Sabino Canyon is in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. “No one can say for certain where the name "Sabino" came from. Perhaps the canyon was named for Sabino Otero, a rancher with land 5 miles south of the canyon in the late 1800s. Others suggest it was named for the Spanish word "sabino" meaning red. Perhaps a roan colored horse once was grazing in the canyon, or someone noticed its red-colored rocks.”
Sabino Canyon is in the Coronado National Forest. The road to Lower Bear Canyon was built in 1960; the visitor’s center was built in 1963. A shuttle bus service began in 1978 to replace private cars in the canyon. In July 2006, Sabino Canyon sustained extensive damage as a result of heavy rainfalls. Currently, Sabino Canyon has over 1 million visitors every year.
Sources:
Friends of Sabino Canyon website, opens a new window
Coronado National Forest website, opens a new window
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