Tanque Verde Falls is a 70-foot seasonal waterfall on Tanque Verde Creek in Pima County, Arizona, in a rocky canyon south of Redington Road in Coronado National Forest, about 15 miles east of Tucson. It is also dangerous: at least 30 recorded deaths from falls and flooding have been counted here.
The falls
The creek drops over banded gneiss and granite, forming the falls and a string of pools. A lidar estimate puts the drop at about 70 feet; older surveys recorded three drops and no measured height. The National Weather Service puts the drop at closer to 100 feet. The canyon sits between Tanque Verde Ridge of the Rincon Mountains to the south and Agua Caliente Hill to the north.
Getting there
The trailheads are on Redington Road, a bumpy dirt road that most cars can handle. Three parking areas serve the trailheads, with toilets and ramadas at the Middle trailhead. The 2-mile Rim Loop includes an overlook of the falls; no route descends into the canyon from that overlook. The Lower Trail runs half a mile one way down to the creek, with a 280-foot climb back out, and no trail follows the creek itself. The Southern Arizona Hiking Club has long maintained the parking area and trail, which were improved in 2024. Route descriptions through the canyon itself are older than the March 2025 trail map.
When to go
Flow comes from springs, rain and snowmelt, so the falls are seasonal, running after winter rain and the summer monsoon. The rim is recommended at sunset, and spring for wildflowers. Summer brings heat and frequent floods.
On site
Flash floods are the main danger. On July 26, 1981, a wall of water 15 feet high came down the canyon and over the falls, killing eight people; most were battered against the rocks, and some bodies were not recovered for several days. Other deaths here have come from falls on the rock. The Forest Service says to stay out of the canyon whenever storms threaten and not to jump or dive into the pools. There is no drinking water. Dogs are allowed; keep them leashed around other visitors.
Nearby
Chivo Falls is about 3.6 miles away, and Seven Falls and Seven Cataracts are about 8.5 and 8.6 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.