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Top Attractions in Santa Catalina Mountains

Oracle

Oracle is a census-designated place in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. The population was 3,686 at the 2010 census. Buffalo Bill Cody owned a mine in Oracle briefly and, in 1911, appeared as "Santa" for a group of local children. The community is the location of the Biosphere 2 experiment. Oracle was also the postal address for environmentalist author Edward Abbey, who never lived in the town but visited often. Oracle is becoming a bedroom community for Tucson, Arizona, but large-scale development is opposed by many residents. Oracle State Park is adjacent. The Arizona Trail passes through the Park and community. Oracle is the gateway to the road up the "back side" of Mount Lemmon, which starts off of American Avenue and currently offers a secondary route to the top. Prior to the construction of the Catalina Highway on the opposite side of the Santa Catalina range, the Oracle Control Road was the only road access to the mountain community of Summerhaven. The term "control road" derives from the fact that the direction of traffic was restricted to one-way only, either up or down at alternate times of day, to prevent motorists from having to pass one another on the narrow, steep road. This route is now popular mainly with off-road 4x4 drivers and with off-road or dual-purpose motorcyclists, and should not be attempted by regular passenger cars or street motorcycles. This road ends at the Catalina Highway near Loma Linda.

Arizona Trail

The Arizona National Scenic Trail is a National Scenic Trail from Mexico to Utah that traverses the whole north–south length of the U.S. state of Arizona. The trail begins at the Coronado National Memorial near the US–Mexico border and moves north through parts of the Huachuca, Santa Rita, and Rincon Mountains. The trail continues through the Santa Catalina north of Tucson and the Mazatzal Mountains before ascending the Mogollon Rim north of Payson, eventually leading to the higher elevations of Northern Arizona and the San Francisco Peaks. The trail then continues across the Coconino Plateau and in and out of the Grand Canyon. The Arizona Trail terminates near the Arizona-Utah border in the Kaibab Plateau region. The 800-mile long Arizona Trail was completed on December 16, 2011. The trail is designed as a primitive trail for hiking, equestrians, mountain biking, and even cross country skiing, showcasing the wide variety of mountain ranges and ecosystems of Arizona. The idea for the trail was originally developed and promoted in 1985 by Dale Shewalter, a Flagstaff, Arizona teacher. The Arizona Trail was designated as a National Scenic Trail on March 30, 2009 by the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. It forms part of the 6,875-mile Great Western Loop. Phoenix, Arizona resident Kyle Knoll was the youngest person to solo-hike the Arizona trail at the age of 19.

Molino Canyon

Molino Canyon is a steep-sided, boulder-strewn canyon in the Santa Catalina Mountains northeast of Tucson, Arizona, next to the Molino Basin Campground. The canyon is located within the Coronado National Forest, and encompasses a wide variety of flora and fauna, ranging from lush pine forest in the canyons upper reaches to Sonoran Desert cactus forest in the lower reaches. Catalina Highway was cut into the western side of the lower part of the canyon. At the bottom of Molino Canyon is Molino Creek, a seasonal stream that flows southwest over large granite outcroppings, forming a series of small waterfalls and pools. Stream-flow is greatest in the spring, as the winter snow melts, and during the monsoon season. The banks of the creek are lined with willow, cottonwood and Arizona sycamore trees. The Molino Canyon Vista is located along Catalina Highway in the transition zone between Sonoran Desert cactus forest and oak-studded grassland, one mile south of the Molino Basin Campground, and provides foot access to Molino Creek.

