• Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway - A captivating aspect of this highway is the changing climate experienced during the drive. It feels like traveling vertically across the US, from south to north, due to the 6,000 feet elevation gain!

Note: This 33+ mile-long journey highlights Mount Lemmon’s essentials in 2-3 hours.

Purchase once, enjoy for a year! Perfect for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

• Soldier Trail - Soldier Trail is just ahead. This demanding 5-mile out-and-back hike showcases Saguaro, prickly pears, and a 2,000-foot elevation gain!

• Babad Do’ag Scenic Overlook - Babad Do’ag Scenic Overlook is approaching. This viewpoint offers a view of Tucson and the surrounding mountains. The Babad Do’ag trail also starts here, a moderate 4.5-mile hike through Saguaros, chollas, and ocotillos.

• Molino Canyon Vista - Molino Canyon is one of the many boulder-filled canyons in the Catalina Mountains. At around 4,000 feet elevation, the mountain’s ecosystem begins to transform. At the overlook and the mountain it faces, the ground is covered in native grasses, tall spindly ocotillo, tufted desert broom, and a colorful flowering shrub called pink fairy duster.

• Molino Basin Trail Head - This easy 5-mile out-and-back trail is relatively flat, making it ideal for mountain biking if you have one. It’s also a great path for trail runners. Walking the trail should take just over two hours.

• Bug Spring Trailhead - This challenging 10-mile out-and-back trail takes five hours and offers a bit of everything. The route begins in the desert terrain of the Catalina foothills, switchbacks up to a secluded pine forest with creek crossings, and ends in the Bear Canyon Picnic Area. The total elevation gain is 2,000 feet, enough to feel the air thin and the temperature cool.

• Thimble Peak Vista - For a bird’s eye view of the canyon ahead, visit Thimble Peak Vista! This overlook provides a clear view of Thimble Peak. Its name is evident when you see the mountain top shaped like a giant sewing thimble, standing over 5,000 feet high!

• Seven Cataracts - The Seven Cataracts are a series of waterfalls cascading from the Willow Canyon stream. The entire complex is about 1,000 feet high! It’s not a straight drop; the water tumbles from rock to rock in a cascade formation. Despite the name “Seven Cataracts,” it’s more like a hundred mini waterfalls in one!

• Middle Bear Picnic Area - Did you bring your sandwiches? We’re about to pass one of the highway’s best picnic spots! The Middle Bear picnic area is nestled alongside Bear Canyon, comfortably sheltered by ponderosa pines. You can see the rest of the canyon below. On the opposite slope, you’ll notice a unique sculpture garden created by erosion and landslides.

• Manzanita Vista - Manzanita Vista is approaching, offering views of a lush manzanita grove. Manzanita can be identified by their smooth, bright red bark and gnarled branches. They thrive here due to their ability to survive with poor soil and little water, facing no competition from other plants.

• Windy Point Vista - The view at Windy Point is unparalleled. You can see from the desert at the mountain’s base to the subalpine summit, capturing the entire biodiversity of Mount Lemmon in one panorama!

• Geology Vista Point - Geology Point Vista is ahead, offering views of hoodoos. A hoodoo is a tall, thin spire of rock resembling a natural skyscraper, forming only in dry, hot climates.

• Duck Head Rock - Duck Head Rock is coming up. This is one of Mount Lemmon’s most cherished landmarks, and you can probably guess why. This rock formation resembles a duck’s head with a long bill!

• Hoodoo Vista - Up ahead is Hoodoo Vista, another overlook featuring unique geological formations. For a closer look at these fascinating hoodoos, park in the turnout just ahead. Otherwise, continue driving.

• Rose Canyon Lake - “Arizona” and “fishing” might not usually go together, but Rose Canyon Lake is here to change that! This tranquil spot rarely sees the crowds that visit other attractions along the route, making it perfect for a moment of solitude.

• San Pedro Vista - San Pedro Vista is approaching. This overlook boasts stunning views of the San Pedro Valley below. When you’re done admiring the scenery, you can hop onto the Arizona National Scenic Trail––an 800-mile hike spanning the entire state, from the Mexican border to Utah! Don’t worry, there’s no rule saying you need to hike the whole thing!

• Palisades Visitor Center - Need a restroom break? Turn left onto East Organization Ridge Road to visit the Palisades Visitor Center. Otherwise, continue straight.

• Butterfly Trailhead - Butterfly Trail is up ahead. This challenging 11-mile hike is certainly scenic, but the biggest attraction is found three miles in. That’s where an unofficial trail leads to… a crashed F86 fighter jet from 1957! Wait, what? How did that happen?

• Aspen Vista - Aspen Vista Point is approaching, at an elevation of nearly 8,000 feet! On a clear day, you can see 50 miles away! The ridge rising from the horizon is another sky island chain called the Galiuro Mountains. The two ranges are separated by a valley plunging over 5,000 feet. The San Pedro River flows through the gulf between the mountains.

• Red Ridge Trailhead - Just ahead is Red Ridge Trail. This moderate 10-mile trail gets its name from the red dirt forming the path. The distinctive Sonoran Desert brick-colored soil is caused by weathering of minerals rich in iron, or as you might know it, rust. The dirt here is exposed to the elements, just like when you leave your bicycle out in the rain.

• Mt Lemmon Ski Valley - Mount Lemmon Ski Valley is approaching. Where there’s an alpine mountain top, a ski resort is never far behind! Mount Lemmon Ski Valley is here for all your winter sporting needs.

• Mt. Lemmon Sky Center Observatory - The SkyCenter did not start as an observatory. The government established a radar station here in 1956 during the height of Cold War paranoia, scanning the skies for enemy planes and missiles. For 10 years, Mount Lemmon was the highest continually-operating radar station in the world. 80 men worked at the radar station, most living at the facility full-time, as it would’ve been too much trouble to constantly trek up and down the mountain!

• Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
• Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
• Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
• Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
• Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
• Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
• Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
• Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!

• Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations

Explore the Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway in Arizona, a captivating journey through both nature and history. Discover stories of the Native Tohono O’odham, admire the Sky Islands and Saguaro Cacti, and explore the history at the Catalina Federal Honor Camp. At night, the Mt. Lemmon Sky Center offers a stunning experience, and in the fall, the Oktoberfest at Ski Valley is a must-see. Enjoy the concentrated beauty of Arizona.

It is recommended to purchase one tour per vehicle, allowing everyone to listen simultaneously!

After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require a reliable internet/Wi-Fi connection. Then, simply follow the audio instructions and the route.

Purchase once and enjoy for a full year! Perfect for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

Please note, this is not an entrance ticket. Verify opening hours before your visit.

• How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
• How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
• Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
• Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
• Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
• Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.