Sabino Canyon Tram & Barrio Histórico

A full Tucson day accessible without strenuous hiking — the Sabino Canyon electric tram in the morning, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in the afternoon (no hiking required, it's a walkable open-air exhibit), and the Barrio Histórico adobe neighborhood in the evening. The Sabino Canyon tram is a narrated electric shuttle that rides the 3.8-mile Sabino Canyon road through a spectacular desert granite canyon in the Santa Catalina Mountains foothills, crossing nine bridges over Sabino Creek and passing saguaro-studded canyon walls with Santa Catalina Mountain peaks above. The road is closed to private vehicles; the tram provides the only access by vehicle. No hiking is required to enjoy the full canyon experience — the tram does the climbing and descent; riders can disembark at any stop for a short walk.