Great place to get some hiking done. https://journeyofflife.com/

Summertime, this place is a mecca for getting out of the valley heat. Cooler temps, blue blue skies, and trees. Honest to goodness trees! Wintertime, this place reminds you what winter is really like for the rest of the country. Well, almost anyways. Still, there's typically enough snow to make it worthwhile if you finding yourself just needing so bad to cruise down a slope on a snowboard or set of skis. It's not the greatest for skiing, but it suffices in a pinch. Chairlift runs year round so even in the summer you can take the ride and enjoy the solitude with views that can't be beat. Afterwards, Summerhaven is a quick jaunt down the road--head on down as a trip up the mountain essentially requires a visit to this small, bustling village. Lastly, don't forget to get some of that delicious fudge to enjoy on the way back down. It goes nicely with the views! read more

What an amazing place! Fantastic views and vista's as you see the multitude of different landscapes and climates that Arizona has to offer! I went up this weekend for the first time. It makes for an epic bike ride, 26 miles of climbing to the top takes 3 or 4 hours giving you plenty of time to take in the views, then a fast ride down generally going the speed of the cars! This should be on every Arizona Cyclists to do list! read more

Awesome time driving up the mountain and seeing all there was to see. Can't wait to visit again! Highly recommended, way better than I thought it was going to be! read more

Mount Lemmon - Hiking Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Mount Lemmon. Whats not to like? Scenic. Hiking, Biking, Climbing, Skiing, Shooting great place to ride your road or mountain bike! read more

"Such a beautiful drive up for 22 miles! The views are breathtaking and billons of yrs in the making. End your trip at the 9157 elevation and enjoy time in the town of Summerhaven... High in the Catalina Mts its worth the 3 hr round trip journey read more

Mount Lemmon - Summerhaven elevation 9157 high atop Mt Lemmon! - Hiking Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Dude, it was 63 degrees today (July 2). That's it. That's all it takes to get five stars out of me. (The ski lift thing was worth the price of admission. I did NOT plummet to my death - obviously - and it was great way to spend some quality time with my six-year-old). read more

Oh dear. I miss Tucson already. This gem is, as many have stated, a reprieve from the city that is super close by. Amazing views of greater Tucson with tons of trails off the main road. I'd imagine in those particularly toasty months, this place is a real treat. read more

There's a little town in the process of expanding at the very top so just in case you need food or anything, you know there's a community there to help you. Also if you are in need of pizza and cookies, you will be more than satisfied at the cookie cabin. read more

Wow! Best drive we have done since Maui road to Hana! We found it to be so relaxing. Really enjoyed the temperature and climate changes due to altitude. Found an amazing app that tells you all about what you are driving past and times it perfectly- even telling you where to stop for best views. Get it- you won't regret it- Mt Lemmon science tour read more

Please note, this review is of the rental shop only!: Staff is nice enough, however the equipment is trashed. Some boards don't have stomp pads, and all the boards I saw had chunks missing from the surface. Boots are also worn out. Worst part of all: rental deposit. This place requires a $300 deposit when you rent equipment. I asked whether this is a $300 hold, or whether $300 is actually deducted. I was told that it was just a hold, and that the receipt would be torn up when the equipment was returned. This is not a $300 hold!! They actually deduct $300 from your account, and then issue a refund when you return the equipment. Anyone that has stayed at a hotel knows how these deposits are supposed to work. They authorize the full amount, but don't actually charge it. When you return the equipment, they tear up the authorization and don't convert it to a purchase. In theory, if you took off with the equipment, the authorization turns into a purchase. Again, Mt. Lemmon actually charges you the full $300, and then refunds you the $300 when you return the equipment!! That means that you have to wait for the initial purchase, and the return to both be processed. As of today, several days later, I still have a -$300 transaction, but no +$300 credit. As anyone who has ever returned something on a credit card knows, returns can take days, even up to a week to process. Mt. Lemmon needs to get their act together in regard to rentals. Learn how to process an authorization correctly so that it protects both the rental shop, and doesn't inconvenience the customers. read more

Highlight of our weekend...absolutely stunning views on the 25+ mile drive up the mountain! You go through many different climate zones and the temperature drops about 25 degrees, so come prepared with proper clothes. Your drive ends in Summerhaven...a quaint little town with a few conveniences. Make sure to take advantage of many of the pullovers to take some great photos. This is a MUST do for those visiting the Tucson area. read more

