Welcome to the Santa Catalina Mountains, one of the premier natural areas in southeastern Arizona. The elevation ranges from 2,724 ft. inSabino Canyonto 9,157 ft. at the top of Mt. Lemmon. The lowland desert as well as the high pine forest is managed for many multi-use purposes; hiking, biking, rock climbing, skiing, camping, education and research are among some of the activities. | Phoneline Brittlebrush image | Rattlesnake Canyon Image | Barrel Cactus Red Blooms image | Outstanding scenery abound, featuring steep rock cliffs and foothills coverd with unique desert vegetation adjacent to riparian corridors. A perfect springtime walk in Sabino Canyon, along the Phoneline Trail with it's bright Brittlebrush plants high up on the hillside overlooking the slowly ascending 3.7 miles paved road thru Sabino Canyon. As the desert blooms in the springtime, in the lowland portion of Sabino Canyon, the Barrel Cactus blooms a variety of colors. This one has bursts of red blooms that makes a beautiful sight as well as a tasty treat for the wildlife.

Santa Catalina Mountains

This area of Mt Lemmon camping is located at the head of a shallow, forested canyon a short distance off the Catalina Highway. Spencer Canyon faces the city of Tucson and the Santa Cruz Valley, both of which are visible as a distant panorama through openings in the forest canopy. Spencer Canyon Campground has 66 sites. Each site has a concrete table, firepit, B-B-Q and bear box for food storage. A beautiful night view of Tucson can be seen from several sites. Spencer is rugged, rustic in layout and close to the hamlet of Summerhaven. Each camping area has clean, stocked vault toilets. Campground hosts live on site. Firewood may be purchased from the hosts. The Catalina Highway is paved, but it can be snow covered in winter when chains and/or 4-wheel drive may be required.

Spencer Canyon Campground

## Overview

Whitetail Campground offers group campsites in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains of southeastern Arizona, 5 miles south of the town of Summerhaven and the top of Mt. Lemmon. Groups can enjoy picking, hiking, camping and wildlife watching while enjoying a cool respite from hot summer. The facility can accommodate groups for day or overnight use.

## Recreation

Hiking and sightseeing are popular activities. The surrounding national forest boasts a variety of trails, including some on the 9,157-foot Mt. Lemmon, for those who wish to venture away from the campground for the day.   
  
The University of Arizona runs an observatory just up the road, and visitors can also drive a few minutes to the small town of Summerhaven, which offers amenities and attractions on Mt. Lemmon's summit.   
  
Anglers can try for stocked trout at nearby Rose Canyon Lake.

## Facilities

All five group areas have picnic shelters that can accommodate between 40 to 90 people each and come equipped with drinking water, electricity (small appliances only), trash collection and vault toilets.

## Natural Features

Whitetail Campground sits high on the slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountains at an elevation of 8,000 feet. Because of its elevation, it can be much cooler than the lower-elevation campgrounds in the area. The campsites are spacious and spread out among stands of big ponderosa pines   
  
The Coronado National Forest covers 1.78 million acres of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Elevations range from 3,000 to 10,720 feet in 12 widely scattered mountain ranges, or "sky islands," that rise dramatically from the desert floor, supporting biologically diverse plant communities. 

## Nearby Attractions

Catalina Highway, also known as General Hitchcock Highway and Sky Island Scenic Byway, is the only paved road that leads to the upper reaches of Mt. Lemmon and the Santa Catalina Range, offering a scenic day trip.   
  
Other notable attractions include Saguaro National Park, Sabino Canyon and Colossal Cave.

Whitetail Campground

## Overview

The cool shade of tall ponderosa pines and an overlook of Palisade Canyon from the campgrounds edge make Showers Point Group Site a popular place for groups to spend a weekend or an afternoon. Visitors can relax in shaded campsites, picnic at nearby Rose Canyon, hike and mountain bike on nearby trails or take a scenic drive on Catalina Highway. 

## Recreation

Within easy walking distance from Showers Point is one of the most scenic overlooks in the Santa Catalinas. From this towering bluff visitors can see the lower slopes of the Santa Catalina Range and the Santa Cruz Valley stretching toward Mexico. Tall, pyramid-shaped Mt. Wrightson of the Santa Rita Mountains stands prominent on the horizon.   
  
Visitors enjoy hiking through the Santa Catalina backcountry, via the Palisade Trail that departs near the campground. The trail drops down the southwestern slopes of the mountain range to the popular Sabino Canyon Recreation Area.   
  
