the top were spectacular honestly. You could see a 360 view in the Tucson valley & everything behind Pusch Peak. 12/10 Highly recommend if you’re in the area, in decent shape & don’t mind working up a sweat. It’s one of the tougher desert trails I’ve done but 120% worth it!
