Description: The only paved road that leads to the upper reaches of Mt. Lemmon and the Santa Catalina Range is one of the most scenic highways in the southwest. This 28-mile (one-way) route provides access to a fascinating land of breathtaking vistas, outlandish rockscapes, cool mountain forests, and deep canyons spilling out onto broad deserts. The road starts in the lower Sonoran Desert and climbs to the high coniferous forests. Here, you’ll find plants, birds, animals, and geology that exhibit some of the most wide-ranging natural diversity to be found in any area of comparable size in the continental U.S.

Wildlife to Watch: A wide range of birds can be seen as you travel up this route through varied habitats. At higher elevations, look for greater pewee, yellow-eyed junco, Arizona woodpecker, Steller’s jay, plumbeous and Hutton’s vireos, hepatic and western tanagers, red-faced warbler, painted redstart, black-headed grosbeak, mountain chickadee, violet-green swallow, pygmy nuthatch, and broad-tailed and magnificent hummingbirds. Mammals include white-tailed deer, black bear, mountain lion, bobcat, ringtail, gray fox, Abert’s and red squirrels. Reptiles and amphibians include Sonoran mountain kingsnake, Arizona black rattlesnake, tiger rattlesnake, Sonoran whipsnake and canyon treefrog.

Ownership: USDA Forest Service
Size: 28 mile route (one way)
Closest Town: Tucson

Facilities:

Best Seasons for Wildlife Viewing:

Main Photo Credit: View of Tucson from the Santa Catalina Mountains by Matthew Schallan [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

Wildlife Viewing Areas

A Guide to North American Wildlife Viewing Opportunities

Santa Catalina Mountains – Mount Lemmon

Santa Catalina Mountains – Mount Lemmon

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