Description:​

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For history buffs, the tour through the Fort Lowell Neighborhood is a hike through both time and space.  The route passes through a native Hohokam settlement from the 6th century, the territorial fort –El Fuerte - dating to the late 1800s during the Apache Wars, the San Pedro Chapel (built in the 1920s), and the current historic preservation district.  The guided tour starts and ends at Fort Lowell Park which offers a shady lake for a picnic under a ramada.

The trail is a mix of sidewalks, dirt paths, and city streets.  The tour guide will ensure your safety as the 12-person group transitions from one surface to another while competing with passing cars.  Multiple obstacles to wheelchair access can be circumvented with an attendant and some forethought.

The trailhead at Fort Lowell Park offers accessible parking and restrooms, as well as drinking fountains and large shade trees.  The tour begins with stops at three historic sites in the Park – 1) the Fort Lowell Post hospital, 2) the historic Cottonwood Lane, and 3) the Commanding Officer’s Quarters which now serve as a museum.  

The tour then leaves Fort Lowell Park, crossing Craycroft Road, and continuing along a sidewalk to visit more Officers’ Quarters.  The most challenging part of the hike is the half-mile walk along the 2-lane Fort Lowell Road.  That route takes hikers to the Post Trader’s Store, the commissary, barracks, and Old Fort Lowell school, all while sharing the road with car traffic.  

The tour finishes with a peaceful visit to La Capillita shrine and some moments in the restored San Pedro Chapel.  This is a place of worship and ritual where you may see a wedding party under the ocotillo ramadas nearby.  From there, the return route to Fort Lowell Park is along a quiet road through a neighborhood of Tucson homes.

This walking tour covers much more than just history.  It offers a review of Arizona culture, hydrology, agriculture, urban development, technology, and current preservation efforts.  The guide summed it up by saying, “If you understand the history of the Fort Lowell area, you understand the history of Arizona.”

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Contact the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum to schedule a day and time for your tour.​​