Fishing is also available at the nearby six-acre Rose Canyon Lake. A day-use fee is applicable at Rose Canyon 

## Facilities

The three group campsites at Showers Point are well spread out over this spacious location and include large, leveled tent pads and picnic shelters. Each site is tent-only for up to 25 guests. The facility is equipped with water faucets and toilets. 

## Natural Features

Showers Point Group Campground sits high on the slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountains at 7,700 feet. Because of its elevation, it can be much cooler than the lower-elevation campgrounds in the area. The campsites are spacious and spread out among stands of big ponderosa pines and clusters of Gambel oak.   
  
The Coronado National Forest covers 1.78 million acres of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Elevations range from 3,000 to 10,720 feet in 12 widely scattered mountain ranges, or "sky islands," that rise dramatically from the desert floor, supporting biologically diverse plant communities. 

## contact_info

For facility specific information, please call (520) 314-0069. 

## Nearby Attractions

Catalina Highway, also known as General Hitchcock Highway and Sky Island Scenic Byway, is the only paved road that leads to the upper reaches of Mt. Lemmon and the Santa Catalina Range. It is one of the most scenic highways in the southwest and provides a popular day trip.   
  
Other notable attractions include Saguaro National Park, Sabino Canyon and Colossal Cave.

Showers Point Group Site

## Overview

The Palisades Ranger Residence Cabin is located within the Palisades Administrative Site in the Santa Catalina Mountains, 20 miles northeast of Tucson, Arizona. The cabin is reached via the East Catalina Highway, which becomes the General Hitchcock, a historic and scenic drive that takes visitors through multiple biozones from the Sonoran Desert to the dense forests at 8,000 feet elevation. The cabin has indoor plumbing, electricity, a full kitchen, furniture, beds and an enclosed front yard. 

## Recreation

The Palisades Ranger Residence Cabin is approximately one hour from Tucson, Arizona, and provides excellent access to a myriad of recreational opportunities, including hiking, camping, birding, horseback riding, picnicking, sightseeing, mountain biking, rock climbing, and visiting historic areas. Fishing is also available at nearby Rose Canyon Lake. Winter sports are available at higher elevations, depending on snowfall; Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley in the Santa Catalina Mountains is the southernmost ski area in the United States. 

## Facilities

The Palisades Ranger Residence is a five room cabin, suitable for up to four people. The cabin consists of a bedroom, dining room, living room, bathroom, and fully-equipped kitchen. The bedroom has a twin-over-double bunkbed, while the living room contains a queen-size futon. The dining room has a table and four chairs. The kitchen is equipped with a propane stove/oven, microwave, refrigerator, pots, pans, utensils, dishes, and a coffee pot. The house has electricity, a propane heater, and running water.   
  
While the cabin has amenities for comfortable lodging, guests do need to provide some of their own supplies, including food, sleeping bags, linens, pillows, towels, dish soap, matches, a first aid kit, toilet paper and garbage bags. Although electricity is available, it is recommended that guests bring an additional light source in case of emergencies.

## Natural Features

The Santa Catalina Mountains comprise one of the "sky islands" in the Coronado National Forest. From the desert floor to the upper slopes of Mt. Lemmon, biozones vary from Sonoran desert to subalpine forest, with wildlife communities that are equally diverse. An extensive trail network offers opportunities for day and extended trips, with easy access to the nearby Pusch Ridge Wilderness. 

## Nearby Attractions

Numerous attractions are also available nearby, including: the Sky Island Scenic Byway (General Hitchcock Highway), Rose Canyon Lake, Mt Lemmon Ski Valley, The University of Arizona Mt. Lemmon Sky Center, the hamlet of Summerhaven, Arizona, as well as numerous hiking trails, and opportunities for photography and picnicing. Attractions within one hour's drive include Sabino Canyon Recreation Area and Saguaro National Park East.

Palisades Ranger Residence Cabin

Catalina State Park camping is available in 120 electric and water sites. Each campsite has a picnic table and BBQ grill. Roads and parking slips are paved. Campgrounds have modern flush restrooms with hot showers, and RV dump stations are available in the park. There is no limit on the length of RVs at this park, but reservations are limited to 14 consecutive nights. Campgrounds are open all year.

