Santa Cruz River Park — Congress-to-south paved return
Arizona · Greenway
Join the paved Loop from the public Garden of Gethsemane trailhead and head south along the same Santa Cruz bank for up to 2 miles before retracing. Remain on the main hard-surface river path at Starr Pass and Silverlake connections. Do not enter the garden on the bicycle, switch onto natural wash tracks or head into the distant Prince Road detour.
Plan your ride
- Location
- Tucson · Arizona
- Ride length
- Up to 4 miles return
- Ride format
- Out and back
- Surface
- Paved main Loop path on the river bank; soft parallel tracks and garden paths excluded
- Road crossings
- Yield to pedestrians and slow at junctions, ramps and access drives. Stop at street crossings; do not bypass a path barrier in traffic lanes.
- Elevation
- River-park route with bridge/underpass ramps and local rises. Expect shared-use traffic; no published slope profile for this selection.
- Starting location
- Garden of Gethsemane public Loop trailhead, West Congress Street, Tucson, AZ
Chosen outward cap and the same return; parking walks are extra. Turn sooner at an actual path end, barrier or unsuitable surface.
Manager-mapped public trailhead reference, not a surveyed entrance or parking stall. Follow posted visitor parking.
Santa Cruz River Park — Congress-to-south paved return — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-10-22. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
A selected outing on an established improved bicycle route. Follow the stated course and access notes.
Start and parking
Start: Garden of Gethsemane public Loop trailhead, West Congress Street, Tucson, AZ.
County identifies a public Loop trailhead and parking at Garden of Gethsemane. Use the designated river-trail visitor spaces under current signs, then walk to the path. The garden grounds, religious displays and nearby private lots are not the bicycle course or an assumed parking alternative.
Ride and distance
Selected ride: Up to 4 miles return. Format: Out and back.
Ride: Join the paved Loop from the public Garden of Gethsemane trailhead and head south along the same Santa Cruz bank for up to 2 miles before retracing. Remain on the main hard-surface river path at Starr Pass and Silverlake connections. Do not enter the garden on the bicycle, switch onto natural wash tracks or head into the distant Prince Road detour.
Chosen outward cap and the same return; parking walks are extra. Turn sooner at an actual path end, barrier or unsuitable surface.
Surface and effort
Paved main Loop path on the river bank; soft parallel tracks and garden paths excluded. River-park route with bridge/underpass ramps and local rises. Expect shared-use traffic; no published slope profile for this selection.
Crossings and shared use
Yield to pedestrians and slow at junctions, ramps and access drives. Stop at street crossings; do not bypass a path barrier in traffic lanes. Yield to pedestrians, keep right, and slow at blind corners. Stop at barriers; never use a traffic-road detour to bypass a trail closure.
Hours, costs and access
Choose daylight and obey posted trail and parking hours. Avoid extreme heat and carry water; a mapped fountain is not a guarantee of service. Follow current public visitor-parking terms. Reserved facilities and event parking may carry separate charges.
Reviewed 2026-10-22. County’s trail map separates hard-surface and soft river paths and identifies this public access. Its notices retain a Prince Road detour farther north, outside this southward selection. The Cortaro/Silverbell sediment-removal notice says the Loop remains open there; it is not used as a clearance for every bank. Check local barriers and flood conditions before the ride. This is a source review, not a same-day inspection. Recheck the linked manager before travel.
Map and Directions
Use the named public start and its posted parking signs. The map reference identifies the facility or selected trail area; it is not a surveyed parking stall or navigable route line. Bicycle and e-bike rules can differ; only ordinary bicycle use is established unless noted.