Tucson

Mount Lemmon

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  • Catalina Highway
     Tucson, Arizona 85619
    +1 520 547 7510
jmineo
jmineo
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Mt. Lemmon

  • April 19, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by mh75 from Harrisonburg, Virginia
Mt. Lemmon

Mt. Lemmon is the peak of the Catalina Mountain range which forms the northern border of Tucson, Arizona. Mt. Lemmon is over 9,000 ft high and is a welcome respite from the heat and bustle of Tucson. Up in the mountains, you can enjoy a true fall season with changing leaves and snowfall in the winter. Ski Valley is also located atop the mountain and offers skiing and winter sports when snowfall allows.

Mt. Lemmon suffered severe fire damage in the Aspen fire in 2003, but has made incredible strides in recovery since then. This is partially due to the large numbers of people who have decided to include Mt. Lemmon and Ski Valley in their vacation and day trip plans and have contributed much in the way of tourism dollars to their reconstruction and renovation.

Despite the damage from the fire though, the natural beauty is shining through. From the bottom of the mountain and the majestic sahuaros that line the roads and hills to the aspen and pine forests at the top, Mt. Lemmon offers a widely changing landscape as you ascend to the top. The drive itself is incredibly beautiful and can be made in under an hour. There are many turnoff spots along the way where you can stop and take in the scenery and make photos as well. On the way to the top, you have several options as to how to spend your time. There are restaurants and shops from Summerhaven to Ski Valley where you can spend your time and money as well as numerous picnic spots off of the road on the way up. At the top at Ski Valley, the ski lift is in operation most of the year to take people up to observe southern Arizona from the Phoenix area all the way down towards Mexico. Also at Ski Valley is the Iron Door restaurant, which is supposed to be very good, although I have not tried it. Across from the restaurant is the ski lifts, another restaurant and a little shop that serves some of the best chocolates, fudge and confectioneries that you'll ever taste.

Mt. Lemmon is located about 35 miles up the mountain from Tucson. To get there, simply take Tanque Verde Road to the Catalina Highway and then go straight up until the top. Temperatures generally average about 25-35 degrees cooler than in Tucson, so be prepared. And there is no gas on the Mountain, so make sure you go up with enough to get back down with.

From journal Old home Arizona

Mount Lemmon

  • January 25, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by flygurl814 from Tucson, Arizona
Mount Lemmon

Mount Lemmon is a peak located in the Santa Catalina mountains, north of Tucson. It's a favorite passtime of locals and visitors alike, and has something for everyone.

The access road is Catalina Highway, off Tanque Verde road on the north east side of town. From there, it's about an hour drive to reach the top. The views are amazing, both of the surrounding nature and the city below. Make sure to stop at the pullouts and look around.

The drive itself is quite interesting as you will see four distinct ecological strata and the temperature will drop about 30 degrees. You'll see everything from Saguaro cacti to evergreen forests, and if you're lucky maybe some snow in the winter.

Mount Lemmon is part of Coronado National Forest, so if you want to camp or hike you can visit their website for more information. Spencer Canyon is great for summer camping to escape the heat, and there are several hiking trails nearby.

In addition to the views, camping, hiking, cabins, snow and skiing, there's pie. The Mount Lemmon Cafe in Summerhaven serves some of the best pie I've ever tasted. Get the sour apple or sour cherry - I know it sounds weird but trust me, it's good.

From journal Why I love Tucson

Mount Lemmon

  • August 16, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by rem22310 from Tucson, Arizona
Mount Lemmon

The drive up Mount Lemmon is amazing. You can see all of Tucson. And they've recently finished repaving and widening the road. So the drive is very smooth.

If you're going to stop and park before you reach the top, where the actual town of Summerhaven is located, you need to pay for a road fee of $5.

The pass is well worth it. There's so much to do once you get up the mountain: camping, hiking, and even skiing when the weather's right. The best part is, you can escape the heat up there.

While hiking, you can still see the damage from a fire on Mt Lemmon from a couple of years ago. All the shops and restaurants are up and running though. There's a cafe and a few gift/specialty shops. I'd recommend bringing your own picnic though.

PS. Make sure to fill up your tank before hitting the Catalina Highway up to Mt Lemmon, because there are no gas stations on the mountain.

From journal Tucson Highlights

Mount Lemmon

  • January 14, 2004
  • Rated 4 of 5 by kdhampton from Blanchard, Oklahoma
Mount Lemmon

Well, on a beautiful 100 plus degree day in Tucson we drove up Mt. Lemmon for a lovely hike. It's such a wonderful change in scenery. With every turn, the landscape changes. From the saguaros to the pine trees.

We took the ski lift to the top of Mt. Lemmon and hiked down the lovely trail to the bottom of the ski area. We were so glad we had my husband's backpack. We were pulling jackets out of our backpacks to keep warm. The cool, crisp air is such a delightful change from the hot, dry air of the desert below.

You gotta love it!

From journal Wonderful Tucson

Mt. Lemon

  • May 22, 2001
  • Rated 3 of 5 by alena from new york, New York
Drive approximately 15 min SW of downtown Tucson to begin the beautiful drive to the top of the mountain. With many scenic viewpoints along the way, you can admire dramatic rock formations in red and pink, and hundreds of saguaro cacti. Towards the top, the landscape changes to pine forests. The little town at the top hosts a lodge, restaurants, and shops (some cheesie souvenirs, some beautiful but expensive crafts). The town is cute, but it's the drive up that you shouldn't miss

From journal native guide to Tucson

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