Marshall Gulch Trail

One of the few Santa Catalina trails that follows a water course, this iconic trail passes through shady forest to top out with views of Mt. Lemmon.

Difficulty: The Marshall Gulch Trail gains 500 feet of elevation in 1.2 miles. All of it is at high elevation (7,400 to 7,900 feet), which takes some getting used to.

Current Condition (6/2/2024): Vegetation is encroaching, but the trail is always visible.. The main problem is erosion of the tread in steep sections, creating many hazardous loose rocks. The wary hiker must also deal with occasional exposed roots, hundreds of pointy embedded rocks, and a couple of sections of sideways-sloping bedrock.

Connecting Trails and Loops:

Three trails leave the Marshall Gulch parking lot: the Marshall Gulch Trail to the west, the Lower Aspen Trail to the south, and the Sunset Trail to the east. The Marshall Gulch-Aspen Trail makes a popular 3.7-mile loop.

The Marshall Gulch Trail ends at Marshall Saddle. At the saddle is a five-way junction, where the Marshall Gulch Trail heads east, the Wilderness of Rocks Trail heads west, the Aspen Trail heads north and south, and the Mint Springs Trail heads northeast toward Summerhaven.

Restrictions:

The Marshall Gulch Trail enters the Pusch Ridge Wilderness a few hundred feet from the parking lot trailhead. Therefore, no bicycles or motorized vehicles are allowed.

Dogs are allowed, but must be kept on leash to protect wildlife.

Directions and Parking: From Tucson, drive up the Santa Catalina Highway to the town of Summerhaven (26 miles). There is no gas station in Summerhaven. Drive south through the town to the parking lot at the end of the road. On weekends, arrive by 8:00 a.m. to find a parking space. The Forest Service charges $8.00 per vehicle; a National Parks pass gets you in for free.

Finding the Trailhead: The official trailhead is at the northwest corner of the parking lot next to a steel gate. (Watch out for the poison ivy around the sign!)

The Trail in Pictures…

The official trailhead at the parking lot

What looks like a trail next to the toilet block is not a trail.

Blue sky reflected in the creek

Steps leading up out of the creek

Looking up Marshall Creek

View from Marshall Gulch Trail of rocks along the Mint Spring Trail and the top of Mount Lemmon