Mount Lemmon

We were debating whether the 28 mile each way drive up and down Mount Lemmon would be worth it, but we decided to go for it as we had been doing a lot of hiking and thought something different might be fun. We were glad we did it; there are a ton of beautiful viewpoints along the road and it was a clear day with visibility over long distances. On the way up from 3000 to 9000 feet you go through many different climates and by the top you are into a pine forest. We had a picnic under pine trees in Tucson...there was even a bit of snow a little above our picnic spot! The road is excellent, wide, and has guardrails in all needed spots; in other words, this is not a scary drive. I have been on many white-knuckle mountain roads, and this is not one of them. Do plan to take your time though, for the views, to take care around the many cyclists pedaling up and coasting down the mountain, and because the road does wind around a lot. With all of our stops to enjoy views, have a picnic and walk around Summerhaven a bit, we spent about 5 hours on the mountain. Be sure to fill up your gas tank before heading up; there are no gas stations in Summerhaven but there are some shops and a few places to eat if you don't feel like picnicking. Remember too that it will be much cooler at the top and bring appropriate clothing.

*&HIGHLY RECOMMEND**

In moderate traffic, the scenic 27-mile drive up Mt Lemmon took about 1.5 hours at 230p on Thanksgiving Day. Of course, it can take longer if you make stops along the way. I enjoyed the calmness of the drive up to the top and in to Summerhaven (tourist and residential area). The area offers: so much:

Breathtaking vistas
Beautiful rock formations
Various trees & wildflowers
Wildlife (turkeys) viewing
Overnight Camping
Picnics
Hiking
Fishing
Skiing
Steward observatory (Mt Lemmon SkyCenter); reservation only for science programs
Mt Lemmon Hotel (cute cabins)
SummerHaven

Please mind the posted speed because there was law enforcement along the route.

Great place for bird watching. A little hard getting our old camper up the mountain with the roads.

Drove here in November scenic drive
Summer haven nearby nice too- we stopped in sawmill restaurant for lunch - great lunch detour

Another world , another climate ,multiple terrain changes Mount Lemmon has been a place to get away , to live , to camp ,to hike , to fish all less than 20 miles from Tucson going northeast on Catalina highway .
Summerhaven small town atop rebuilding after 2020 ravaging fires.
Ski Valley single chair left available summer & winter .
A restaurant with patio adjacent to ski valley .
Many cyclists train on the road up and down the highway beware.
Recent super dry conditions prevent open fires , smoking other than gas stoves.
Called the sky islands it's a must see in tucson .
The u of az has blue signs posted to tune in your radio? to get history/ geography ? as you drive up mountain .
I didn't try it but enjoyed the kxci community radio bluegrass show ( sat 10-12 am ) on the drive up the mountain .
U of az also has a telescope on top but not for public use .

Beautiful views from this elevation up above the city! Worth the drive to get some fresh air and hike or walk around the little town at the top! There are two ways to drive up to this spot but one is an unimproved road, so is not recommended unless you have the proper tires.

Great ride beautiful scenery. It would be nice if you could avoid the drive thru the city, due to the traffic but still worth the trip

The Mr and I took the Mt Lemming Scenic By-Way on a Sunday morning after touring Sabino Canyon.

What a glorious ride it was!

We throughly enjoyed the scenery on the way. We decided to ride it all the way to the top and do our stopping at the various pullouts on our the way back.

Scenic beauty was in every direction, and the topography changed as we climbed.

First it was cactus and houses that literally perched on the edge of the earth.

Next it was rocks that seemed to be clinging to nothing and rose majestically into the sky.

Eventually we saw pretty pine trees and enjoyed cooler temps at the top.

On the way back down, we encountered a deluge of rain and even some hail.

Thankfully, it stopped long enough for us to grab a quick pic or two of Windy Point Vista. How lucky were we?

One thing we didn't enjoy was the cars that seemed to be speeding. More than once the Mr pulled over to let someone go by. The speed limit is 35 for a reason.

Early in our climb we encountered a head on collision being cleaned up.

Slow down people and enjoy the ride.

It is magnificent!

I have be up so many times! There are lots of cool pull off spots, fishing, hiking, shops! There's really good food / beer places... The best part is the fudge shop though! :)

Great place to escape the summer heat! 105 in Tucson and just a quick hour drive up the mountain we were enjoying 70 degree weather. Unfortunately Summerhaven has really grown with food vendors, coffee trucks, and art shows, things you definitely want to see however there is almost no parking. Make sure you get there early especially on the weekend to get a spot.