Tucson sits in the shadow of Mt. Lemmon, a towering sky island that houses the southernmost skiing facility in the United States. It is also home to a lake, a variety of hiking trails, and numerous campsites, some with showers and bathrooms. In about 45 minutes, you can go from the desert floor to a cool pine forest with amazing views. It was mid-afternoon when we headed up and it was already 100 degrees in Tucson. By the time we reached the top, it was 75.
We found a nice camping spot a short way off the main highway and set up some hammocks overlooking Tucson and beyond.
After relaxing for a bit, we continued up the highway a few more miles to the little town of Summerhaven.
Summerhaven is a collection of cabins and small businesses set is a lush valley where signs of a major forest fire a few years ago can still be seen. On past trips, we’ve tried out a couple of the restaurants, but a stop at the Cookie Cabin is a must! (Don't ask what's going on with my kid's faces, I'm pretty sure they came that way)
Their cookies are gigantic! Just check out the picture.
This cookie was more than enough to fill up our little family. We got the Rachel cookie, superb!
As we headed out of town, we noticed a sign for the Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley which included a restaurant and a chairlift ride. Unfortunately, we were unable to make it on this trip, but will head back next time we’re in Tucson. We continued down the mountain enjoying the vistas along the way as we headed to our hotel. There are some amazing rock formations that people love to do some rock climbing on. If rock climbing is your thing, you should check it out. If you enjoy camping, hiking, mountain biking, and relaxing in nature add Mt. Lemmon to your bucket list!
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