The Cave Canyon Trail allegedly received its name from its proximity to three well-known natural caves: Onyx Cave, Cave of the Bells and Hidden Cave. All three caves are favorites of the spelunker community and the first two have locked entrances that require permission from the Coronado National Forest Office in Tucson to enter.
My first hike in the Santa Rita Mountains was a half-day hike up the Cave Canyon Trail to Florida (pronounced Flor-ee-da) Saddle where the trail junctions with the Florida Canyon, Sawmill Canyon, and Crest Trail at 7800 feet elevation. The trail begins at the foot of Cave Creek Basin and ends near the northernmost end of the main block of the Santa Rita Mountains, often referred to as the Santa Rita Crest.
The trail combines the best of two worlds: the first half is a relatively easy walk, and the second half is challenging. The route’s end-to-end elevation change is a little over 2,000 feet; however, the first two miles are relatively flat where the route follows an old mining road. The trail crosses the creek 11 times in the first 1.6 miles and because water flow varies with season, crossing the creek is sometimes a challenge. However, most of the crossings are lined with large steppingstones and are often marked with cairns on both banks.
In some places the trail is barely discernible; in others the way is clear with obvious signs of human construction. The route passes several old prospects along its course, including two large horizontal shafts once belonging to the Big Rock Candy Mountain Mine.
For the most part, the trail is well-defined, clear of obstacles and easy to follow, providing you pay attention to the route at creek crossings and when passing through dense foliage and burnt areas. The Cave Canyon Trail works well as an out-and-back hike or when combined with several other trails to complete longer loop hikes.
The Cave Canyon Trail begins at the very end of FR-92 (Gardner Canyon Road), approximately nine miles west of Route 83, and ends on Florida Saddle. I recommend a high-clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle.
Florida Saddle is one of three primary upper-elevation trail hubs in the Santa Rita Mountains. The other two are Baldy Saddle and Josephine Saddle. The Cave Canyon Trail is one of several trails that provide direct access to the spectacular views afforded from the Santa Rita Crest as well as access to the prominent summits of Mount Wrightson, Mount Ian, Davis Peak, Florida Peak, and MAC-88.
After leaving the parking area and walking for two-tenths of a mile, the course splits. The left fork is the Link Trail (sometimes called Gardner-Cave Cutoff Trail #10), which connects the lower end of the Gardner Canyon Trail to the bottom of the Cave Canyon Trail. A brown carsonite sign points to the right where the Cave Canyon Trail heads up a rocky roadbed to a hiker’s gate. A sign just past the gate identifies the official beginning of Cave Canyon Trail #149.
After hiking 1.8 miles along Cave Creek, the route reaches the abandoned site of the Big Rock Candy Mountain Mine. There is little left other than two mine shafts on the far side of the creek, which are difficult to find and probably not safe to enter. For casual hikers, this is a good place to turn around.
About 100 yards past the mine site, the path crosses Cave Creek for the final time and enters the Mount Wrightson Wilderness Area. Beyond the marker, the trail narrows and follows the creek a short distance before beginning a steady climb through a heavily forested area en route to Florida Saddle. For the next two miles the trail gains nearly 1800 feet in elevation. You’ll probably want to pause regularly to enjoy the views, eat snacks, snap photographs, or simply catch your breath.
The trail climbs gradually but continuously along a ridge leading away from the drainage, before beginning a serious climb up the north side of the valley. Once the trail reaches the upper basin of Cave Canyon, the path alternates between long and relatively flat, grassy slopes (exposed to direct sunlight) and short, steep switchbacks (under tree cover). Route finding can be a challenge, depending on your experience, because the path frequently disappears under low-growth underbrush that repopulated the slope following the dreadful Florida Fire that scorched the area in 2005.
After crossing a dry, narrow drainage, the trail enters a heavily forested area and begins its final ascent to Florida Saddle. Several sections of trail here are steep, and the walking is difficult on the slippery surface.
The switchbacks near the top of the trail are the steepest with the worst footing. The trail ends in two long, steep switchbacks with gravelly surfaces, then one short and rather pleasant switchback that ends on Florida Saddle at 7800 feet elevation. Because of several recent fires, the saddle is littered with burnt tree trunks, giving it an eerie and somewhat spooky setting.