Spring Adventure: Manning Camp 2.0

Our original plans for a big backpacking trip this Spring were to do the Grand Canyon again. Unfortunately, the permit lottery gods were not shining on us, and we were unable to get a permit. As it turned out, we would not have been able to go regardless, as the North Rim is still closed as I write this, and the trail we were to take had some land slide and erosion damage from the winter snows and is not slated to open until mid-June. Instead, we decided to go back up into the Rincon Mountains, just on the east side of Tucson, to explore some new trails and campgrounds. Our 4-day journey took us up the Tanque Verde Ridge Trail to Juniper Basin Campground for the first night. Then up to Tanque Verde Ridge and on to Manning Camp via Cow head Saddle and the Cow head trail for night two. Back down the south side of the Rincons along the Manning Camp Trail to Grass Shack Campground for night three. Finishing up with a 9.5-mile hike down the Quilter and Hope Camp Trail to the Alta Loma Trail Head.