Catalina State Park sits at the base of the majestic Santa Catalina Mountains. The park is a haven for desert plants and wildlife and nearly 5,000 saguaros. The 5,500 acres of foothills, canyons and streams invites camping, picnicking and bird watching — more than 150 species of birds call the park home. The park provides miles of equestrian, birding, hiking, and biking trails which wind through the park and into the Coronado National Forest at elevations near 3,000 feet. The park is located within minutes of the Tucson metropolitan area. This scenic desert park also offers equestrian trails and an equestrian center provides a staging area for trail riders with plenty of trailer parking. Bring along your curiosity and your sense of adventure as you take in the beautiful mountain backdrop, desert wildflowers, cacti and wildlife.

Catalina State Park 

The lake offers recreational fishing. This 7 acre lake is tucked away in a picturesque stand of mature ponderosa pines high on the slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountains. A paved road through Rose Canyon Campground leads to a small parking area, a short walk from the water. Rainbow trout large enough to catch and take home generally are released in the lake about once a month from early April through the end of August, when water temperatures become a little too warm for these cold water fish. All stocking and fishing regulations for Rose Canyon lake, as well as all the other lakes within the Coronado, are managed by Arizona Game and Fish, which publishes the current stocking schedule . This is a beautiful place, and many people come here to enjoy the other features that it offers in addition to fishing. Tall trees and rocky slopes line the shore and are reflected in the lake’s sheltered waters. Rose Canyon Lake Trail #37 leads around the water’s edge and provides good opportunities for photography, bird watching, and just plain strolling. A few downed logs close to the water provide good places to sit and enjoy a snack or a bit of quiet meditation.

Rose Canyon Campground

Coronado National Forest Whitetail Group Site

The name Prison camp came from the Federal Honor Camp begun in 1937 to house federal prisoners supplying labor to build a road providing access into the Santa Catalina Mountains. Prisoners had been convicted of federal crimes ranging from immigration law violations to tax evasion to bank robbery. During World War II, many of the prisoners were conscientious objectors whose religions prohibited them from serving in the military. Some were Japanese Americans protesting the “Japanese American Relocation,” the largest forced removal and incarceration in U.S. History. After the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, over 100,000 Japanese Americans, many American Citizens, were imprisoned in crowded internment camps for fear they would conduct espionage and sabotage along the west coast. Gordon Hirabayashi was a senior at the University of Washington in 1942. He challenged the constitutionality of internment based on race or ancestry. He turned himself in to the FBI rather than report for relocation. He was convicted and sentenced to serve at the honor camp in the Santa Catalina Mountains. In 1987 Hirabayashi’s case was overturned. A federal commission determined that the internment had been motivated by racial prejudice and wartime hysteria. In 1988 the Civil Liberties Act was signed by President Ronald Reagan, which acknowledged the injustice and apologized for the internment. In 1999 the Coronado National Forest renamed the site in honor of Dr. Hirabayashi and the other resisters of conscience who were imprisoned there. Dr. Hirabayashi and others attended the dedication ceremony.

Gordon Hirabayashi Campground

This small, sheltered campground is tucked away just off the Catalina Highway, along the rocky streambed that forms the floor of upper Bear Canyon. Campsites are nestled under a canopy of ponderosa pines, junipers and oaks. Some sites are located right along Bear Creek among large rocks. The Creek generally only flows during rainy periods or during the Spring snowmelt, but be vigilant of flash floods.

General Hitchcock Campground

Wishing Well RV Park

USDA Forest Service

Easy and well maintained hike to the dam from the Recreation center. Plenty of parking but requires a day or annual pass. Recreation center also has hundreds of trails that lead all throughout the Santa Catalina mountains.

Sabino Canyon Dam

Plenty of great trails that lead all throughout the Santa Catalina mountains. A lot of highly trafficked and we'll maintained trails. 

Some of the best hiking Tucson has to offer

Conveniently located a short 15 minute drive from the heart of Tucson, this state park is one of our all time favorites! We first stayed in the Ringtail Camping, which is overflow for the main campgrounds. The showers and bathrooms were clean and well maintained. The campground hosts were lovely people who were very helpful. There are no hookups at the ringtail campground, but the price reflects it. 

We moved over to campground A for a few days, which had full hooks up and spacious sites with lots of trees and privacy. All the amenities were well maintained and the staff is friendly. The hiking trails are endless, along with the gorgeous Catalina mountains and colorful sunsets. Would highly recommend! 

Santa Catalina Mountains

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