Rillito River Path – Subaerial Embrace loop from Tucson Mall

Bike touring routes & trails

Rillito River Path – Subaerial Embrace loop from Tucson Mall

Moderate

4.7

(8751)

8,752

riders

Rillito River Path – Subaerial Embrace loop from Tucson Mall

02:00

35.0km

90m

Cycling

Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: September 10, 2026

Tips

Cycling is not permitted along parts of this route

After 30 m for 54 m

After 18.9 km for 97 m

After 34.9 km for 54 m

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

5.56 km

Tracks and Trails Mural

Highlight • Monument

Tracks and Trails Mural, 2023. Artists: Jessica Gonzales and Rock Martinez. Overview: The vibrant painting depicts the relationship between wildlife, vegetation and humans in the desert ecosystem. Viewed from left to right, the mural reveals a typical day in the desert, starting at dawn and ending at night. Designed with elements of optical illusion, the mural creates a dynamic visual experience for viewers traveling the path across the wash, shifting and revealing new perspectives as they move past the artwork. The expansive mural not only enhances the landscape but also reflects the artists’ shared vision and their engagement with the surrounding community. Best viewed from the other side of the wash.

Tip by

7.81 km

Towers of a Martian Odyssey

Highlight • Monument

Towers of a Martian Odyssey, 2018. Artist: Art Neptune. Overview: Inspired by the movie “2001, A Space Odyssey” 8 steel tubes sized from 8 feet to 17.5 feet tall are spaced serendipitously along the bike path. All but one has plasma cut holes of different designs, leaving the meaning open to the viewers’ interpretation.

Tip by

9.64 km

Rillito River Path

Highlight • Cycleway

This is a beautiful, paved two-lane multi-use path that grants you sweeping views of the desert and of Mount Lemmon. The path is about ten miles long end-to-end and takes you along the northern edge of Tucson. Be sure to visit at sunrise or sunset for some spectacular views.

Tip by

17.2 km

Bicycle Built for Two

Highlight • Monument

Bicycle Built for Two, 2023. Artist: Joe Pagac. The cyclist is a javelina, perched on the front seat of a life-size tandem bicycle; the back seat is open to anyone who wants to pose for a photo. The sculpture is the work of local artist Joe Pagac, who was inspired by the interactive sculptures he’d seen in his travels.

Tip by

23.9 km

Marble Waters

Highlight • Monument

Marble Waters, 2008. Artist: Robin Riley. Overview: This combination of cascading rain and raindrops shows the abstract movement of water using 2,000 iridescent glass marbles and broken tile. The raindrops are circles of broken tile with marbles inside.

Tip by

24.3 km

Wild Spirit

Highlight • Monument

Wild Spirit, 2025. Artist: Al Glann. This is one of many sculptures along the Tucson Loop. See pima.gov/170/The-Loop-Art-Map.

Tip by

31.9 km

Nature of Movement

Highlight • Monument

Nature of Movement, 2015. Artist: Joshua Wiener. Overview: The sculpture expands your attention by changing as you move through the space. As you approach, it has an inverted cone on one side and a series of vertical lines on the other. As you move past the piece, the cone unravels while the other side becomes a cone. Understanding how we inhabit the land and what our perspective does to our experience will help us be more perceptive.

Tip by

32.1 km

Subaerial Embrace

Highlight • Monument

Subaerial Embrace, 2021. Artists: Zach Lihtash and Troy Neiman. Overview: The artists were inspired by hoodoos and rock formations near Windy Point in the Catalina Mountains. The sculpture, that you can move through, is made of steel and concrete stucco and provides protection for a bike/pedestrian counter.

Tip by

35.0 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types