Mount Lemmon Ski Valley

Mount Lemmon Ski Valley is a recreational ski area in the U.S. state of Arizona, and the southernmost ski destination in the continental United States. Mount Lemmon Ski Valley is located on the slopes of Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains just north of Tucson, Arizona. It is part of the Coronado National Forest, located near the mountaintop village of Summerhaven. The summit is 9,157 feet above sea level, and receives approximately 180 inches of snow annually. Winter storms on Mount Lemmon are frequent, leaving untouched powder areas. The ski season on Mount Lemmon usually occurs between mid-December and April. The weather is usually mild enough to ski in a sweater and denim jeans, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. There is no grooming at Mount Lemmon, which makes even the mild terrain challenging. Ski Valley is accessible via the Catalina Highway. Parking is limited at the ski area. The ski area is regularly closed some weekdays even when they have snow, but the specific days of closure vary. The highway is frequently closed for a day or so following substantial snowfalls until plows can clear the road. Restrictions limiting travel to vehicles with chains or four-wheel-drive above certain elevations may also be in effect during these times. The "back" road to Mount Lemmon from the town of Oracle, Arizona is dirt and is closed from December through March, and so provides no access during the ski season. The ski lift runs year round, as a "Sky Ride" experience in the summertime, offering views of the Ski Valley area, forest and grass-covered slopes, and the long distance vistas of the mountains and valleys in the distance north of the Santa Catalinas.

Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area

Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area is a 56,430 acre wilderness area. It is located within the Coronado National Forest in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona, United States. Established in 1978, the area varies greatly in elevation and biodiversity, rising from 2,800 feet to over 9,100 feet in elevation. The area was originally created in an ill-fated effort to preserve and protect the sensitive Desert Bighorn Sheep population on Pusch Ridge, one of the last remaining populations in Arizona. Due in part to increased residential and commercial development around the Santa Catalina Mountains in Oro Valley and the Catalina Foothills, however, the Desert Bighorn Sheep population in the wilderness area has dwindled dramatically, and sightings have nearly ceased in recent years. In November 2013, 31 adult bighorn sheep were reintroduced to the area. In early February 2014, 2 lambs were spotted by an Arizona Game and Fish Department official. These two are the first Catalina-born desert bighorn sheep in nearly 25 years. Plant life at lower elevations includes saguaro cactus and other desert plants. Trees found at mid-level elevations include mountain mahogany, juniper and pinyon pine. Forests of fir and aspen grow above 8,000 feet. In the middle of the Santa Catalina mountains there is a dome-shaped core of Catalina granite, formed in the Triassic period. The south face of the mountains is formed by Catalina gneiss with bands of white quartzite, this face is the form of a steep anticline and it is separated from the rest of the mountains by a series of valleys.

Redington Pass

Redington Pass is a high mountain pass between the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Rincons in northeast Pima County, Arizona. It is located just east of Tucson. Historically, it was the connection between the farming and ranching areas of Redington along the San Pedro River on the east side of the pass and Tucson on the west side. The road through Redington Pass is unpaved and the area throughout the pass is a favorite of mountain bikers and all-terrain vehicle riders. The area was also frequented by firearms enthusiasts, as the region contained three unofficial shooting range areas. As of 2013 these unofficial shooting ranges have been shut down by federal officials due to litter and noise pollution. The west side of the pass near Tanque Verde Falls affords beautiful views overlooking the east side of the city of Tucson, spread out across the Sonoran Desert floor below.

Cañada del Oro

The Cañada del Oro, is a primary watershed channel in the valley of Tucson, Arizona, USA. The word cañada has a tilde and is pronounced in Spanish; in English it is pronounced kə-NYAH-də, not like the country of Canada. The Cañada del Oro originates in the remote Canyon del Oro in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, fed by rainfall and melted snow from the northern face of Mount Lemmon and flows northward toward the town of Oracle. The Cañada del Oro is a perennial creek in Canyon del Oro while at higher altitudes. The Cañada del Oro curves from flowing northward to southward through the town of Oro Valley north of Tucson, where it is usually a dry riverbed. In Oro Valley the Cañada del Oro collects watershed from the western face of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The Cañada del Oro ultimately feeds into the Santa Cruz River just northwest of Tucson, the principal watershed channel in the Tucson valley. Historically, the Cañada del Oro was the focus of significant interest in gold mining, beginning with Spanish explorers in the 17th century. As early as 1880, the Cañada del Oro was labeled "Gold Cañon Creek" on American maps. Following the Mexican-American War, American gold-rushers continued the search for the valuable mineral through the 1930s. Prospectors discovered minimal amounts of gold in the Cañada del Oro through placer mining operations, and reportedly mined gold in the lost Mine with the Iron Door. The lost mine is the subject of a novel of the same name written by Harold Bell Wright in 1923.
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