Arizona · United States
Catalina Highway (Mount Lemmon)
Tucson to Summerhaven
Tucson desert floor to alpine Mount Lemmon, climbing 6,000 feet through stacked switchbacks.
The General Hitchcock (Catalina) Highway climbs roughly 6,000 feet from the saguaro desert outside Tucson to the pines near Summerhaven, passing through a sequence of life zones often likened to driving from Mexico to Canada. The grade is steady and the corners are constant, with cyclists, motorcyclists and rock climbers all sharing the road. It is paved the whole way and the surface is generally good. Mind cyclists on blind bends, sudden ice and snow near the top in winter, and falling rock through the lower switchbacks.
Where it runs29.2 mi · point to point
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Character
Corners
busiest around mile 7Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%780 – 2,496.5 mPoints of interest3 stops
- Seven Cataracts VistaViewpoint14 mi in
- Thimble Peak VistaViewpoint13 mi in
- Windy PointViewpoint18 mi in
Hazards
- Cyclists on blind bends
- Winter ice near summit
- Falling rock
Sources
“It's regarded as one of the most scenic drives in Arizona, with breathtaking vistas and outlandish rockscapes.”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
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