Tucson terrains

This is a page about terrains in Tucson, Arizona. For information about other petanque clubs and locations, visit the Arizona page.

Overview of terrains in Tucson

Tucson has many public parks, and almost every park offers at least one good natural terrain. Many of these terrains are good. A few are truly great.

• In the parks, baseball diamonds often offer good terrains, although they are not shaded.
• Good terrains can often be found just outside of the fences around playing fields such as baseball diamonds. These areas are often wide public walkways with a surface of pounded dirt and light gravel.

Because of Tucson's hot, desert climate, in the summer it is best to play in the early morning and at dusk (the 90 minutes before sunset are great).

South

Santa Rosa Park

• A few blocks south of the center of town, just north of the intersection of 22nd Street and 10th Avenue.
• On the east side of the park there is a wide graveled area with a few scattered trees, next to the wall that forms the east side of the park. It should be able to host two or three simultaneous games on good terrains.

Rudy Garcia Park

• 5001 South Nogales Highway (aka South 6th Street), just south of E. Irvington. Map
• The entrance to the north parking lot is off of the south side of Irvington, just east of Nogales Highway.
• A nice natural terrain between the north parking lot and the baseball field.

East

Fort Lowell Park

• 2900 N Craycroft Rd, Tucson, AZ 85712 Map
• The park has many areas that work as petanque terrains, but probably the best is the dirt road/path that leads from the main parking lot (entrance off of Craycroft Rd) to the museum building.

Harold Bell Wright Park

Most of the park is a grassy soccer field, but there is a rest/picnic area that has a hard-dirt surface that makes a very nice open terrain. It has big trees for shade, park benches, and about half a dozen parking spots. Bring a leaf rake to tidy up the area.

The park is located in the Harold Bell Wright Estates, east of Wilmot between Speedway and Broadway.

• From the intersection of East Broadway and Wilmot (about the 6200 east block of Broadway), proceed north on Wilmot.
• Pass the turn-off on the right to St. Joseph's Hospital and the county library.
• Pass the light at 5th Street.
• Take the first right, and turn east onto Brian Kent Street. You should see a sign indicating that you are entering the Harold Bell Wright Estates.
• Proceed east one block.
• Take the first right (south) onto North Corinth Avenue.
• Proceed one block. You won't be able to miss the park.

Udall Park

There are three bocce courts in Udall park that are used pretty regularly by bocce players.
For a natural terrain, walk past the bocce courts to the large open area behind them. A pretty good natural terrain, although there isn't much shade (play when it is cool, or in the evening) and you have to play around the ground-squirrel holes!

Across the street from the bocce courts are several baseball diamonds, restrooms, ramadas and benches. Just outside of the fences around the baseball diamonds is where the good petanque terrains are located. There is shade from trees and bleachers, and one decent terrain is located directly in front of the restrooms, between the restrooms and one of the baseball diamonds.

West

Joaquin Murrieta Northwest Park

• 1400 N. Silverbell Rd, Tucson, AZ 85745, just north of W. Speedway Map