It's a ski lift, what's not to love? The cost is what.. 8 or 9 bucks. Free if you eat at the Iron Door Restaurant. My friend and I enjoyed a nice cool ride up in April, straight to the top and back down. About 30 minutes round trip? Lots of fun. Was not busy, no snow, just a quiet gentle ride up and down. What else can I say? If you want a ski lift ride this is it! You can walk around at the top where it drops you off, or you can drive up there in your car and hike a nice trail nearby. Lots of fun. read more

WOW.... is all I can say about Mt. Lemmon. It really is one of the bests of Tucson! I'm not sure what's cooler, to see the bicyclists ride like the wind, or to get away from city slickers?! Hehe, I'd say BOTH! There are lots of picnic sites, hiking areas, and campgrounds! Don't forget your cameras for the pull outs to capture breathtaking pictures. Come here to escape the Tucson heat, it's always about 10 degrees cooler than the city. Thank Goodness! Summerhaven, is at the very TOP of Mt. Lemmon. There are a few great things to say about Summerhaven, it is 8000 ft elevation, 2 miles away from the ski lodge, has houses, cabins, for rent and SALE, a general store, two restaurants, one I haven't tried and the other one is the COOKIE CABIN! All I have to say about the Cookie Cabin is keeping making the giants cookies with the yummy pizzas and I'm all yours! =) There are about 10 pull outs off of the route to get to campgrounds. My first time camping and I'm glad we chose Rose Canyon campground to camp at. Rose Canyon, specifically, has about 6 different sites. 2 are reserved for RVs, 4 are first come first serve, and 1 is on a reserved basis only. The pay station for the camp sites is right in front of the entrance, if there isn't anyone to help you. Drive around, see if it's free, fill out the slip, and slip it into the box! At the end of Rose Canyon, there is a lake where you can fish, but a state and trout permit is required. Decent sized, quite, and a different scenery to look at. There is also an amphitheater right before the lake, which I'm not too sure what is for, but it's there, and a closed convenient store! There are restrooms with toilet papers available around the campgrounds, keep in mind there are no sinks! With each restroom post, there are water faucets available in front for DRINKING purposes. THE BEST part of camping... sleeping under the stars. Honestly, I might drive up here once a month just to visit the stars again. They were amazing and humbling. Have fun and PLEASE keep nature as beautiful as you first saw it. Please clean up after yourselves! read more

Can't wait for the lemmon to open. When there's snow it is amazing! Unfortunately there are many yrs where it just can't open...because we live in the desert (remember). Last season was banner. They had as much snow as Squaw Vally and I got in trouble at work for taking too many snow/sick days lol. Ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon; livin' the dream! read more

It is close by and thats nice:) if you live in tucson. Driving out there i was really confused cause i couldnt see anything that looked like it could have snow. But then you get into a valley and there you go! It is also very cheap. In this case however you get what you pay for. Grooming consists of shoveling ice from the hill down onto the trail. :( The rental equipment is pretty abysmal, so come here if you are bringing your own equipment. No...I'm seriously...like the boots are coming apart, the boards have giant pieces of wood missing, the bindings are seemingly from another century... read more

Well the physical mountain is great!!! Summer Haven : Crowded, touristy, lacks parking. Great cookies and Pizza but overpriced. I just love to sit there and chow down a 20 dollar pizza while drooling over the mansions of the elite. Just sayin. Seems like the "town" shuts down for business a little too early.and at prime hours. Guess they make enough cash between 10 and 2pm to justify it. Good for them though! "I'll take another one of those 20 dollar pizzas to go please" Community Center: Nice place and very helpful and knowlegeable staff. Ski Valley: Why is it that they wont even let me park there and watch the skiers and maybe get some hot choco??? They freeking block the road with cones and deny you access to the parking lots. Then the "guard" in the in the pickup glares at you as you try to turn your vehicle around. Geez do you think I can at least use the parking lot so I can get OFF your property? Iron Door Restaurant: Food is lousey and the service was lousey. The mountain itself is gorgeous and has a rich history. I just prefer to avoid the crowds and hold on to my hard-earned cash as best I can. read more

