Los Morteros Heritage Trail
Overview
Located south of the Town of Marana’s El Rio Open Space Preserve, the Pima County Los Morteros Conservation Area received enhancements in June 2019 to improve the educational opportunities of the site that embodies the major traditions of the region, including Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and the American Territorial. The Los Morteros Heritage Trail provides decomposed granite paths following an existing dirt trail throughout the conservation area, interpretive signs at key locations and a new northern pedestrian gate at Coachline Boulevard. The new northern pedestrian gate connects to a crosswalk built by the Town of Marana.
While bicycles are not permitted in the Los Morteros Conservation Area, the crosswalk will link the Los Morteros Heritage Trail to the El Rio Preserve trailhead and the Chuck Huckelberry Loop for bike access to the trailhead. The improvements were constructed by Hunter Contracting Company. A cultural resources monitor from Desert Archeology was present on site throughout construction.
The Los Morteros Heritage Trail is a collaboration between the Pima County Regional Flood Control District (District) and the Pima County Office of Sustainability and Conservation (OSC). The District funded and managed construction improvements and the OSC funded and managed the development of the interpretive signage with assistance from Pima County’s Natural Resources Parks and Recreation. Content development for interpretive signage was completed by Desert Archeology and input was sought from the Tohono O’odham Nation and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.
Pima County Park Rules Ch. 4, Sec. 040 or P.C.P.R. § 4-040 apply when using the Los Morteros Heritage Trail and Conservation Area.