Leaf Peeping Near Tucson: Fall Color on Mt. Lemmon

While I have loved my time living in Tucson (we moved here from Flagstaff), I do miss leaf peeping and wearing cozy sweats and boots as soon as September rolls around. To my surprise, I quickly found out about a few mountain leaf peeping destinations within a quick drive. Fall color in the Sonoran desert? Yes, it does exist, although it’s not quite as spectacular as the color you find throughout the Coconino National Forest of northern Arizona.

While you will not being able to see any colors around the city, you can drive about 1.5 hours outside of the city to feel that fall ambiance. The high altitude trails of the Coronado National Forest liven up with some pretty color each autumn.

While Tucson temps still hover in the 80’s-90’s and landscapes consist of cacti & other non deciduous desert plants, the higher elevated mountain areas around the city are home to lots of aspens and deciduous trees, thus offering a hint of autumn for anyone longing for the traditional Midwest/East coast fall hiking ambiance.

As I moved here from Flagstaff (which offers lots of amazing fall color hikes like Inner Basin), I was still longing to see some colorful foliage this time of year. I love the desert, but I also love seeing bright colors lining the trails. At Mt. Lemmon, I was able to enjoy that typical fall vibe for the day. It basically held me over until my next trip up to the mountains. This is my favorite time of the year to hike. I love the cooler temps, the colors of the forest, and the quiet nature.

The highest peak in the Santa Catalina mountains

Mount Lemmon, with an elevation of 9159 feet, is the highest peak in the Santa Catalina mountain range. At this high of an elevation, the temps are about 20 degrees cooler than the low desert. To get this high up, you will take a 28 mile drive along the Catalina Byway up to the base community of Summerhaven.

This drive is one of the most incredible I’ve taken. I loved seeing the scenery change from fields of Saguaro cacti to eventually pines, aspens, and deciduous trees. This diversity in landscapes is due to the massive change in elevation from around ~2000 ft over 9000! I don’t think I’ve ever seen the landscapes change so quickly.

Summerhaven is a super small community with only a handful of residents, but it is a popular year-round recreation destination. Attractions include: local restaurants, a ski resort, a fudge shop & country store, a variety of cabin rentals, and a number of hiking trails.

Driving up here is one of my favorite half day activities as there is just so much to do. In the summer months, I usually enjoy breakfast, take a hike, enjoy a picnic, and take my time driving back. A lot of locals love The Cookie Cabin (they serve gigantic cookies in a rustic lodge) but I don’t really have enough of a sweet tooth to justify a gigantic cookie.

A cool escape

I often hike here during the hottest months to beat the heat of the desert. On extremely brutal days, you can really feel the difference this high up. One of my favorite hikes is the Meadows trail which is one of the easier and shorter hikes at just 2 miles. It’s very beautiful with scenery consisting mainly of pine trees.

It’s not the best fall foliage hike, but it’s a great place to enjoy the cooler fall temps and a great day out in nature. I really love hiking with the cacti in Tucson, but I also love pine trees especially as we head into the fall and winter months. One of the perks of living here is being able to hike in both settings. It’s really the best of both worlds.

The closest place to see fall color near the city

Unfortunately, autumn in Tucson usually means daytime temps finally dropping into the mid 80’s-mid 90’s after months on end of 100+ degree temperatures. While the morning temps are a bit cooler, it just doesn’t feel like fall…at all! Thus, so many locals and tourists both make their way up to Summerhaven to enjoy the cooler temps and drastically different scenery.

I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to see the color here as Flagstaff’s fall season is much more impressive. That being said, if you are a local tired of the same desert hikes, this beautiful mountain oasis serves as a quick convenient daytrip. Even if you see no fall color, at least you get to enjoy cooler temperatures in a picturesque mountain setting.

Your 2 best bets for seeing a lot of foliage in the Mt Lemmon area are the Aspen Draw trail and the road near Bear Wallow Campground. Both areas are lined with many aspens and maples, shining brilliant gold and red during peak season.

The Aspen Draw trail

Aspen Draw is a 2 mile moderate trek, but it may feel a bit more challenging due to the high altitude (9000+ feet). The hike itself is relaxing, although most of the trails up here could use a little better marking.

Due to poor trail markage, I recommend stopping by the visitor’s center and picking up a trail map. Remember that you are in a high altitude area, so take it easy, drink plenty of extra water, and only go out to your comfort level! Experts recommend getting used to the altitude for a bit and following these tips to ensure a safe experience.

You likely will not see anything too dramatic, but it’s about the best you will find without driving over 3 hours or taking a flight! We got to enjoy some nice golden hues which contrasted beautifully with the bright blue skies.

As you can see in this photo, we even captured a bit of red. Overall, it’s a great place to escape the heat and enjoy a mountain hiking experience.

Where to eat

You can park at E. Turkey Run Road (limited parking) or opt to park at the Iron Door restaurant. I recommend parking by Iron Door and enjoying breakfast here beforehand. I was pleasantly surprised by the menu and quality of the food.

Also, there is a nice chairlift ride at the ski lift which runs most of the year. The views are quite nice – I recommend a ride if you have the time and don’t mind shelling out almost 20 bucks. We actually received a free ride with breakfast (a great promo they were running at the time).

Other easy day trips from Tucson which offer a little bit of fall leaf peeping opportunities include Madera Canyon and the Ramsey Canyon Preserve.