Description:​

​​​

Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve is a work in progress. The 202-acre space was founded as a golf course in 1985; it was closed by ownership in 2018; and due to an extraordinary effort by passionate locals, the land was donated to the Town of Oro Valley in 2022.

Today, the Preserve is a scrubby grassland with scattered mesquite trees and cacti that serves as a wildlife corridor within a dense urban development. The 10-year master plan envisions a different image for the Preserve, including a constructed wetland, shade ramadas, wildlife viewing blinds, and a repurposed pond.

The Preserve’s 6.2-mile trail is a paved cart path that follows the traces of fairways, a driving range, sand traps, and a water feature. The trailhead is easy to locate and offers many accessible parking spaces. Two accessible restrooms and three wide underpasses are nicely maintained for the hikers, bikers, runners, and birders who frequent this open space.

The paved trail is probably wheelchair accessible though it does show signs of disrepair such as cracks, erosion, and 2-3” lips along edges. It can be navigated as either a 6.2-mile loop along the circumference of the entire property, or as two 3.1-mile loops along the north and south halves of the Preserve.

The Preserve is situated perfectly for panoramic views of both the Tortalita and Santa Catalina mountains, and an unobstructed view of the spectacular Pusch Ridge. Along the trail, hikers have a chance to see 100s of vegetation species and a variety of fauna including quail and bobcats. Benches along the trail encourage hikers to take a meditative moment to enjoy the smell of creosote bushes and the calls of mourning doves.

The Preserve has yet to achieve its recreational potential, but it nonetheless offers an easy hike along a flat, paved loop with a good chance to view wildflowers and wildlife. Repeat hikers will witness the slow transition from an extremely disturbed ecosystem to a sustainable desert recreation area. Credit goes to the Friends of Vistoso Trails, The Conservation Fund, and the Town of Oro Valley for their foresight to preserve this hidden gem.