Frog's Hollow
Vail, Arizona
| Address: | Redington Rd, Vail, AZ 85641, USA |
| GPS: |
32°18'22.6"N 110°34'27.3"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Arizona |
| Trail Length: | 8.50 miles |
| MTB Difficulty: | Intermediate |
| Trail Type: | Out & Back |
| Hike Difficulty: | Intermediate |
| Elevation Gain: | 1093 feet |
| Trails/Routes: | 0.5-9.3 mi |
Hike, Mountain Bike, and Swim
Frog's Hollow is a little-known swimming hole located along the Arizona Trail in the Upper Tanque Verde Canyon near Tucson, Arizona. It is found by hiking or mountain biking along the Arizona or Indian Springs Trail, and then branching off near the river. Please note that this is also a popular jeep trail, and you may encounter several 4x4s on the way. The trail is listed as being "Intermediate/Difficult" due to the surrounding rocks.
There are many small pools and shallow waterfalls along Frog's Hollow in the Tanque Verde Canyon. There are also plenty of frogs (presumably the namesakes of the hollow).
Frog's Hollow, like many of Arizona's desert watering holes, is best hiked in the fall, winter, or spring, sometime after a rainstorm, but not so soon after that you are at risk of flash flooding, which is very dangerous. Be sure to take plenty of water, and a hat to protect you from the sun.
Mapped Route/Trail Distances
| Arizona Trail from Redington Rd (One Way) | 9.3 miles Round Trip |
| Arizona Trail from Redington Rd (One Way) | 0.5 miles Round Trip |
More Information
Never modify trail features. Ride trails when they're dry enough that you won't leave ruts. Speak up when you see others on the trail and always yield to hikers, horses, and others coming uphill. Always ride on the established trail.
Read MoreBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Vail, Arizona
- Head east on Moka-Moka Trail toward S Mace (338 ft)
- Moka-Moka Trail turns left and becomes S Mace (463 ft)
- Turn right onto E Lipps Ln (0.1 mi)
- Turn right onto S Sharon Rd (0.5 mi)
- Continue straight (174 ft)
- Turn left onto E Nana Dr (0.4 mi)
- Turn left onto N Davidson Rd (0.1 mi)
- Turn right at the 1st cross street onto E Mokes Mile Trail (0.1 mi)
- Turn left at the 1st cross street onto AZ-83 N (1.1 mi)
- Merge onto I-10 W (5.6 mi)
- Take exit 275 to merge onto S Houghton Rd (13.3 mi)
- Turn right onto E Tanque Verde Rd (3.0 mi)
- Continue onto E Redington Rd (12.6 mi)
To get here from Tucson, head east on Tanque Verde Rd. for about 13 miles then continue east on Reddington Rd for about 10 miles (you enter the Coronado N. F. and the Catalina Mountains). You will be near the Chiva Falls trailhead on Reddington Rd. ... Hike about 4.5 miles down (south) on this trail to the swimming hole. Courtesy of swimmingholes.org
From the end of the pavement on Reddington Road, you can either park in the first lot to the left (about 3.7 miles from the trailhead), or take your car as far as you can and start your journey from there. If you take the latter option, be sure you have 4-wheel drive, as this is a difficult terrain.
Trails
Distance ?
9.3 miles Round TripElevation Gain ?
-555 feetReal Ascent ?
418 feetReal Descent ?
973 feetAvg Grade (-1°)
-2%Grade (-16° to 12°)
-28% to 21%Distance ?
0.5 miles Round TripElevation Gain ?
22 feetReal Ascent ?
22 feetReal Descent ?
0 feetAvg Grade (1°)
2%Grade (15° to 15°)
27% to 27%Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.