A Trek Through the Wild Side of the Catalina Mountains in Southern Arizona
The Control Road is Mt. Lemmon’s hidden pathway to adventure
Most people visiting Tucson, Arizona, put a trip up the Catalina Highway on the south side of the Santa Catalina Mountains on their “must-do” list.
It’s a winding, paved road that traverses through mighty saguaros, expansive grasslands, and rocky canyons before terminating in pine forests atop Mt. Lemmon and into the village of Summerhaven.
But did you know there’s another way to reach the top?
If you’re into drives about more than just getting somewhere quickly, you’ll love exploring the Mt. Lemmon Control Road. It’s a wild and wonderful route where you can take your time and enjoy some of the best backcountry southern Arizona has to offer.
A Brief History of the Mt. Lemmon Control Road
Before the completion of the Catalina Highway in the 1950s, the Control Road was the only way to get to the top of Mt. Lemmon.
The U.S. Forest Service built the road in the 1920s to provide the community access to the mining and ranching resources of the Catalina Mountains. Pima and Pinal counties contributed to the project, and in those days, it was…
