Explore Tucson Arizona walking its Turquoise Trail

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I have always enjoy walking through cities, exploring their history and enjoying the way they are today. In Tucson, Arizona, the Presidio Museum and Visit Tucson have put together an excellent self-guided walking tour of the city’s historic downtown area.

The Turquoise Trail is a 2.5 mile loop through several neighborhood’s in the center of Tucson. The guide map for the tour is available for $2 at several locations in the area. The route is mostly flat and fully wheelchair/ADA accessible. 




The first stop on the tour is the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum. In 1775, the Spanish Army founded a fort (presidio) near the Santa Cruz River. When construction was finished the fort covered about 450,00 Sq Ft (40,000 m2) with adobe walls that were 10 feet high. The Presidio San Agustín marked the western edge of Spain’s control in Arizona, and it played an active role until the U.S. took control of the area in 1856, when it was torn down.


Seguaro Cacti innards line the ceiling of the adobe house

Traditional uniform of the Spanish Army


The City of Tucson reconstructed the northeast corner of the Presidio as part of a downtown redevelopment project. In 2015, the Tucson Presidio Trust for Historic Preservation was given stewardship of the museum. Today it offers several rooms with historical displays covering all for phases of Tucson’s history - Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and United States. There is also a large courtyard that recreates the historic feel of the Presidio, and life within its walls. 


La Virgin del Guadelupe

Chili's guard a doorway in an adobe wall





I arrived before the museum opened, so I stopped in to the Dandelion Cafe & Bakery next door. They have great coffee, delicious pastries, and a play list to die for. 

The trail is easy to follow as a turquoise line has been painted on the sidewalk for the entire 2.5 mile loop, although it is not painted in the streets, so you do have to look carefully at the intersections. Leaving the Presidio, the Trail passes Telles Street, a block of attached adobe row houses that were built in the late 1800’s. Today they house shops where local artisans sell their wares.


Telles Street Adobe House


The Turquoise Trail passes into a large plaza behind the Pima County Historic Courthouse. This is a beautiful building that today houses a gem museum and the local office of the Arizona Visitor’s Center, a great resource for things to see and do. The plaza was built as part of a large urban renewal project in the 1960’s the wiped out Tucson’s Chinatown and and a large Mexican-American Community. It has some statues that commemorate historic events, and large fountain, but it is surrounded by large governmental office buildings. The trail wends its way through them, passing the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall and the Tucson Convention Center. The Mexican community has a remaining local outpost in the area. The Sosa-Carillo house was built in the 1850’s and is dedicated to the history of the area. Unfortunately, it is currently undergoing major renovations, and was closed when I visited in 2025.


Pima County Historic Courthouse

The Mormon Batallion


Linda Ronstadt Music Hall


From the entrance to the Convention Center there is a great view of  Sentinal Peak, known as “A” Mountain for the giant letter A built there in 1915 by students of the University of Arizona.




From the Convention Center, the Trail enters Barrio Viejo - The Old Neighborhood. Dating back to the 1880’s, the area had been home to wide cross section of Tucsonans. Most of the buildings are adobe. The first stop here is is El Tiradito (The Castaway). Legend says that this outdoor shrine is dedicated to a man killed by his lover’s husband. The church would not allow him to be buried in consecrated ground, so his burial sight has become a place for people to come to meditate, pray, and even get married.




As I continued my walk through Barrio Viejo, I really need to rest my feet. The Turquoise Trail passed the Exo Cafe, a nice place for a coffee and a little rest. 




The Trail then passed a monument to Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec Emperor, and some beautiful examples of adobe architecture.


Cuauhtémoc Statue

Teatro Carmen

Ferrin House




Leaving Barrio Viejo, the Turquoise Trail enters the Armory Park neighborhood. This area was built during the 1920’s through 1950’s. It reflects the rising car culture. Historic U.S. 80 runs here, and there are repurposed motels, classic apartment buildings and cultural leftovers from that era. 






St. Agustin Cathedral

Reentering downtown Tucson, it was definitely time for lunch. I highly recommend Saigon Blossoms/Miss Saigon, a Vietnamese restaurant that offers a $12.99 lunch special that includes noodle and rice bowls and soups.




The modern architecture of downtown Tucson is fairly mundane, but there are some older gems in the area. One highlight is the historic train depot. Built in 1941 for the Southern Pacific Railroad, the station is still served by 8 Amtrak trains each week (4 eastbound, and 4 westbound).







There is also the Fox Theater, along with a few other buildings from the city’s past.





Taking a walk along the Tucson’s Turquoise Trail is a great way to explore the history of the city. Take a stroll and enjoy what you find. 


Nuts and Bolts


  • Turquoise Trail Map - $2 at several locations, including the Arizona Visitor’s Center and the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson. 
  • Presidio San Agustín del Tucson is located at 196 Court St. Winter Hours (Oct. 1 - Apr. 30) Tue - Sun 10:00AM - 4:00PM; May 1-31 Hours Wed - Sun  and June 1 - Sept 30 9am- 2:30pm.
Location: 196 N Court Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701, USA

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