Danny Lopez Regional Park

Trail Facts at a Glance

Name: Danny Lopez Regional Park

Park agency: City of Tucson Parks and Recreation

Contact: (520) 791-4873

Location: 4300 N. Silverbell Rd., Tucson AZ 85745

Parking fee: None

Trail hours:

Regional Park: 6 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

Dog Park: 6 a.m.-10 p.m. (closed Wed 9-1)

Transit: None

Trail length plus more: 1-mile loop, Gain 10’, Elevation 2200’

Trail surface: Sections paved and rugged natural surfaces

Date of last visit: January 16, 2024

Disclaimer: The information provided is for general guidance only and may not reflect current conditions. Users must assess trails for themselves, consider their own abilities, and assume all risks associated with trail use. Tucson AccessTrails, a nonprofit corporation, is not responsible for any injuries or incidents that may occur. Always use caution and prepare appropriately when visiting trails.

Description:

Danny Lopez Regional Park is a unique urban water park that offers boating, birding, fishing, and much more in two large Tucson lakes. The 13-acre Silverbell Lake is used for both recreational boating and community fishing. The smaller Archer Lake is reserved exclusively for remote-controlled model boats. The lakes are filled with reclaimed water from the nearby Sweetwater treatment facility. The cool clear lake water attracts a variety of birdlife, from wintering ducks to great blue herons.

The park entrance is marked with a large sign along the Santa Cruz riverbed, easily visible from Silverbell Road. After driving into the park, the leftmost driveway leads to the main parking lot which includes restrooms, drinking fountains, and information signs. This is also the location of the primary boat launch. The parking lot, and many of the picnic tables, are shaded with large arrays of solar panels.

The main attraction of the 230-acre grassy park is the 1-mile hiking trail around Silverbell Lake that is ideal for picnicking and birding under mature shade trees and spacious ramadas. The trail begins with a paved sidewalk that merges smoothly into a flat natural surface that circles Silverbell Lake.

Hikers can take a gentle stroll along the lake with up-close views of waterfowl and long-distance views of mountains in all directions. Park flora offers a wide variety ranging from native desert habitat to aquatic plants such as rushes and willows. At one point, the Park trail links with Tucson’s Chuck Huckleberry Loop which is a popular cycling path along the Santa Cruz River.

Other Park attractions include a circular airfield for flights of remote-controlled model aircrafts, and a 1-acre, lighted dog park with a fountain, a scrambling area, and a shade ramada. These park assets have the drawback of noise associated with barking dogs and gas-powered motors.

This Tucson Park, formerly named Christopher Columbus Park, was renamed Danny Lopez Park in 2025 to honor Lopez, a Tohono O’odham elder who dedicated his life to cultural preservation and education. The Park is a busy outdoor adventure for visitors of all ages, interests, and abilities.