The people of Tucson are so lucky to live so close to this gem. In 27 miles one covers 6 different life zones from the Sonoran Desert to a mixed conifer forest, much like those in areas much farther north of the equator. The drive is fun (if you're a fan of winding, steep drives - best done with a standard transmission) and the ride is beautiful. I would not recommend trying to look at the views while driving, you'll end up getting to the bottom of the mountain in a very painful, albeit quicker, fashion. This past weekend my boyfriend and I went camping at Molina Basin, it's the first camp ground you come to and, while it's just 15 minutes from the bottom, it's high enough that there are fewer cacti, different birds, and bear lockers. The site has quite a few spots available, some more secluded than others. If you're looking for a campsite that is removed I would recommend going elsewhere - probably all of the camp site in Molina Basin have a view of the highway. But, it's really great for people looking to get out without making the 40 minute drive to the top! Ski Valley hosts a great Oktoberfest in the fall - always nice to get away from the heat, put on a sweater and drink a beer while watching polka dancers! Summerhaven has a cookie shop (separate review), a restaurant and a general store if you don't want to eat on the camp grill. It's a gorgeous spot and it will no doubt take years for me to camp at all of the available sites and hike the hikes. There's also mountain climbing and skiing if you're into that! Go there! read more

Mt. Lemmon is beautiful and a wonderful respite from the Tucson heat. However, I do NOT recommend making the trip solely for Oktoberfest. It is expensive, food is mediocre at best, and music incredibly disappointing. Is THAT the reason there was "nobody" there? Note that I was up there several years ago and LOVED it, so when I had an opportunity to go this year I was psyched! What a LETDOWN. :( Oktoberfest on Mt. Lemmon is off my list. I recommend going to the Sawmill Run restaurant for their awesome smoked wings, or even to the overpriced Iron Door before wasting your time and money at Oktoberfest. What a shame. read more

My friend and I hiked the butterfly trail on Mt Lemmon yesterday. It was 80 degrees in August! For beginners it's a tough trail, but the scenery is breathtaking. We went beyond the 1.4 mile point, finishing a total of 5.50 miles. It's 8000 ft elevation so it's pretty close to the top of the mountain. Definitely a must for anyone wanting to relax and get in touch with nature. :) read more

i've fallen in love with mount lemmon! it's truly one of tucon's treasures. from my side of town (east) you can escape into cooler weather and beautiful scenic views in just half an hour! my husband, daughter and i enjoy camping at the different camp sites on mount lemmon. they are all great and very well taken care of. rose canyon is great for the summer time, and in the fall/winter months i thoroughly enjoy molino basin camp grounds. mount lemmon isn't just for camping, though. they have a variety of things to do for outdoor enthusiasts. read more

The scenery! The drive!! I only wish I had my Porsche for that great road. Even the Top Gear trios would enjoy this road. I am thankful that my tax dollars go towards preserving and maintaining this treasure. read more

I hiked with three young kids from the bottom of the ski lift (where I got great info from a friendly lady in a little shop by the restaurant how to find the right trail) to the top of it using the Aspen Draw Trail. I managed to get the kids to the top (one of them has special needs and still made it after a lot of effort) and they were proud and exhausted. They were looking forward to take a ride down with the lift, but were informed that a week ago they stopped letting hikers use the lift if they did not purchase tix at the bottom. The guy offered to ask if we could go anyways and called the bottom station stating on the radio "we are no longer letting hikers take the chair, right?!". Even my kids realized that he did not even try to help out. Poor customer service. Needless to say, I was walking away with 3 whaling kids. They made it down and turned out to be real troopers. Be aware of the ride restrictions if you are planning to integrate the lift in your hiking plans. read more

It's beautiful up in the mountains especially during the wintertime. Grab a cup of hot chocolate, get in your car, and enjoy the drive up for the gorgeous scenic view of Tucson while playing in the snow! read more

