Southwest Hiking in late April

I've spent years hiking in the Pacific Northwest and now have a few months free before starting med school. I have never had an opportunity to hike in the Southwest and now is the time. I do not have a car which seems quite necessary to get to remote trail heads. Also, I've learned the hard way not to hike alone. I'm thinking of breaking down and buying a clunker to get a few good months of travel. We'll see. If you have suggestions or would like to join with me I would love to hear from you.

Isaiah

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

I can't speak for other cities, but here in Tucson it is quite possible to get to some remarkable trailheads without a car. In fact Tucson is known as a bicycle Mecca (Lance Armstrong trains here) and is surrounded by several mountain ranges including the Catalinas and Rincons whose bases can be easily biked to. Especially in the spring, these trails up into the mountains offer respite from the desert heat and even waterfalls as the spring runoff occurs. Just an idea to keep in the back of your head as an alternative to buying (and registering, and licensing, and insuring, and trying to sell) a car.

AZBuck

I've read in a few guidebooks (LP and Rough) that using public transportation to get around in the SW is totally out of the question so I'm not sure what to think. I'm still looking for a hiking/driving partner if anyone is interested.