This is a loop route that is unique because it starts and ends on a summit, that of Mount Lemmon in the Coronado National Forest in Arizona. The summit sits at 9,167 feet in the Santa Catalina Mountains of southern Arizona, just northeast of Tucson. The drive just to get to the start/end point is spectacular, winding up mountain roads with switchback turns for over twenty miles. The route starts and ends just at the trailhead which is marked by a sign with an area map (see images), which is just off the parking area. This is a clockwise route that first takes you down the Lemmon Rock Lookout Trail which a steep descent with beautiful views. At the base of the trail you turn west on the Wilderness of the Rocks Trail which loosely follows Lemmon Creek through Santa Catalina Natural Area and the lower valley. This section of the route takes you through beautiful boulder fields lined with unbelievable rock formations. After approximately 2.3 miles you'll take a right on the Mount Lemmon Trail which climbs back to the summit climbing Mt. Lemmon's southwestern ridgeline.
In the summer months the elevation of this route, and the cooler temperatures, provides a nice break from the searing heat of other parts of southern Arizona. I recommend downloading a good offline trail map because cell phone service is almost non-existent for most of the route.
More information is available at https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/lemmon-lookout-wilderness-of-rocks-and-mount-lemmon-trail-loop.
Comments
Great loop.