We wanted to go in the summer to escape the heat. No info on their site but going up only means you can take their one hiking trail down or ride the lift back down. They wont let you on the grass, you cant hike on your own down the slopes. I asked if we could go eat on the tables on the other side of the facility to eat and we were turned down without any sympayhy...it was more of a blaket NO...They must get tired of explaining but I felt sorry for asking. ...we got on the lift and had no idea what the weather was like up there...we looked at the forecast and said chance for rain after 4p and figured a trip up at 11a would be fine. The management didn't warn us or post policies about the weather, refunds or anything. ...on the lift we got rained on and hailed on. A major thunderstorm developed and we had to wait in a shack to get picked up by a van. I called after we left (suck in the shack at the top for over an hour in the storm) and asked if there was any policy or if we could come back another day. The management has no idea how to run a business. We were told that they don't do anything and that we should know if there is clouds we take the risk. I said, I don't know what the weather does up here! I don't know how fast things can get started...sigh..She even said we should be grateful that they even sent there van up to get us!!! Seriously! Totally rude. I would have been fine with a polite explanation. I said I had my receipt and my lift stubs and when we come back I could show that we had talked, etc. Her response was ridiculous, She said that she would have no idea if it was us that bought the tickets or if it was someone else???!!!!! So now im trying to rip them off for a 28 bucks in tickets for a place that takes an hour and a half to get to! IF YOU ARE GOING IN THE SUMMER! DONT VISIT THIS PLACE! NOT WORTH IT! The views around town and up by the observatory are just as good. For hiking we found out that there are better trails in the area and are free and your dogs can go. Most are near state trails with picnic benches. I will never go back. Worst Service and a poorly ran business. They must not like money. read more

I skied Mt Lemmon on December 21st after they received over 30" of snow and opened with a 12"-24" base. Right after the snow, the conditions are as good as any Arizona ski area. Due to being so far south, the temperature is hotter and the snow seems to melt quicker than other Arizona ski areas, so my advice is get there right after the snowfall. The ski area itself is a nice 975' vertical (900' off the main two-person lift). There are over 20 runs, mostly off a ridge run off to the right side of the lift. The runs are mostly blue and some black. The ridge run is a nice green and the lower part has some green runs. The black runs here are not too steep, but can be narrow or have trees, and may build up moguls as the season goes on. They DO groom, contrary to some reviews. They have 2 newer groomers, so not all blue and green runs get groomed every day, but they do groom some runs each night. The views are AMAZING! From the top, you can see 6,000 feet to Tucson below. As you ski down, you can see the Catalina Mountains and valleys in there. The drive up is beautiful, even for Arizona. You drive through 6 different climate zones, from saguaro cactus to alpine forests. There's even pretty rock formations along the drive. The Iron Door restaurant has good chili, cornbread and green chili quiche, a great view from the deck of the ski area, and great stories/memorbilia around the restaurant. Many people come up the mountain just for the restaurant and to play in the snow somewhere atop Mt Lemmon, so the parking lot can get busy. Overall, I'd say Mt Lemmon Ski Valley is a good value for $40 lift ticket, and when the snow is fresh or the base is good (more than 16"), the skiing is very good and only a short 3 hour drive from Phoenix. Plus, sometimes Mt Lemmon gets the storm when Snowbowl and Sunrise miss out. That's especially the time to hit the Lemmon! -veteran 23-year skier originally from Michigan and since skied all over the Midwest, Rockies, Arizona and Tahoe read more

Fantastic drive to the top! We saw a lot of brave people cycling up (and down) the mountain. It's amazing to watch the scenery change from desert to forest. There are a lot of pull offs to stop and take in the scenery - I don't think you'll find these views anywhere else in the world. read more

Great motorcycle ride up and down...only problem is the other drivers on the road..great views and lookouts

Drove up to Mt. Lemmon from Tucson this past Saturday for some snowboarding with my girlfriend. The drive was great and lent itself to some some spectacular views. I am from Los Angeles and likened it to the drive up to Big Bear but this was grander. We meant to arrive at the slopes around the time they opened but had gotten lost. Arrival time was 1030 AM. Keep in mind this is based off one experience so I cannot confirm this is the norm. Needing to rent equipment for my girlfriend we got in line with the rest of the people doing the same. There were maybe 15 or so groups in front of me. A fairly short line. The shortness would ultimately be deceiving as it took 4 HOURS to rent equipment and get on the slopes. This is not ok. I am still flabbergasted as to how they can let that happen. After three hours of standing outside in line we finally make it into the rental shack. Very small, cramped, smelly, and chaotic. There were people everywhere and there appeared to be no coherent system in place to control it. The staff is a mix of teenagers and elderly who all seem to not be enjoying themselves. After standing around in the rental shack for 20 minutes with no help I took matters into my own hands and grabbed the boots we were renting. I basically had to herd and supply our own rental gear. After the frustrating experience of renting the gear we finally made it onto the slopes at 130. As for the slopes themselves, they weren't bad but not spectacular either. Very small but for Arizona you work with what you got. So if you have equipment already, you should have an enjoyable day. There was no line for lift tickets. However, if you are renting, be aware of of this experience and try to avoid it. read more

