If you love hiking, off-roading, or just staring up at “the Catalinas” from your driveway, there’s good news out of the mountains this week. The Coronado National Forest just grew by nearly 700 acres — the biggest single addition in 20 years — and the new land sits right on our side of town, near Oracle and Catalina.
What happened
The Trust for Public Land announced it has completed a deal with the U.S. Forest Service to permanently protect 695 acres at a spot called Charouleau Gap, in the northern Santa Catalina Mountains. The land had actually been slated for a housing development back in 2006, then came back on the market in 2022 — giving conservation groups a rare shot at scooping it up before it could be subdivided.
The purchase was funded through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (money from the Great American Outdoors Act), with support from Pinal County, Arizona Game and Fish, The Nature Conservancy, Tucson Audubon Society, and both of Arizona’s U.S. senators, Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego. The property includes rolling grasslands and oak woodland and sits inside the boundary of the original 1902 Santa Catalina Forest Reserve — basically the historic heart of what became the national forest we hike in today.
Why it matters for our little corner of the world
This isn’t a random patch of desert somewhere on the far side of the county. It’s a wildlife corridor and a gap connecting our mountains to the surrounding valley, and it had been one of the last big pieces of privately owned land within the forest boundary. Protecting it does two things: it prevents development from cutting off wildlife movement, and it gives the Forest Service better access to fight wildfires in an area that’s only going to get more built up around the edges.
There’s also a very tangible payoff for anyone who likes getting outside — the deal secures permanent public access to Charouleau Gap Road (Forest Road 736), which had been at risk of getting locked behind private property. TPL says the acquisition unlocks about 12,000 acres of national forest for recreation that were previously landlocked.
Is Santa Catalina Mountain’s Land Near Oro Valley?
Pretty close, yes. Charouleau Gap sits on the north side of the Catalinas near the town of Catalina and Golder Ranch, just off Highway 77 (Oracle Road) — roughly a 10 to 15-minute drive north of Oro Valley. It’s on the opposite side of the range from Catalina State Park, but for OV residents who are already used to driving up Oracle Road, it’s an easy add to the list of local trailheads.
Can you actually get there?
Yes, but come prepared — this is backcountry access, not a paved trailhead with a visitor center. The typical route: head north on Oracle Road (Hwy 77) toward Catalina, turn onto Golder Ranch Road, then follow Lago Del Oro Parkway north to a marked trailhead and kiosk. From there, Charouleau Gap Road is a rugged, rocky route that’s a local favorite for high-clearance 4x4s and off-roaders — regular cars won’t get far past the parking area. Hikers and mountain bikers can head in on foot from the same trailhead; it’s a legitimately tough, rocky trail, so plan for a real outing rather than a casual stroll.
Bottom line for OV folks: our mountains just got a little more ours. Whether you’re a hiker, a hunter, a wildlife watcher, or just someone who likes knowing that the land around here isn’t getting paved over, this is a win worth celebrating.
Sources: KGUN9, Trust for Public Land, U.S. Forest Service (Coronado National Forest)*
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