Day Trip: Cienega Preserve

On the north side of the parking lot you'll start off on a desert trail, with a row of lush greenness in the not-too-far distance. Signs will tell you that you need a (free) permit, but that's not true if you stick to the Arizona Trail.

The trail will soon lead into a wash.

 Eventually you'll come to the creek (assuming there's some water).

 Here, if you take a RIGHT, you'll be in the preserve, and you technically need a permit.
If you take a LEFT, you'll be on the Arizona Trail. Both directions are pretty, with water and trees, although I like going to the right a bit more.

Cienega Creek Natural Preserve, is beautiful and easy to get to--28 miles/36 minutes from my house in central Tucson. Take I-10 to Marsh Station Rd. Just don't use GPS to get there. If you do use GPS, enter "Gabe Zimmerman Trailhead," which isn't the trail you're going to go on, but it will get you to the right parking lot. 

Permits can be found at: https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/one.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=26988