Sky Island Scenic Byway
Driving into the Sky Islands
| Departure: | Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley, Arizona |
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| Destination: | Rose Canyon Lake and Campground, Arizona |
| Time to allow: | 1 day |
From the quaint villlage of Summerhaven to a day spent along the shores of Rose Lake; the Sky Island Scenic Byway treats you to a diverse landscape in the Arizona desert.
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Start: Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley
Suggested Time at This Site: 2 hours Enjoy a few hours enjoying skiing at Mt. Lemmon, the southernmost downhill ski area in the continental US. With recreation all season, there is always something offered.
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Stop 2: Summerhaven
Directions from previous place: Start out going east on E Ski Run Rd toward E Red Ridge Road for 1.0 miles before turning right onto N General Hitchcock Hwy for .1 miles; road then turns into N. Sabino Canyon Park, after .4 miles, end in Summerhaven.
Distance from Previous Site: 1.7 miles / 2.7 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 5 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 40 minutes Take a break from the desert heat in the quaint village of Summerhaven, full of myriad shops and restaurants.
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End: Rose Canyon Lake and Campground
Directions from previous place: Start out going north on N Sabino Canyon Park toward E Douglas Ave for 0.1 miles, then turn right onto E. Retreat Rd for .1 miles, then right again onto N. Tucson Ave for .2 miles.
Turn right onto N Middle Sabino Rd for .6 miles, then make a slight right onto N Loma Linda Extension Rd for .1 miles before turning right onto N. General Hitchcock Highway for .7 miles.
N. General Hitchcock Hwy becomes N. Hitchcock Hwy, travel on this for .4 miles before road turns into N. Mt. Lemmon Hwy. Drive for 5.5 miles, then take a right onto E. Rose Canyon Rd, travel 1.5 miles before ending at Rose Canyon Lake.
Distance from Previous Site: 9.5 miles / 15.2 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 25 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 3 hours Enjoy a day at Rose Canyon Campground, among the pines at 7,200 ft., one the largest campground along the Byway.