It was a long drive up the mountain. The view was amazing all along the ride. We started out in Tuscan at about 70 degrees and ended up at the ski lodge (8100 ft) at 34 degrees. We experienced sun, rain, hail, thunder and lightening, and SNOW.... Lots of snow once we reached the ski lift. We stopped to eat at the restaurant and sat by the fire. Once the snow stopped we headed back down the mountain and back into the rain and hail and finally to the 70 degree weather. We loved it! read more

A great place to get away from the heat and take out of town visitors. Plus you can buy a giant cookie at the top.

We went to this restaurant specifically for the pie because we were told by several people that is was the best pie around. Boy were we in for a disappointment. The eating area (plastic tables and chairs under a tarp) were dirty and there were flies everywhere. Among my family, we had 4 different kinds of pie and none of them were impressive and could have easily come from a box in the freezer section of the supermarket. read more

One of the best parts of Tucson, incredible views, amazing to see the cyclists and runners, a place to go skiing, an awesome place to camp if you ever get a chance, and very curvy roads for over 20 miles. Nice escape from the heat; if you go early in the morning, you get to breathe fresh air, see the stars, and sit in silence - it's so nice! read more

Having been a Lemmon-head for 15 years, I am writing only about the ski operation. 2011-2012 is the first year in memory that the skl hill has been open on a regular basis, so we have been taking full advantage. Attention business owners of Lemmon: skiers and boarders should not be relegated to porta-potties. Y'all have running water, and the fire was almost ten years ago, so let's buck up and hire a contractor. I don't need a chair holder, but the lift operator might consider hand warmers as many Tucson skiers are novices. Come out of your booth. The Mount Lemmon Ski Patrol earned max stars. These venerable silver foxes in rear entry boots are wizened, seasoned, funny, and personable. They are patient caretakers of the hippie schussers, not flashy Oakley-wearing castle guard types. The Mount Lemmon ski report is not detailed, but "open" and "closed" are clear. Conditions are often icy (no grooming), but the runs are wider than you'd expect here, and mogul lovers will be in their element. The Iron Door is the only restaurant up here, and while the menu is limited to vaguely German standards and uninspired soup, the Brat Hunt on sourdough is delicious. The interior is in desperate need of an update, but the service is decent. The best thing about Mount Lemmon is watching the temperature rise from 32 to 70 degrees during the 36-minute descent. Bless you, sky island! read more

I am marking these guys down for only one reason. When we went to pay for the lift tickets their pricing indicated they give a military discount. I was going to pay for my entire family which was ten of us and so I showed the representative behind the counter my ID. He rung up the tickets and read back to me the tickets. One military discount and everyone else full cost. I asked what about the the others and he looked at me and said, "if you want the military discount for everyone then I need to see everyone's ID." I was appalled because this has never happened to me and he was very adamant that he wasn't going to rate all the tickets this way. I've never had a food server or anyone that discounts a meal or service ask for everyone's ID that it will benefit from the discount. I said whatever dude because my wife who is also retired was ready to go off on him. Needless to say I said don't worry about it because I was enjoying time with my family and I didn't want someone who was that inconsiderate to ruin my day. Not to take away from the mountain and the chair ride, it was awesome and we had a good time either way. I just wanted to get my revenge on the young man who was more concerned about making a few bucks. read more

first time up this mountain it was incredible saw some awesome views I will never forget if I have a drive through here again I will drive up there again if you're in the area check it out!! read more

want a week end to go to ski at Mount Lemmon ? or hiking ? or just resting ? housing avalaible in Tucson - 1 hour driving to the station : 1 bedroom/1 bath - fully equiped - nothing to bring with you except your skiing stuff ! - everything provided : bedding, towel baths, full kitchen (toaster, coffe maker, plates, dishes, pans, etc...) - complex with laundry, hot tub, pool & fitness room - walking distance from restaurants and grocery stores - close to UofA - downtown 10 min drinving or bus station at walking distance - sleeping = 1 full bed, 1 sofa, 1 full airbed, 1 twin airbed (total sleeping = 5 persons - 100 $/week end - 60 $ one day/one night from monday to thursday - please ask for check in/out time on desired days - contact : tucson06@live.fr read more