23 miles And 6500 Feet Above Tucson, It's Almost A Different World

Mount Lemmon

Mar 15, 2026

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Kelly and the teens had spring break this past week, so of course we had to do something. At first there was a little uncertainty about everyone’s schedules, then gas prices spiked, so we decided to stay relatively close (103 miles) to home, and she just rented a cabin in Summerhaven, on Mount Lemon. It’s the off season in this mountain town so other than an hour or so of afternoon bustle, we basically had it all to ourselves.

This place cost about the same as a decent hotel room, but had plenty of space for all 5 of us; two adults and three teens, plus my son and granddaughter stopped by for a bit on the first evening. We saved a little additional money by cooking our meals in the cabin and filling the evenings with game and movie nights.

Also, since it’s such a tiny little town with relatively dark skies, of course I had to give Pixel phone astrophotography another try.

Oh, speaking of my Pixel phone, all the pictures from this trip were taken with Pixel phones (9 Pro XL for me, 10 Pro XL for Kelly). I did bring my Canon dSLR, but only discovered once we were on the top of the mountain that all my SD cards were still back at home. Oh well.

Of course Kelly had a couple of hikes in mind … and, there were plenty to choose from. We did three hikes total; two during the planned trip, and one “bonus” hike when we had to drive back up the next day. (Todd forgot his keys).

Without further ado, here’s Kelly to tell you a little about our wandering:

Spring Break, for us, tells a tale of 3 little hikes~ The goal for the first was to wander around the forest.

The last leg of Mint Springs Loop provided a mossy trail under towering Ponderosa Pine with log bridges over a crystal creek fed by snow melt from the Ski Slope. A glorious playground to explore on our own!!

Kelly’s Pictures:

Todd’s Pictures:

The goal for the second hike was to meet up with my oldest son on a Sunny trail with vast vistas.

Hike 2 was a bit more robust. Seth was able to join us and We completed the Incinerator Ridge section of the Arizona Trail! This jaunt offered rock scrambles, and expansive views from the ridgeline with a full 360 from Leopold Point. All along the way there were spaces to walk right along the edge of the world~

Kelly’s Pictures:

Todd’s Pictures:

The goal for the third hike was to have a nice easy meandering walk around the summit of Mount Lemmon.

❌

This hike was a banger from the very start. Barely into the trail, there were reasons to add extra trails on the side. On Meadow and Mount Lemmon Loop we added Lemmon Rock Lookout because the splendor was too intriguing to ignore. There were remnants of a viewing tower built in 1928, crystals bedded along an old stairway, red tail hawks and natural springs. We then passed right by the mapped junction and on to climb pillars of rocks that had excited me in the distance. Traveling back to the junction loop with only a mile or so to go, we were once again under a canopy of Ponderosas switching back to the Summit for incredible sunny views of Tucson and beyond. I can't wait to go back (not so sure Todd shares this sentiment), to go further, to see more, to take my kids and friends.... There is so much to explore, so much beauty when we are willing to see it!

Kelly’s Pictures:

Todd’s Pictures:

Getting there:

From 1-10, get off at Houghton, then follow it all the way until you hit Catalina Hwy. From there it’s only another 23 miles or so up the mountain, but plan for it to take about an hour. It’s really interesting to watch the transition of the vegetation along the way.

You start out with saguaro cactus

Then transition to scrub oak

Then finally, above about 7500’ you enter the pine forest

Along the way there are a number of pullouts and turn-offs for campsites and hiking trails. But the one you will want to stop at is Windy Point. There’s a parking lot and restrooms. But you can also walk right out on the edge of the rocks overlooking Tucson below.

Once you’re up in Summerhaven, be aware that parking can be a little tricky, especially at certain times of the year. Also, if you have an American The Beautiful National Parks pass, it may come in handy to avoid a few parking fees.

This is a location I’m sure we will return to many times in the coming years.