Mount Lemmon
- January 15, 2001
- Rated 4 of 5 by
jmineo from L.A., California
It's hard to believe that by driving only 30 miles north from the sizzling city limits of Tucson the temperature could drop 30 degrees on us. But the road to the village of Summerhaven on top of Mount Lemmon is straight up, and it offers a very accessible reprieve for any desert dweller looking to escape the heat. Its the local Tucsonians that generally frequent the cooler climate on Mt Lemmon. On the way up you'll run into Summerhaven, an unlikely alpine village in the middle of the Sonoran Desert. Its small but it has all you need: a few lodging establishments, several outstanding restaurants, shops and easy access to hiking and mountain biking opportunities in the surrounding Coronado National Forest. Mount Lemmon Ski Valley, located just above Summerhaven, is open all summer offering "sky rides" on its lift. Be sure to make the trek during the month of October. Every year the city holds an Oktoberfest, selling german beer, knockwursts, broetchen, sauerkraut, and lots of other german goodies. Bring jackets though, because it gets cool up there during that time of year.
From journal Tucson - Oasis in the Sonoran Desert